Report gives early idea of Brampton council's provincial election priorities

BramptonGuardian.com
March 22, 2018
Graeme Frisque

With the Ontario provincial election less than three months away, Brampton council is devising its candidate engagement strategy to highlight its priorities for the city for the next term at Queen’s Park.

The initial plan revealed in a staff report at the council’s Feb. 28 meeting has yet to be finalized and endorsed by council, but outlines four key areas of focus; regional governance, infrastructure, health partnerships and education excellence and innovation.

With a June 7 election, the writ is expected sometime in early May. It is then when municipal advocacy will begin in earnest. At the moment, none of the three major parties have finalized their candidate nominations for Brampton’s five ridings.

Due to an increase in provincial ridings in the upcoming election from 107 to 124, Brampton will now be divided into five dedicated ridings instead of the four up for grabs in previous elections.

“This marks the first provincial election where Brampton has an even greater presence in the Ontario legislature with a total of five ridings, all falling within the city’s boundaries; Brampton West, Brampton South, Brampton North, Brampton Centre and Brampton East,” wrote manager of government relations and public policy, Lowell Rubin-Vaughan, in the report.

That also means Brampton will have an additional provincial representative in the legislature moving forward, which the city sees as an opportunity to further advocate for local issues at the provincial level.

As such, the city has embarked on a new government engagement strategy, which Rubin-Vaughn said will employ “both traditional and non-traditional tactics to ignite discussion of the city’s priorities” and “lay the foundation to build positive and reciprocal relationships with those who will represent the city in Queen’s Park.”

“In short, the strategy aims to hold to account those elected to represent Brampton and Ontario at Queen’s Park after the next election,” he added.

Among the four major themes in the report, “health care partnerships” has already been identified by council as its number 1 advocacy priority.

Council made the decision to prioritize health care advocacy following a presentation at the Feb. 28 meeting by William Osler Health System CEO, Dr. Brendan Carr, where he raised alarm bells about a serious lack of funding to maintain and operate Brampton’s hospital infrastructure.

“Brampton’s rapid population growth is a contributing factor in health care service shortage. There is significant pressure on existing health care facilities in Brampton, with long wait times and bed shortages,” said Rubin-Vaughn in his report to council.

Regional governance was also identified as a priority in the report, due to what council feels is a lack of fair representation on Peel Regional council. As such, council is advocating for more seats for Brampton councillors on regional council.

“Despite ongoing attempts, the City of Brampton continues to be disadvantaged at regional council. The current composition has Brampton’s regional councillors serving more than 98,000 residents, compared to around 72,000 for the City of Mississauga, and even less for the Town of Caledon,” said Rubin-Vaughn.

“Despite new provincial legislation that changed some regional representation requirements, the province did not go far enough to ensure all Brampton councillors have a seat at regional council in time for the 2018 municipal election,” he added.

With one of quickest growing populations in the country, transit is front and centre in the city’s infrastructure plans. According to an earlier report by city staff, ridership increased by 18 per cent in 2017, and is expected to grow even further this year.

“Meeting the growing demand of this essential service combined with an inter-regional transportation network is critical,” wrote Rubin-Vaughn in his report, adding increased funding from the province is required to foster continued growth in the system.

The report also emphasized the need for all-day, two-way GO rail service throughout the city and beyond.

The Riverwalk project, an effort to revitalize downtown Brampton and mitigate flooding concerns in the Etobicoke Creek floodplain, was the third infrastructure priority identified in the report.

The fourth theme in the staff report, education excellence and innovation, focuses on provincial funding and assistance in bringing a new STEM-focused Ryerson University campus to downtown Brampton. It also looks to build on its partnership with Sheridan College, which already has a campus in the city.

“Along with a university, the partners are developing a centre for education, innovation and collaboration (CEIC), targeting the highest levels of facility sustainability in a community hub that will bring students, businesses and residents together in a collaborative and event space, an innovation hub and a central library,” reads the staff report.

“The centre of education, innovation and collaboration will include a global cybersecurity centre of excellence, connected to university programing, applied research and private and public-sector participation,” it added.