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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, April 18, 2014 | 10 Mayor reports record of economic success to Chamber by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff Calling it the "tale of two cities and the little town that could," Oakville Mayor Rob Burton stood before Oakville's business community Thursday (April 17) to share how well the town's economy is doing. Burton's economic update address, before nearly 200 local business members at an Oakville Chamber of Commerce breakfast, compared the town's success to that of neighbouring cities, Burlington and Mississauga. "We're at a time when we face new opportunities to move forward together in making Canada's most livable town ever more livable and successful," he said. "We have a strong and diversified economic base and the foundation of our economic success is our livability." Boasting that Oakville has taken control of its growth, debt and taxes while improving municipal services over the last eight years, he charged the neighbouring cities aren't faring as well. "This year we've also brought in the lowest tax increase in 15 years, at just 0.7 per cent," he said about the overall property tax bill, which combines the Town, Halton Region and Halton school board tax rates. Oakville's tax increase is lower than the neighbouring cities and the municipality is on a "steady and secure path of declining public debt and tax increases that stay under CPI (Consumer Price Index)," Burton said. Oakville is also ensuring its aging infrastructure needs are met through an asset management plan. The Town has been able to keep its debt and tax increases "modest" because it maximizes on development charges to make growth pay its way, Burton said. The local economy, said the mayor, is also thriving, with large companies like Ford Canada, Siemens Canada and Union Gas capitalizing on the opportunity and recognizing the business value of calling Oakville home. "Businesses are expanding here in Oakville," he said. "We have an increase in building permits for commercial, industrial and institutional expansions. The dollar amount, which shows the amount of activity, is up 42 per cent over the last three years." He noted how there is still room to grow, with 40 to 50 years supply of employment lands to develop. "We will create approximately 1,000 jobs a year for the foreseeable future," he said. Burton also touched on how the Town is "hard at work" to develop measures to help shopkeepers in Oakville's three Business Improvement Areas (BIA), especially after such a harsh winter that had people cocooned at home. He shared his hope of developing a Mayor Rob Burton business improvement plan for the downtown area similar to those created for Bronte and Kerr villages. "We have bright plans for the town's future. Together, we're going to renew Oakville's downtown, we're going to rebuild our streetscape, we will revitalize our business district and our cultural hub, but that's not all," said Burton. "Together, we're going to build three new community centres for the areas around Kerr Street, the old hospital and North Park," said the mayor. He added council and Town staff are committed to making Oakville even more livable without sacrificing its heritage. "We're doing all of this, creating a successful future and respecting and protecting our past while making our progress affordable," he said. The speech was followed by a questionand-answer period, with numerous questions related to the downtown and the struggle it's facing in a changing retail landscape. Burton responded he will propose some initiatives to council shortly to revive local businesses, but he also pointed to the Town's Downtown Cultural Hub and the Downtown Transportation and Streetscape Study as a measure launched December 2013 to create a downtown plan that would ensure the area's long-term success. t s i l a i c e p S d r a Your Back Y R BOOK YOU NING POOL OPE TODAY Come check out Authorized Dealer of lazboyspas.com Authorized Dealer of 2013 MODEL CLEARANCE ON NOW! lazboyspas.com YOUR T REPLACEMEN TS! IS L LINER SPECIA SAVE $$$! LIMITED QUANTITIES! La-Z-Boy Spas offers 9 models that are loaded La-Z-Boy Spas offers 9 models that are loaded with standard features and are backed by our with standard features no and are backed by our 100% no nonsense, fine print guarantee. 100% no nonsense, no fine print guarantee. Spas starting from $3999 Spas starting from $3999 LEISURE CENTRE 5430 HARVESTER RD., BURLINGTON 905-631-0837 · 905-389-6610 www.foxpoolandspalc.ca · www.lazboyspas.com LEISURE CENTRE