Mayor's Report
GO adds bus service in Bolton
By Marolyn Morrison

It's official- GO Transit announced that they will be adding to the existing GO bus services in Bolton. A new weekday bus service will connect our residents with the Malton GO station so that commuters can then access the Georgetown GO train service.

Southbound bus trips will leave at 6:10 a.m.; 7:20 a.m.; and 8:15 a.m. to connect with the trains at the Malton GO station. Northbound bus trips from Malton GO station will occur at 3:48 p.m.; 4:48 p.m.; 5:48 p.m.; and 7:58 p.m. Buses will serve stops along Regional Road 50 in both directions at Bolton Heights Drive, Ellwood Drive, Wilton Drive/Allan Drive, Queensgate Drive, McEwan Drive, George Bolton Parkway, and Nashville/Countryside Drive.

This is great news for our commuters who want to take advantage of using GO Transit. By using these services, commuters are staying out of their cars, helping to eliminate emissions, and reducing gridlock. While riding GO, you can start work early, read a good book or catch up on the news. It frees your time, reduces your stress and helps our environment all at the same time.

I would like to thank council and staff for their hard work and persistence in getting better service for our residents. We will continue to work with GO in hopes of establishing a pickup point in the down town core. By everyone working together as a dream, we can achieve great things for our community.

For more information regarding GO Transit or the new Bolton weekday service, please visit their Web site at www.gotransit.com or call 1-888-438-6646.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish a safe and fun school year for all of Caledon's youth. Best wishes to the teachers and school board employees as you embark on another school year. Please remember that some students will be walking to and from school, so be cautious on the roads.

AMO convention

I attended the 108th annual AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) conference in Ottawa. AMO is a non-profit organization that represents almost all of Ontario's 445 municipal governments.

The first AMO meeting was held in Hamilton Sept. 6, 1899. Since this time, the organization has grown into a strong, united voice for all Ontarians. The mandate of the organization is "to support and enhance strong and effective municipal government in Ontario. It promotes the value of the municipal level of government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada's political system."

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AMO and the Province of Ontario allows AMO to forge ahead with their mandate. The MOU provides the opportunity for municipal input to provincial policy ideas. The province has the ability to legislate statutory and regulatory changes that would have a direct impact on municipalities (an example of this would be the recent Greenbelt legislation). That is why it is extremely important that municipalities be given an opportunity to provide comment. The MOU established a protocol that obligates the province to consult with AMO and municipalities on matters that are of a federal-provincial nature that could affect municipal services and finances.

Tuesday, Aug. 21, I was elected by my municipally elected colleagues to continue my efforts with this great organization. I look forward to sharing with you in my columns the work that AMO will do over this next year.