Mayor Dan Onichuk, Coun. Tannis Drysdale, and CAO Mark McCaig will be off to Ottawa next week for the annual general meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, which runs Aug. 22-25.
Following the theme, “Renewing Our Communities: From the Municipal Front Door to Parliament Hill,” the delegates will be joining hundred of others from across Ontario attending seminars at the Ottawa Congress Centre on waste diversion, revitalizing small communities, best practices, and infrastructure financing and asset management.
But perhaps more importantly, the local delegates also have arranged meetings with several provincial ministers to discuss topics such as infrastructure funding, transportation, child care funding, land tax reform, and tourism.
“There’s two big issues we’ll be diligent on. The first is provincial land tax reform,” said Mayor Onichuk, noting the province must be aware that there are large, unorganized areas that currently are not paying their fair share of taxes, and this must change.
“Provincial land tax reform is something that will lessen the burden with DSSAB and the health unit,” he stressed, referring to two services that year after year have been eating up a significant part of the town’s budget.
“The second thing is infrastructure,” added Mayor Onichuk, noting the McGuinty government announced late last month it was committed to restoring Ontario’s public infrastructure and ensuring future economic prosperity.
But he still wants to know exactly what that means for Fort Frances.
“We’re just waiting for the applications to come out. We have several projects we really need to get done, such as reconstructing the underpass,” he remarked.
When asked about what key topics the Fort Frances delegates will be sure to discuss, Coun. Drysdale replied, “The tourism centre is of central importance to Fort Frances.”
She added plans were afoot with the previous Tory government to move the tourism centre here further away from the international bridge and Customs facility in an effort to boost usage and encourage those crossing the bridge to stop in Fort Frances and the surrounding area.
This was a recommendation of last year’s “Re-inventing Fort Frances” study.
But the now town must reiterate their case to the Liberal government.
“We need to have a serious talk with the government about relocating that facility,” Coun. Drysdale said. “Hopefully, Minster [Jim] Bradley comes to the right conclusion.”
Acting on behalf of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, Coun. Drysdale also will be making presentations about “Grow Bonds,” which she expects will be legislation by the fall, and provincial land tax reform, which she expects to reach the consultation stages later this year.
Speaking more generally, Mayor Onichuk said he truly was looking forward to the AMO conference.
“One of the biggest things about these conferences is getting the opportunity to work with other mayors and politicians from across the province,” he remarked.
“And, of course, we’ll be sure to lobby for all the provincial and federal dollars we can get while we’re down there,” added the mayor. “You’ve got beat the bushes.”
Fort Frances Times
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