Halton Region delegates at Public Hearing on Regional Governance
I was recently part of a delegation from Halton Region to provide information to the Provincial Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure & Cultural Policy (external link) for its Study on Regional Governance Structures in Ontario to ensure that Halton’s voice is heard as part of the Standing Committee’s review. The Committee is studying if regional governance enables effective service delivery and supports building 1.5 million new homes in Ontario.
My message to the committee was that Halton’s current service delivery model is working, and working well. We have a strong track record of supporting growth and working with our local partners to provide effective services in a fiscally responsible manner. Our structure and approach to governance provides existing and future residents with exceptional services and the Region is committed to ensuring that our municipalities have the Regional services they need to fulfill their housing pledges in support of the Province’s goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes.
To achieve the Provincial target of 92,500 new housing units by 2031 for Halton Region, a massive amount of investment is required. Local Municipalities alone would not have the fiscal means to finance the scale of investment required to deliver this infrastructure. The Committee should not consider any changes that would disrupt Halton’s proven approach to service delivery. We need to continue our dialogue with the Province about how to pay for infrastructure and support our growing communities.
Learn more about the great services and programs we provide at halton.ca or watch this short video.
Celebrating Black History Month in Halton
February marks Black History Month - a time for us to acknowledge and celebrate the history, culture and immense contributions of Black Canadians.
As we look back at our history in Halton, there are notable people and families who shaped our community and the lives of many Black Canadians.
Alvin Duncan (external link) was a Black Canadian historian and World War II veteran from Oakville. Duncan’s research shared important stories of people like James Wesley Hill (external video link), who was a conductor on the Underground Railroad (external link) and helped 800 people escape slavery and come to Canada through Oakville. Learn more about Black History Month in Canada (external link) by visiting canada.ca (external link).
By appreciating each other’s differences and embracing diversity, we keep Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.
