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12 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 16, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Halton taxpayers asked to fund Burlington Mac campus By Tm Foran METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP "It's less than a grande latte at Starbucks." Halton residents will pay a McMaster University tax over most of the next decade to help finance a campus in Burlington if regional council approves an Administration and Finance Committee recommendation. The $5 million subsidy would be paid for through the Region's operating budget starting in 2010, with $500,000 grants going to McMaster University for the first eight years and $1 million in the ninth year. Each of the $500,000 grants would equate to an extra $2.10 in property taxes for the average Halton household. "It's less than a grande latte at Starbucks," said James Peters, chair of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, who urged regional councillors to vote in favour of the grants to McMaster. The City of Burlington has already agreed to give McMaster $5 million of its own money for the $50 million-plus project, but those funds will come from hydro reserves. Without the $10 million in municipal fund- James Peters, chair of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation ing, McMaster won't go forward with the project. If regional council approves the recommendation at its meeting Wednesday morning, McMaster spokesperson Dr. Ilene BuschVishniac said the school plans to start construction this spring on the first part of its project, a $28 million, 93,000-square foot DeGroote Centre for Advanced Management, which will host 800 MBA and executive education students. The $10 million from Burlington and Halton would go toward the construction of this facility. The centre was originally planned to be built in Burlington's downtown, but Vishniac said it pulled the location for three reasons including an inability to expand, a desire to be located close to the QEW, and because a "generous donor" has offered a free 4.5-acre parcel of land on South Service Road, just east of Walkers Line. Vishniac declined to name the donor, but the address is a development site of Westbury International. Michael DeGroote is president of the company. McMaster has also received a $10 million donation for the project by Ron Joyce, cofounder of Tim Hortons. Along with the business school, McMaster spokesperson Dr. David Price said it plans to build a family health centre in downtown Burlington, which would be the centre of education for family doctors doing their residencies at hospitals and clinics. McMaster also plans to partner with Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital to turn the facility into a teaching hospital, where family doctors could do intensive training in areas such as obstetrics, surgery and paediatrics, said Price. Funding for post-secondary education and capital projects falls generally under the responsibility of the Province of Ontario. Halton Hills Councillor Jane Fogal raised concern at Wednesday's meeting the Region's grant could set a precedent and lead to future requests for municipal money from other provincially-funded institutions. Regional Chair Gary Carr has also led a cam- paign over much of his term arguing for the Province to upload some of the costs for health and social services currently paid for in part by the Region. He has also called for the Province to speed up funding for new or expanded hospitals in the region to meet Halton's rapid population growth. After the meeting, Carr defended his vote to approve funding for McMaster, and said it should be viewed as money for physician recruitment, which the Region already pays for. "The Region has always done health promotion," said Carr. "As part of health promotion, this will help us to get the doctors we need." Halton currently has a shortage of about 30 family doctors. Burlington, Halton Hills and Milton are designated by the Ministry of Health as areas underserviced by family doctors and Halton submitted an application for Oakville to receive the same designation last year. Over the past six years, the Region has spent about $1 million on its physician recruitment program, which has managed to attract more than 70 family doctors to the Region. However, population growth and the retirement of older See Mac page 14 Renovate · Decorate · Celebrate F D Time is Precious, Mistakes are Costly and Decorating is complicated. Inquire about your Personal Design Consultation We at Fitz by Design are committed to creating breathtaking, functional spaces that are unique as the individuals living in them.