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Regional Councillor Report
Submitted by: Colleen Jordan, Regional Councillor Wards 3 & 4
Date: Feb. 14, 2005
Regional Council - Feb. 9th
Regional Transit
Information was received that the City of Oshawa and Township of Brock
had reconsidered their vote and now supported the transfer of transit
responsibility from the lower tier to the Region. This provided the
triple majority approval of the bylaw that will transfer transit to the
Region effective January 1, 2006.
Triple A Rating
Moody's has again confirmed the Region's triple A rating with a stable
outlook. This rating was based on ;
1. Prudent budgetary practices, including a five year economic and
financial forecast addressing all aspects of regional operations to
prepare annual operating & capital budgets.
2. Sustained strong financial performance.
3. A relatively low debt burden with heavy reliance on "pay as you
go" financing.
4. An expanding and increasingly diversified economy and steadily
growing assessment base.
5. A predictable expenditure profile & predictable & expanding
revenue base.
The Triple A rating status has been achieved by only a select group of
municipalities and is instrumental in reducing debenture debt borrowing
costs for the Region and is area municipalities.
Department of Social Services Progressive Excellence Plan
The Region's Department of Social Services was presented the National
Quality Institute's Level 1 Certification by Mr. John Perry, Senior
Vice
President, NQI. Created in 1992, NQI is a non profit organization
that provides strategic focus and direction for Canadian organizations
to achieve excellence that yields measurable results. The Department
has worked on achieving this goal over the past year and will now focus on
achieving the second level of certification.
Intake Screening Unit
The Ministry of Community and Social Services has announced the dissolution of the centralized intake screening units for Ontario Works
applicants. On September 29, 2004, Regional Council approved a motion
requesting that the intake screening functions be returned to the local
service managers, in order to provide better and more efficient
services to clients. By June 16th Durham residents will once again deal
directly with Durham Region income support staff rather than being required to
contact Peterborough staff to apply for Ontario Works. (See Regional
Council Report Sept. 14, 2004)
Lynde Marsh Alliance
Due to the Provincial government's decision to transfer the Lynde Marsh
Alliance lands into the ownership of CLOCA, therefore making the founding purpose of the Lynde Marsh Alliance no longer viable, the
Alliance has offered its resignation to the Minister of Natural Resources and asked the Ministry to take the steps necessary to
dissolve the Alliance.
TRCA - Jan. 28, 2005
A presentation was received by Steven Shaw, Vice President, Greater
Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) in regards to the GTAA Draft Airport
Master Plan. A number of questions were asked by the committee with
regards to effects on the environment, cumulative effects with other
environmental stressors, the concept of environmental "net gain" being
applied to the project and compensation available for effected communities. The process was also questioned and the fact that the
recommendations coming from the advisory panel were rejected by the
government in the Mississauga experience.
Colleen Jordan
Regional Councillor
Wards 3 & 4
Res: (905) 427-5084
Town:
Fax:
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