Consistency Between Plans is Essential

The “What Do You Think” poll questionnaire on the newdurhamregion.com web site asked the following question -

“How do you think the Region of Durham should spend the $56 million it will save over 10 years now that some services have been uploaded?” The choices (with % in favour) were:
     a. Provide property owners with a tax cut (55%)
     b. Increase infrastructure spending (25%)
     c. Boost spending for services like police (20%)"

The 310 responses to the poll indicate two important trends. Over half the property owners responding believe over-taxation is a major problem. Almost as important, the remaining responses imply, whether we are over-taxed or not, the important municipal services and facilities required by any modern municipality are not getting the proper attention from politicians.

From my perspective, a significant contributing factor to municipal problems is the multi ownership of the responsibly for infrastructure and services. For example, infrastructure, which includes such things as roads, bridge, sewers, etc., currently requires funding from all three levels of government. In essence this results in federal, provincial and municipal ownership of  these essential components of modern life. This means, if any one of these owners does not provide their share of the funds, the infrastructure requirements cannot be met.

However, multi-level ownership for infrastructure has one inherent political benefit. Any political owner can point a finger at one of or more of the other owners as the cause of the problems.

There is a real live demonstration of the intricacies and complexity of multi-ownership going on at the current time. It involves Whitby, Durham and the Province.

The recent $50 billion 25 year transit plan developed by Metrolinx ( a provincial agency) has met much resistance at the local level from both politicians and businesses. The grounds for this reaction cover a wide range of issues. One example is; Ontario’s Growth Plan estimates for Whitby population growth suggest the absolute need for a vastly improved transit capability, where as the Metrolinx plan does not recognize a similar need. 

Simply put the local politicians and businesses believe the Metrolinx Plan will not result in a transit system adequate to meet the planned growth in the Durham Region in general or Whitby in particular as indicated by the Ontario Growth Plan.

In this same time period, Whitby Council voted against extending its northern boundary for new development as called for in the Ontario’s Growth Plan. However, at a following meeting, they reversed that decision and now agree to increase the development allowed area north to Brawley Rd. 

From my perspective, a prudent and more realistic approach would be to stop any expansion of development until there is a transit plan that is consistent with the planned population called for in the Ontario Growth plan.

To expand the potential development area without having a provincially approved transit plan that matches an approved provincial population growth plan is folly, mainly because it also ignores the emphasis of reducing our collective carbon footprints.