Finally, it looks like their voice will be heard.
Penetanguishene has successfully secured four delegation spots at next week’s 2021 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, allowing them ten-minute opportunities each to speak with various provincial ministers on topics of importance.
Mayor Doug Leroux and town CAO Jeff Lees are expected to attend the virtual meetings, all four of which will be held on Aug. 16.
The AMO conference has been anticipated as a key opportunity to speak with the Minister of the Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, who has been evasive in regards to policing costs related to the Central North Correctional Centre (CNCC).
The ministry ceased funding for policing at provincial institutions in 2019, with an intent to roll out a new pricing program which could impact Penetanguishene residents up to $400,000-per-year in taxes starting January 1, 2022.
Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop spoke with Leroux and Lees this summer, assuring the town that a forthcoming meeting between Penetanguishene and Jones would be a front-and-centre issue for the ministry.
“Our ask of MPP Dunlop was to have an opportunity (to speak with Jones) outside of the AMO conference,” said Lees to council last month. “We don’t believe that the 10-minute opportunity at AMO will be quite as effective as perhaps a standalone meeting outside of the AMO conference.”
The town has also been accepted in a delegation to speak with the ministry of finance in regards to a heads and beds payment-in-lieu (PIL) funding model, in which the ministry pays $75 per head/bed at 1987 rates instead of traditional assessment-based property taxation. Council became upset on discovering the disparity, as it affects the CNCC, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, and Georgian Bay General Hospital Penetanguishene site provincial facilities.
"We were supposed to be guaranteed the beds for heads for the total number of beds in the (1,200-capacity CNCC) building, whether they were occupied or not," said Coun. Brian Cummings earlier this year. "They're not paying us enough to even supply the water to the building, so they're taking advantage of us for sure."
A delegation with the ministry of municipal affairs and housing has been arranged to address the challenges being faced within the community. Slated to be discussed are matters relating to changes in the Development Charges Act which allow for a deferred payment on rental housing, and which the town states have affected several projects in the municipality.
Lastly, Penetanguishene has secured a delegation with the ministry of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries to discuss funding opportunities for the town dock secondary plan and master plan.
As a long-term multi-million renovation project is still in the preparation stages for the heart of the community, funding by the province could allow the town to get a firmer grasp on what is ahead for its future.
Penetanguishene council is expected to discuss the AMO meeting later this week during the committee of the whole.
A link to the AMO delegation report can be found on the town of Penetanguishene website.
"AMO is a meeting place where Ontario's municipal leaders – and all governments – come together," AMO president Graydon Smith said in an Aug. 3 news release.
"Over the last year, municipal governments, the province and the federal government have done important work to confront some of the most important challenges facing our communities. I know that work will continue at the 2021 conference."
Subjects to be covered include:
- COVID-19, its impact on municipal service delivery and charting our economic recovery;
- climate change;
- women in leadership;
- broadband connectivity in Ontario;
- transforming long-term care;
- community paramedicine;
- diversity, bias, inclusivity and mental health;
- municipal insurance costs;
- property assessment in a post-pandemic world; and
- changes to Conservation Authorities.
Keynote presenters include Ontario Premier Doug Ford and key ministers, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath (Leader of the Official Opposition), Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, and AMO president Graydon Smith.
The full program and information on registration is available here.
AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444 municipal governments. AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada's political system.
