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www.oakvillebeaver.com Beaver THE OAKVILLE A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 47 No. 143 Two Gentlemen of Verona at Sheridan ARTSCENE 0 % FINANCING www.oakvillemazda.com HELD OVER CELEBRATING 25 YEARS! Between Kerr & Dorval 175 Wyecroft Rd. Oakville 905.845.6653 www.lockwoodchrysler.com YOUR FRIEND IN THE BUSINESS "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2008 56 Pages $1.00 (plus GST) Tax hike Singing for her supper trimmed to 3.85% By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Watchdog group issues warning over new hospital's financial model By Hiba Kesebi SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Oakville residents can keep the majority of their beloved town services, but it's going to cost them. This was the message put out by the Town's 2009 Budget Committee during a Wednesday meeting in which it released its final recommendations. Currently, the Town is looking at an operating budget of $194.1 million and a capital budget of $94.1 million. If approved by council on Monday, Dec. 1, Oakville will receive a 3.85 per cent property tax increase with homeowners paying an extra $40 per $100,000 of assessment. This year's budget discussions attracted unprecedented public attention, with numerous delegations attending budget committee meetings to speak against a great number of service cuts being considered. In the end, few of the service cuts actually went through. "I don't believe the residents of Oakville are looking to live in the cheapest town in Canada," said Ray Green, Town of Oakville CAO. "I believe they are looking to live in a town that has quality of life." The budget committee seemed to agree. Among the cost-cutting proposals rejected by the committee was a recommendation to save $20,000 by curtailing the Oakville Public Library's hours of operation. The committee also took a pass Oakville's new hospital is headed for disaster if the private sector gets hold of it, warns a public health watchdog group called the Ontario Health Coalition. Members of the coalition held a public meeting at the Galaxy Club last week to air their concerns over the financial model being used to build the hospital in north Oakville. Natalie Mehra, director of the Ontario Health Coalition, along with others, said the financial model being used to fund the construction of the hospital will put the comfort and health of its patients at risk. "We support the redevelopment of the hospital in Oakville," said Mehra. "I think it's needed. The problem is that the model...comes at such a cost that it actually takes away from the money available for clinical services down the road." The new hospital, slated to replace Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial by 2014, will be funded through an Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model. Unlike the traditional system, where the government funds the construction and maintenance of hospitals directly, an AFP model is funded and maintained by companies from the private sector under a multi-decade contract. The government is required to pay back the costs, as well as accumulated interest by the end of the contract duration. Inside Artscene ....................................33 Worship......................................43 Sports ........................................44 Real Estate ................................47 Classified ..................................50 Full Delivery: Petcetera, Kenneth Lee, Curry's, Leon's, Living Art, Superstore, Longo's, No Frills, Zellers, Wal-Mart Canadian Tire Partial Delivery: M&M Meats, Pharmassist, Rasoee, Dragon Wok, Metro Canada, Nikon, Pharma Sense, Food Basics, Price Chopper, Vistek, Hakim Optical, Holland Park, Home Hardware, Sobeys, Mark's Work Warehouse, Home Outfitters, Fortino's, Pharma Plus, Zellers, Kitchen Plus Stuff, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart, Best Buy, Michael's, The Brick, The Source, Staples Business Depot, 2001 Audio, Henry's Camera, Rogers Retail, Toys R Us, Future Shop MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER FOR FARESHARE: Beverley Mahood performs during Singing for Supper, a two-hour Christmas concert that featured Mahood, Amanda Stott and Tom Jackson (North of 60). The concert, held Tuesday at St. Jude's Anglican Church, was a fundraiser for Fareshare food bank and a scaled-back version of its predecessor, Huron Carol. The cross-Canada tour stopped in Oakville at the urging of Bob Clark, president of Oakville-based Atlas Canada. 82 See Library page 7 See AFP page 3 CALIFORNIA & PLANTATION SHUTTERS Shop at Home Service FREE SHUTTERS ETC.