Meeting to review employment land needs study
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

Town staff received direction from Caledon council recently to proceed with a community meeting Nov. 12 to discuss the employment land needs study report.

The study was done to ensure there is an adequate supply of employment land in south Albion-Bolton to allow for economic development and maintain employment growth over the long term. Provincial policy requires that an adequate supply of employment land be provided.

Kathie Kurtz, the Town's senior policy planner, told council the study done by Watson & Associates justifies from an employment lands perspective the need for a settlement boundary expansion. She added the report doesn't identify specific geographic locations.

A regional official plan amendment will be required to expand the Bolton settlement boundary before Caledon council can adopt an employment land official plan amendment.

The study identifies the amount and timing of the additional employment land that's needed in Caledon as a whole and in south Albion-Bolton, Mayfield West, Tullamore and the remaining rural area.

Jamie Cook of Watson & Associates told council 620 gross acres (251 gross hectares) of employment land are needed in south Albion-Bolton between 2006 and 2031.

Councillor Annette Groves said when you bring in a labour force from outside they're going to spend in their community. She added local retailers say they're having a hard time.

Councillor Richard Whitehead said the report needs to be "beefed up and scoped out." He noted one of the magnets for this area is transport companies.

Whitehead suggested staff need to check with land owners on their vacancy rate. He disagreed with the study's suggestion there are 329 net acres (133 net hectares) of marketable vacant land in Bolton. He also disagreed with the conclusion that the Bolton industrial area has a maximum employment supply of about eight years. He believes it's two to three years.

He agreed with Groves they need people to live and work in the community.

"Live-work is actually increasing," Cook told him.

He explained the number of jobs per people is currently one-third and their goal is one-half.

"The priority at the moment is to improve our economy," Whitehead said.

Councillor Allan Thompson complimented Cook and Kurtz on a good report.

"You brought us out of the dark ages," he said.

He believes 11,000 jobs annually unallocated for Peel region is growth they should go after.

"It's a challenge we have to grow," Thompson said. "I think Caledon is a good growth area."

He believes the employment growth share of 11 per cent forecast for Caledon between 2001 and 2031 is "embarrassing."

"Let's go after the employment," he said, adding he wants to keep taxes affordable.

Councillor Gord McClure said his job as a councillor is to keep taxes lower, and the money is in the employment lands.

"I think we should go where the money is," he said.

The community meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 12, at the Caledon Community Complex (lower level) in Caledon East, 6215 Old Church Rd.