Halton Hills will see its share of business growth in the near future as the newly-elected town council steers the municipality through challenging financial times.
This was among the key messages delivered by new Halton Hills Mayor Ann Lawlor Thursday (Dec. 8) during her first state of the town address at the annual mayor's lunch.
The event, organized by the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce, drew community leaders, business owners and other politicians to the Georgetown Golf Club to hear what the new head of council had to say.
Lawlor framed her future tenure as one that will face its share of challenges while still finding room for plenty of optimism.
On the investments front, she said there are four million square feet of development "proceeding through the review process or under construction.” She noted that these projects represent about $900 million in investment and potentially 2,000 local jobs.
She said a recommendation report is targeted for mid-2023 on the proposed entertainment district at Eighth Line and Steeles Avenue. That same year, construction will begin on Conestoga Cold Storage and Enbridge, who sponsored Thursday’s address, will be neighbours with their own facilities on Steeles Avenue, Lawlor said.
And of course, housing. A developer has proposed three condos on the site of the old coating mill right next to Georgetown GO Station. Lawlor said a public meeting will be held regarding the plans in the first quarter of 2023.
Her words were not all sunshine and rainbows though. She warned that “financial pressures” caused by inflation will be a challenge in the coming years.
“We will need to stay the course to ensure our house and finances continue to be in order as we manage through fiscal challenges,” she said.
“I can tell you that council will be spending a lot of time over the next few weeks reviewing the numbers and understanding the economic risks and benefits of tax increases in the 2023 budget.”
Lawlor also fell back on familiar talking points about the Province's Bill 23. The new law, according to her, “threatens citizen participation, years of planning processes, natural heritage protection, climate action and heritage preservation.”
She saved her final words for the people of Halton Hills, whom she praised as hard-working and involved.
“We know it's good PR and it's good for business to be seen and involved in the community,” she said. “But it can also deliver a profound personal kick. You will have fun. You will grow. You will become more aware. And you'll make new friends. And you know, that's the essence of small-town living at its best.”
