Mayor Ashe’s JANUARY 2025 recap:
The text below is a transcript of the Mayor’s summary recap. It is divided into two parts:
- FULL TEXT
- SUMMARY of the text
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FULL TEXT
Hey, It’s Pickering is Mayor Kevin Ashe.
I’m here for my monthly update on council activities and a recap of last night’s Council Meeting of January 27th.
A very, good meeting. Lots of items were discussed. Moving the city forward is always important to me and all Members of Council.
Fire Protection.
We made a decision to begin the process of expropriating land on Bayly Street at Sandy Beach Road for a brand-new fire hall to replace Fire Hall #5, which is almost, almost 60 years old. It’s well in need of repair. I think it’s an excellent location, close to our high-density, close to the nuclear station, and should give, better response times to, areas south of 401.
Fire Master Plan
We also approved our Fire Master Plan, which is a plan for the future. Numbers of firefighters, some administrative improvements. I think it’s a good step forward.
Notices of Motion
We had a number of Notices of Motion. Notice of Motions are items that come forward from members of the council. We dealt with three last night.
PACE program
One was an endorsement of the PACE program from Community Care Durham, which called on the Provincial government to fund, more services for adult day services, as well as this PACE program leading edge. I think it’s a great addition to our community, and something that the government should give, attention to and hopefully fund.
Veterinary care
Another item we dealt with was, the ever increasing cost of veterinary care. And the corporate takeover of number of clinics. It’s something that, affects families and our furry friends, on a, on a daily basis. So it called on the Provincial government to bring more regulations in regards to veterinarian care and hopefully putting a cap on some of the costs.
Ward boundaries
Ward boundaries was also on the agenda. We’ve asked our consultant, Watson & Associates, to review its recommendations for the 2026, municipal election and the ward boundaries. We’ve asked for inclusion of a public consultation, and a review of the assumptions on population growth, that were made in the previous, decision. So I look forward to, following that process.
Housekeeping items
We had a major report from our Director of Finance and Treasurer in regard to some financial management issues.
Tax increase for seniors and those with modest incomes
One very important one is the tax credit increase for seniors and those with modest incomes from $560 a year to $600 directly off your property taxes for the City portion of it. We, defer to decision on the hotel tax of 4%. And, also on short term rentals. And that will be dealt with at our February meeting. And this tax was, designed to create money to, offset tourism initiatives through our new agency called Destination Pickering.
Request for suggested community initiatives
Finally, during the 2024 budget process for 2025, we asked for your help in picking some community initiatives and the successful recipient is, a decision to do outdoor fitness equipment in each of the three wards, $100,000 per ward. Really excited about that opportunity. And stay tuned for decisions about where and when that will happen in each of the three wards of our City.
Non-council related items
- Federal government yesterday make an announcement about transferring lands to the Rouge Park. And also their decision that the airport will not be used. The federal lands will not be used for an airport. That is the position of City Council. I commend the government for bringing some certainty to 50 years of uncertainty. I commend them as well for having a consultation process. I still believe there’s an opportunity for those, Federal lands to be an economic prosperity area and I look forward to the consultation.
- Finally, an invitation to attend my Town Hall, which is done, Telephone Town Hall this Thursday, January 30th, 7 p.m.. You can, register at the link below or get information at Pickering.ca. Look forward to hearing your comments and questions at 7:00 on Thursday.
If you have any other questions, reach out. Mayor@pickering.ca. Any concerns about City Services, CustomerCare@pickering.ca. And, I wish you a good day. Thank you.
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SUMMARY TEXT
Mayor Kevin Ashe provides an update on Council activities and recap of the January 27th Council Meeting. Key topics include fire protection, Fire Master Plan, and community initiatives. The Mayor also addresses recent federal government announcements regarding the airport and Rouge Park.
KeyPoints
👥 Council Activities: Discussion on council business, including expropriating land for a new fire hall and approving the Fire Master Plan.
💰 Financial Management: Update on tax credit increase for seniors and those with modest incomes from $560 to $600.
🏠 Community Initiatives: Approval of outdoor fitness equipment in each ward, with $100,000 per ward allocated.
Analogy
The update on the Fire Master Plan is like updating a master blueprint for a construction project. It outlines future plans and requirements, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently to meet growing demands.
Important Keywords and Definitions
- Expropriating: Taking possession of land or property from private owners for public use.
+ Example: The city expropriated the land for a new fire hall to replace an old one.
- Fire Master Plan: A strategic plan outlining future needs and requirements for firefighting services, including staffing and equipment.
+ Example: The Fire Master Plan aims to improve response times in high-density areas.
- PACE program: An adult day service program that provides support for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
+ Example: The PACE program is a great addition to our community, deserving government funding.
- Hotel tax: A tax levied on hotel rooms to fund tourism initiatives.
+ Example: The city will defer decision on the 4% hotel tax until February.
- Destination Pickering: An agency responsible for promoting tourism in the city.
+ Example: Destination Pickering aims to promote local attractions and events.
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