Kathleen Wynne aims to create more ‘community hubs’

Premier has appointed an adviser with the aim of turning more schools, neighbourhood centres and other public facilities into “community hubs.”

Thestar.com
March 20, 2015
By Robert Benzie

Premier Kathleen Wynne wants more schools, neighbourhood centres and other public facilities to become “community hubs.”

To that end, Wynne on Friday named Karen Pitre as her special adviser on the issue.

“We want Ontario to be the best place to work, live and raise a family, and community hubs are a part of that vision,” the premier said in a statement that announced Pitre would lead a new “advisory group ... to inform our government’s approach to establishing community hubs.”

The community hubs are any public space offering co-ordinated education, health care or social services.

Wynne said the new panel “will review provincial policies and develop a framework for adapting existing public assets to become community hubs.”

Pitre is a veteran of all three levels of government.

Founding chair of the Toronto Sports Council, she is the Metrolinx transit authority’s executive director of electrification and worked with Waterfront Toronto on the unsuccessful 2008 Olympic bid as well as with the Toronto District School Board on its surplus lands.

“We have a great opportunity to develop community hubs in a way that co-ordinates services, meets people’s needs and strengthens communities,” Pitre said in a statement.

“I look forward to working with the advisory group to support the considerable work already underway to move forward on this complex and important issue.”

Wynne’s office said Pitre will be paid $750 for each full day worked with total annual compensation capped at $117,000.

“This undertaking is highly complex and requires specialized knowledge and experience, with the ability to incorporate a broad range of perspectives and develop consensus-based recommendations,” the premier’s office said.

NDP MPP Lisa Gretzky (Windsor West) said the appointment “won’t distract from the Liberals’ sorry record of failing to support community hubs - and won’t stop $500 million in planned cuts to classrooms.”

“As usual, the Liberals are saying one thing but doing the exact opposite,” she said in a statement.

“That’s why the new special adviser needs to speak out publicly against the Liberals’ plans for school closures in Toronto and oppose new accommodation review guidelines that restrict public input.”