Mayor's Report
Mayor offers Duncan input on provincial budget
By Marolyn Morrison

On Jan. 22, I had an opportunity to provide recommendations and input into the Province of Ontario's 2008 Budget.

The province has been holding pre-budget consultations with Finance Minister Dwight Duncan across Ontario. I was privileged to be afforded an opportunity to share Caledon's perspective and the needs of the Greater Toronto Countryside Mayor's Alliance (GTCMA).

I spoke at great lengths about the much needed financial support for municipalities to uphold recent provincial initiatives; namely the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP), the Green Belt Plan (GBP), and Places to Grow. These plans require regional and local planning to comply and enforce them through bylaw enforcement. The truth remains that the Town of Caledon is almost entirely consumed with provincial planning designations. The Niagara Escarpment Development Plan covers 13,704 hectares; the ORMCP covers 15,948 hectares; the protected countryside of the GBP covers 24,930 hectares; and the Growth Plan covers 14,135 hectares of land. Yes, some of these plans overlap one another, but considering that Caledon has an area of 68,717 hectares, we are being swallowed by provincial initiatives with no assistance from the province.

These programs all require significant environmental stewardship for the local municipalities outside of the main GTA urban area, with considerable environmental benefit to the urban areas. Caledon and the other GTA Countryside Municipalities have no sources of revenue to pay for these costs, other than by local taxation. For the Town of Caledon to implement ORMCP, GBP, Places to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement, we have an estimated cost of $1,154,000 over approximately 2.5 years. My suggestion to Minister Duncan was for the province to provide the necessary operating subsides to implement its new planning requirements. It is simply not fair for the province to dictate how our municipalities must plan, then require us to enforce it but provide no financial support to do so, but on the backs of the property tax payers.

I spoke briefly about the gas tax revenues and how this money is dispersed. Population densities in Caledon are not significant enough to warrant public transit investment. This is the same for many of the GTA Countryside municipalities. However, our roads require maintenance and rebuilding. Therefore, I requested that the gas tax revenue sharing should be expanded to recognize transportation cost in municipalities where public transit is not an option.

Caledon's commuter traffic continues to increase; with a whopping 50 per cent of the traffic on our roads being flow-through. By flow-through, I mean these commuters do not originate in the Town of Caledon and they do not stop here to shop either. The province is considering the elimination of road subsidies through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. This could mean that Caledon will have to pay an annual cost of $3.5 million to maintain our roads. Currently the province pays for $1.3 million. Since the province downloaded the cost of the rebate to farmers and owner's of managed forest to the municipality, Caledon has lost annually $900,000 in residential taxation.

It is my hope that municipalities across Ontario shared the same message as the Town of Caledon and the GTA Countryside Municipalities. The province is in a position to help municipalities thrive to make a stronger and more vibrant Ontario. If they do not step up to the plate in this budget, I fear many municipalities will have no alternative but to increase municipal taxes to pay for the province's initiatives or go deeper into debt. I will continue to advocate for provincial support!

March Break programs

It seems as though we just finished with the holidays, but people are beginning to make their plans for March break already. As such, I thought that I would share with you some information about the Town of Caledon March break programs for our youth.

The Recreation Department offers fully accessible and innovative programs and services. We recognize the importance of each resident's quality of life and strive to involve families and individuals of all ages and abilities.

Feb. 19 marks the beginning of spring registration for programs across Caledon. Affordable March break camps are available in Bolton and Caledon East, offering a variety of activities like swimming, skating, horseback riding, bowling, team activities all in an energetic environment. March break camp staff are qualified in First Aid, CPR, as well as dynamic program planning.

The 2008 Spring /Summer Leisure Guide is set to hit your mailbox the second week of February. Further program and service details can be found in the 35-page guide, along with other valuable community information. If you do not receive your copy directly in your mailbox, please contact the Recreation Department at (905) 584-2272, ext. 4292.