Richmond Hill eyes balancing growth and green, easing traffic for the next two years

Council will also work to keep tax increases below cost of inflation

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 30
Sheila Wang

The focuses for Richmond Hill council are set for the next two years.

At the Nov. 25 meeting, councillors endorsed four key priorities -- a balance between growth and green, fiscal responsibility, a strong sense of belonging and getting around the city -- for the rest of their 2018-2022 term.

Staff recommended these strategic priorities in an effort to reflect on the evolving needs of the community and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the help of a consulting firm, Sage Solutions, the recommendations came together based on individual interviews with each council member, as well as a public survey that garnered more than 800 responses in September.

Environmental protection came out on top among the 16 choices provided in the survey.

The first priority area identified by the city is recognizing the critical balance between economic development and environmental protection, including the stewardship of green spaces such as wetlands, parks and trails and longer-term sustainability planning.

The city’s work -- from an official plan update and comprehensive zoning bylaw to the city transformation project -- is expected to be aligned with this direction.

Coun. David West, who supported the proposal, said he would like to see “stronger” emphasis on enhancing green space and “more opportunities” for creating a diverse and inclusive community in the document presented to council.

Echoing the concerns raised by West, Coun. Godwin Chan said council not only needed to learn to balance the growth and green but also understand what spaces residents value.

Secondly, council will also work to keep tax increases below the cost of inflation while avoiding unnecessary expenditures.

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A strong sense of belonging is listed as the third priority area for the next two years, as the city is committed to community building in places like the downtown core and the Richmond Hill David Dunlap Observatory.

The city will also tackle the ongoing traffic woes across Richmond Hill, as getting around the city is outlined as the last priority area.

Council is expected to prioritize promoting Richmond Hill’s multiple transportation interconnections, advocating for the Yonge subway extension and improving active transportation networks for cyclists and pedestrians.