East Gwillimbury remains ‘frustrated’ with region’s sewage system delay

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 17, 2015
By Lisa Queen

East Gwillimbury’s brewing resentment with York Region over delays with the Upper York Sewage Solution apparently isn’t going away any time soon.

“I don’t think it’s a case of being ticked off, I think it’s a case of being disappointed and frustrated,” Councillor James Young said after the issue was discussed at a regional committee meeting Thursday, outlining potential growth scenarios for York.

“I think, from East Gwillimbury’s standpoint, for a number of years, we’ve made decisions based on what we felt were commitments from York Region ... We need to find a way to make this happen before we accept whatever growth projections are going to be pushed down on us.”

Assurances from regional chairperson Wayne Emmerson and Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti that the project remains a high regional priority don’t appease town council, which is now drafting a resolution opposing growth forecasts without the necessary regional infrastructure, Young said.

The sewage system is instrumental in allowing East Gwillimbury to grow from today’s population of less than 22,500 to about 108,700 in 2041.

While Young said East Gwillimbury has and will continue to work co-operatively with the region, the town remains upset with a regional decision last spring to delay some projects, including the UYSS, due to financial constraints, Young said.

“We felt these things were committed. These were in a 10-year capital plan for York Region, then they were pulled out. They’re pulled out, they’re pushed off to the end of the 10-year capital planning process and we felt that it’s been at the last minute and we’ve been the last to know. That has put us in a very difficult position trying to plan for our community,” he said, adding the town is also frustrated with delays in regional transportation projects.

“The only way that we’re going to be able to push forward our agenda is through co-operation with the Region of York, but we need to, at the same time, stand up for ourselves and say, ‘Look, when it comes down to it, it’s not a case where we’re ticked off, it’s a case we cannot make this community move forward the way that it needs to unless we have this infrastructure in place and we have the support of York Region to do it. We just can’t.’”

Mayor Virginia Hackson echoed Young’s concerns in the meeting, saying the town is struggling with the uncertainty of when infrastructure will be built.

The region is waiting for Environment Minister Glen Murray to send a letter indicating the province wants to move forward with the project, Emmerson said.

In the meantime, the region has committed $72 million in its budget to keep preliminary work on the project moving forward, he said.

“So, we haven’t stopped the process on the Upper York. We’re still working very hard to get that going, but as soon as the minister gives us the letter (that) we can go ahead with the Upper York, we will start other processes,” Emmerson said.

He has met with the development industry and the town’s CAO to explain the situation and is hoping to set up a meeting with Murray.

Emmerson would also be pleased to come to East Gwillimbury council and explain “we have not let the ball drop.”

“We’re still going forward. We know you have pressures, but so do we have pressures in all municipalities in the Region of York,” he said.

“We haven’t forgot East Gwillimbury, even though some in the newspaper seem to think and some of your councillors seem to think we have. But we haven’t. We will work as hard as we can to get that.”

The region has identified the UYSS as its top infrastructure priority, Scarpitti said.

“Let me tell you, with all the needs in York Region, for that sewage plant to be the No. 1 project for our submission for infrastructure, if that doesn’t say a statement about the fact it hasn’t fallen off the rails, I don’t know what does,” he said.

The discussion on the UYSS was prompted by a report looking at three possible growth scenarios for the region.

A preferred option is expected to be presented to council in November.

As part of a growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, York is expected to grow from today’s population of 1.13 million to almost 1.8 million in 2041.

Meanwhile, the number of jobs in the region is expected to increase from today’s 564,000 to 900,000 in 2041.