Team work makes the dream work, or so members of County of Simcoe council believe.
Councillors voted today to support a recommendation that Warden Basil Clarke, on behalf of council, make a submission to the province's standing committee on heritage, infrastructure and cultural policy that would reconfirm its position that they are ultimately stronger together as the region faces rapid growth and demand for significant infrastructure investments.
By maintaining a two-tiered governance structure, county council noted it's better positioned to ensure efficient regional service systems are maintained, as well as providing co-ordination of plans and investments that cross municipal borders.
A staff report presented at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting outlined four themes which were confirmed by previous council recommendations outlining the value of two-tier government in Simcoe County, specifically how it is unique, explained Rob Elliott, the county’s general manager of engineering, planning and environment.
“Along the planning lines, we think there’s a strong opportunity to continue with two-tier planning, but building on greater clarity of the two roles. Even if it’s not a legislative responsibility for the planning function, we think that we should continue with a prescribed role," he said.
"All the regions in the county have their own uniqueness. What we want to position is what Simcoe County offers … and why the province needs to look at all the regions under (their) own jurisdiction and own light,” Elliott added.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall questioned whether the submission would focus on a “steady-as-she-goes" approach, or if it would include a request for additional services or the regionalization of infrastructure that would tap into existing city infrastructure.
“If regional co-ordination of growth is something that doesn’t rely on the City of Barrie and is referring to the municipalities that are fully within the County of Simcoe working together, I completely support and endorse all of that," Nuttall said. "If it’s an approach that is saying … it should be tapping into all infrastructure that’s going into Georgian Bay or Lake Simcoe, I have an issue with that."
Elliott said one of the greatest challenges the county is currently facing in meeting provincial housing targets is related to infrastructure.
“We are not making any recommendations on what that would look like other than to say a regional lens on the planning for that infrastructure to support housing is something the province needs to reconsider,” Elliott added.
'Unrealistic and unattainable'
The county is a unique amalgam of urban and rural, said Tiny Township Mayor David Evans, noting he sees this process as an opportunity for synergies. Being one of the county's more rural communities, Evans acknowledged his municipality doesn’t have the infrastructure to deal with the changes being “thrust” upon municipalities by the province.
“The biggest issue we have at a concrete level is concrete. We are looking at implementing septage (and) water that are in some cases three to four times the size of our annual budget," he said. "These projects are unrealistic and unattainable. If we are going to be able to provide better services at a cheaper cost to our constituents, we have to work with our neighbours."
Bradford West Gwillimbury Coun. Jonathan Scott, who attended Tuesday's meeting in place of the town’s mayor and deputy mayor, noted his municipality has long held that regional governance in general, and Simcoe County in particular, needs “thoughtful, meaningful renewal and reform.”
“We think there is more alignment than political rhetoric might suggest, and this report makes clear areas in which we agree, but also leaves some areas unaddressed that we believe are vitally important matters requiring thoughtful reform,” said Scott.
“We know there are problems across the province with regional governance," he added. "Peel Region was going to be dissolved entirely. Now it’s mostly being dissolved so its constituent cities can more appropriately manage their own affairs, there’s talk of major changes to other regional governments."
Scott said members of his local council have met as a municipality with provincial representatives several times, noting they seem to “get” Bradford’s position, which he said is based on key principles and values endorsed by council this term.
“We cannot miss this opportunity to fix the flaws we all can recognize in municipal and regional governance," he said.
Scott added county staff’s desire to see “efficient, stable and predictable” land-use planning is one of areas his council agrees, as is regional scale co-ordination of growth to facilitate the optimization of infrastructure delivery.
“We especially agree with local municipalities that also need to be better equipped to plan within settlement areas, develop their neighbourhoods and process development approvals," he said. "A system where Simcoe County sticks to its knitting, so to speak, on regional matters leaves local leaders better able to manage local planning."
'Unique challenges'
Scott says no one is advocating for the elimination of regional government.
"But we do require recognition that Simcoe County is unique — and so is Bradford. Parts of the county are rural and even part of cottage country," he added. "You have unique challenges. Parts of the county — my town, in particular — are suburban communities within the GTA. We face different challenges with massive residential, commercial and industrial growth.”
The regional governance review is about more than land-use planning, said Scott, adding it’s also about roles, responsibilities and division of responsibilities.
“The county’s role should be to support infrastructure development in an efficient way that avoids duplication, and in general regional governance needs to evolve with the times to better deliver for our citizens,” he added.
Severn Township Deputy Mayor Judith Cox said the review should be looked at as a beginning step.
“Right now, we are a united team. I could go on about how I live in the north and we don’t get as much as the south does … but there’s no point in doing that," she said. "We are all in different places with growth. It has come fast and furious and we are all trying to get ready for it.
"Right now, we should all be doing what we do, but still remember we are in here as a house and we are … in here as a team,” Cox added.
Midland Mayor Bill Gordon agreed, noting it’s important the county participate in this type of a meeting.
“Remaining silent is silly. We need to be there. What it feels like the province has done (is) the violent shaking of the snow globe," he said. "Some of the knee-jerk reactions we saw earlier on in the term virtually have all been walked back. There’s a very different tone coming from the premier and the new cabinet.
“It doesn’t look like there’s any violent reshaping of municipalities and regional governance," Gordon added. "I think they’re going through the review because it’s the right thing to do, but that defensive posture we all had seeing Peel basically being ripped apart and boundary changes, everything has been walked back.”
Gordon added that while he’s not suggesting everything is “fine and rosy” just yet, he believes county council doesn’t need to be quite as concerned as it may have initially been.
“The concern (we) initially had to make sure our voice was heard and our hand was seen above our peers in the crowd, I believe we could pump the brakes a bit and not be as concerned about it," he said. "I guess history will prove me wrong … but it looks like they’re working on a more conciliatory tone to make sure they have another term. I think we are more in a workshopping mode than preservation mode.”
Council also endorsed a motion requesting that another steering committee hearing be held at the Simcoe County Administration Centre in Midhurst as part of the formal review process, so that the county, along with its 16 member municipalities and two separated cities, can consult and provide further input.
