Yonge subway, traffic, seniors are all top 2019 concerns in York Region

Our debt is top of mind,' York Region chair says

Yorkregion.com
January 7, 2019
Lisa Queen

From tackling the Region of York’s debt of almost $3 billion to anticipating changes to the structure of the region and its nine municipalities, 2019 will be an important year, regional chair Wayne Emmerson said.

“Our debt will need to be top of mind at budget time,” he said.

Premier Doug Ford has promised a provincial review of municipal government.

“All I ask is that we are at the table so we can be part of the decision-making process. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem,” Emmerson said.

Transit is a top concern, Emmerson said.

“The Yonge subway is our most-needed transit project. We will continue to ask the province and federal government for the funding to make it operational by 2031 or sooner,” he said.

“An integrated fare system is a must for this term of council. We will be waiting to see if the province will do this and upload all transit in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).”

Other priorities include securing funding for affordable housing and improving broadband internet coverage and putting pressure on the provincial government to make a decision on the environmental assessment for the Upper York Sewage System (UYSS), Emmerson said.

Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk’s priorities include pushing for more broadband internet service, ensuring regional roads and transit serve the needs of the community, determining the impact the province’s new open for business legislation will have on development and addressing concerns about the UYSS raised by the Chippewas of Georgina Island and residents.

“I (also) want to concentrate efforts on a private/public partnership to bring additional housing supply to Georgina geared to both seniors and affordable for families,” she said.

Georgina regional Coun. Rob Grossi is worried the UYSS would negatively impact the Chippewas.

“They feel that they haven’t been heard when it comes to their concerns and I’m not sure why the UYSS is even needed considering that when I was first elected to regional council in 1994, all of the infrastructure for this growth was planned, built and funded to hook up with the York Durham System,” he said.

Newmarket Mayor John Taylor wants the province to approve the UYSS to accommodate future growth.

He will also press for more affordable housing.

Seniors’ issues are top of mind for Newmarket regional Coun. Tom Vegh.

“As a region, we face many challenges and opportunities but the most pressing issue is accommodating our rapidly growing seniors' population, which has grown by 32 per cent over the last decade,” he said.

East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson’s priorities include creating more job opportunities, addressing broadband challenges, advocating for the UYSS and working with partners to find affordable housing solutions.

King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini is focused on economic growth and increasing broadband coverage.

For Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas, protecting greenspaces, providing more affordable and accessible housing and building better connectivity between GO Transit and YRT/Viva are top concerns.

Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt wants to boost broadband coverage and push for business development along Hwy. 404 in his community.

Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow will fight for the $5.6-billion extension of the Yonge subway by 2031.

Richmond Hill Coun. Carmine Perrelli’s top concerns are tackling traffic congestion and protecting taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars by cutting waste.

“Congestion is one of York Region’s biggest problems costing our economy millions of dollars per year and forcing commuters to be stuck in countless hours of frustrating gridlock. This has to be tackled by improving the flow of traffic in the short term but also by getting the subway through Richmond Hill and into Newmarket in the longer term,” he said.

Markham Coun. Jack Heath will measure success in 2019 if the region is much closer to building the Yonge subway extension, if arrangements with Parks Canada for the Rouge National Urban Park have been finalized and if the region provides more affordable housing.

Markham Coun. Don Hamilton’s top priority is finding new funding for York University’s Markham campus after the provincial government pulled its financial support.

He is also pushing for the Yonge subway extension.

“The regional debt of about $3 billion should also be a great concern for residents of the region. We need a plan to reduce the debt that is not dependent solely on development,” he added.

Markham Coun. Jim Jones wants to bury the high-voltage transmission line on the Highway 407 corridor, plan the Highway 407 corridor for high-speed trains, get the Yonge subway extended to Highway 407 rather than Highway 7 and push forward with other transit improvements.

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s top priorities include bringing York Region’s first university to Vaughan.

Vaughan Coun. Mario Ferri is focused on boosting transit, tackling traffic congestion and creating more affordable housing.

Vaughan Coun. Gino Rosati wants to keep a lid on tax hikes, increase service levels for seniors, integrate transit fares and reduce or eliminate property education taxes for seniors.