By Kaitlyn Clark
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Haldimand Council discussed its term priorities for 2022-26 at Council on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Among the new priorities is the consideration of a ward realignment and strategies for: financials to ensure responsible growth; traffic management; physician recruitment; affordable housing; and various corporate improvements.
Setting these priorities is considered “a key tool to maintain strategic organizational focus, balance workload with available resources, and ensure the County continues to move forward by prioritizing key items that add significant value to the community,” said the staff report.
The report noted, “The proposed work plan can be characterized as ambitious relative to the resources necessary to achieve it. This is in part due to the fact that the County is currently involved in a number of critical high priority initiatives that have carried over into the new Council Term still to be completed.”
These ongoing priorities include updating fundamental technology systems, implementing the approved Economic Development Strategy, completion of the Major Recreational Facility initiative that will guide recreation needs long-term, continuing work with Norfolk and possibly Six Nations to purchase water from Haldimand, and the construction of an expanded wastewater treatment plant in Caledonia.
“There was a need to balance the work across the Council Term in order to complete current ongoing initiatives, and to ensure success in the ability to deliver the proposed new priorities,” added the report.
Of the 10 new initiatives, eight are scheduled to begin this year according to the staff report. Already under way is the Physician Recruitment Strategy, beginning this year by working with the current Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee to develop a program and set responsibilities, followed by a report on the details at the end of the year and implementation beginning in 2024.
Later this year staff are expected to report to Council with a framework for a ward boundary review, which has been in discussion in recent years as Caledonia’s population continues to boom – leaving Council to wonder if this ward may need a second seat or alternative adjustment. Ultimately the goal of this report is to determine whether or not to proceed with any changes, with a consultant being hired in 2024 and reporting back, following consultations, in 2025.
Background work on the Traffic Management Study would begin this fall, with public consultations expected in 2024 and implementation scheduled for 2025. This assessment hopes to provide a comprehensive approach to better managing traffic issues, including truck routes and policing.
Several initiatives set to begin in 2023 relate to County operations, including website improvement/redesign, a Corporate Technology Strategy to ensure adequate technology investments that support efficient service delivery, a Staff Recruitment and Retention Strategy to meet the County’s future staffing needs, an Asset Management Policy to ensure provincial compliance in infrastructure decision making, and customer service improvements.
Of note, the Affordable Housing Strategy is not set to begin until the fourth quarter of 2025, when an assessment will be done on the potential opportunities and roles for the County, with implementation of any municipal program being set for the second half of 2026.
Additionally, the Comprehensive Financial Strategy to Ensure Responsible Growth is set to begin in the second half of 2024 by seeking an outside consultant. The final report is expected by the first quarter of 2026 and is meant to help the County manage impacts of growth and Provincial legislation on capital, infrastructure, and operations.
CAO Craig Manley noted scheduling is based on “balancing the workload”, with considerations for staff capacity, legislative requirements, and the needed prep work.
For instance, the “critical” work on a financial strategy must wait to begin in earnest until the “completion of major servicing analysis for Hagersville as well as understanding the impacts of Bill 23,” the More Homes Built Faster Act.
Similarly, affordable housing “is complex and is primarily a responsibility of senior levels of government,” limiting what Haldimand can do quickly, particularly as staff are already tied up for other “major committments.” Manley noted Haldimand has taken steps already for this issue, including “committing over $5 million and providing land to a new affordable housing project in Dunnville.”
Council participated in a workshop to discuss the priorities on February 16. Workshop organizer GL Pothier Enterprises (GLP) noted these priorities are “building on strength”, listing various successes such as a great staff, good facilities, well-managed growth, “reasonably low” tax rates, a willingness to adjust, a solid financial foundation, and community elements like volunteers “who truly care” and abundant nature sites.
GLP conducted a discussion on the big issues facing Haldimand, from Bill 23 to labour shortages. They also discussed what Council heard from constituents during the campaign, such as inflationary pressures, the want for an indoor pool, and more. From all of this discussion, GLP outlined that for an issue to be a priority it “must improve quality of life in the community”, and that considerations should be taken for how vocal the community has been, fiscal responsibility, and if the item is achievable.
From there, Council created a list of potential priorities and voted on which were most important, with responsible growth and a supporting comprehensive financial strategy topping the list, followed by traffic management and County website/communication improvements. Two people voted determining the path forward on an indoor pool/recreation facility as a top priority, as well as ward realignment. Only one person chose a housing plan as a top-three priority, and no one chose physician recruitment.
While physician recruitment was a lower choice, “ongoing work occurring with the Haldimand Health Team … is intended to bring forward a report to Council,” said Manley on why this work has already launched.
Council discussed the matter again on Tuesday, after publication. Any decisions would need to be ratified at Council on April 17. See full reports at haldimandcounty.ca.
