August 29, 2024 · 1 Comments
By JAMES MATTHEWS
Where there’s a will, there’s a way, even toward assuaging such large issues as a housing shortage and highway safety concerns.
Dufferin County Warden Darren White, who is also Melancton’s mayor, said he came away from the recent Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa with a sense that there is indeed a will at all government levels to find a way to solutions.
“I’ve been to some (conferences) where clearly they’re just not listening at all,” White said. “I think, coming towards the end of the government’s term, they have no choice but to listen and to start making better plans.
“In both the provincial and federal governments, I think there’s a realization that they need to start doing something to fix or to help out the housing issue across the county.”
Some of that requires policy from governments’ upper tiers. And some of it is in the requirement that more money be given to be spent in the best ways, he said.
That was a sentiment shared by Orangeville Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor. He attended the conference with White and Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post.
Taylor said municipal councillors and taxpayers alike may wonder about what gets accomplished at such conferences. People can question if sending a large contingent is worth the money.
But, Taylor said, there are few other arenas in which municipal delegates can intimately convey local concerns to a captive audience of government ministerial officials.
Collaboration among the many corners of government has opened avenues of communication, he said.
“I’m pretty impressed with the Ontario government,” Taylor said. “There’s a lot of passionate people there who want to make a difference.
“I think we’re always blaming other levels of government for other things. In lots of ways that can be true, but the reality is, I think there’s a caring group of individuals there trying their best to do a good job and make a difference.”
A municipality the size of Orangeville can’t find a purse deep enough often enough to properly address some of the myriad social issues faced today. That makes annual grant money from various federal and provincial government programs a necessity.
Grant money doesn’t repeat and that means committing to the sometimes arduous application process every year for that money to continue the municipality’s work.
“It’s hard to have a meaningful program (amidst uncertain funding),” Taylor said. “Without the provincial government or the federal government, Orangeville just can’t make its way on its own. We don’t have the funding to be able to do it.”
Building homes to prevent homelessness isn’t something that can be done by the town. But providing programming and initiatives to address homelessness can be done more readily.
Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced that 56 properties have been identified to be used for affordable housing development. Dufferin County won’t benefit from that initiative, but White said he and others were able to speak with representatives of three ministries about housing.
They discussed local housing needs and how the county can maximize the returns on money currently in coffers and the funds to come to provide more roofs for more people.
“We were very specific in talking that it’s not just the one size of housing that’s needed,” he said. “We have all the needs all across the housing spectrum.
“We’re interested in being partners in moving housing forward in our area. They were fairly receptive to what we had to say.”
Taylor said road transportation was a topic of much lobbying.
Locally, the town is concerned about safety at the intersection of Highways 9 and 10. And the intersection of Highway 9 and Rolling Hills Dr. near Island Lake Public School.
Given the municipality doesn’t own those thoroughfares, they have to work with the province to step up safety measures there.
White echoed Taylor’s traffic safety concerns. He said transportation issues and highway safety concerns have been discussed at the council table for a number of years.
In particular, a number of safety upgrades are required on Highway 10 inside of the county, he said.
“The province, as the owners of that, need to come to the table and have a chat with us about it,” White said. “We’ve identified some very unsafe intersections, particularly County Road 17 in Melancton.”
He said the Dufferin County delegation was able to bend the ear of Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria to discuss the issues.
“We had a chat with him about it and how we feel we need to move forward,” White said. “We’re hopeful that they will engage a bit better and have a full discussion on what we can do to make that highway safer.”
In fact, White said he invited the minister to visit the county. White proposed to spend a few hours driving in the area so White could highlight some of the safety concerns.
Sarkaria didn’t commit to being driven about the county, but a senior aid signed up for the tour, White said.
“I’ll take him out and show him where I think the issues are,” White said. “And sort of educate them. I don’t expect that they’re terribly familiar with the highway, being based out of Toronto. I think having eyes on it is a good first step.”
AMO took place from Aug. 18 to 21.
With regard to,” “I’ll take him out and show him where I think the issues are,” White said. “And sort of educate them. I don’t expect that they’re terribly familiar with the highway, being based out of Toronto.” Minister Sarkaria represent Brampton South, he is the Transportation Minister, he should be familiar with Highway 10. It is his job.