Friday, May 25, 2018 3 Brooklin Town Crier First, no matter who is elected in the June 7 provincial election, we, as Whitby Council, will always strive towards developing good things for Whitby through a solid working relationship with our local MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament). But now to business: Our council has sent its priorities to our provincial government as well as to our local candidates and party leaders. Let's hope they're paying attention because as you will read below, what we are asking for is a partnership that will make our community a better place to live, work, and play. Broader media will focus on the province-wide issues but locally, these issues will have the greatest impact on each of our households. It's worth a read to understand the local issues and pose your own questions at the door when they come calling. Our Councillor's Report by Rhonda Mulcahy North Ward Councillor, Town of Whitby mulcahyr@whitby.ca Municipal Issues in the Provincial Election Ahead of the 2018 provincial election, the Town of Whitby has released a new publication highlighting several local provincial priorities for residents and local candidates to be aware of. To support local priorities and Whitby Town Council's 2014-2018 Goals, the Town has identified the following seven provincial priorities: spur local job creation through funding for local initiatives, such as Whitby's Innovation Accelerator and District; improve traffic flow and build a more equitable and effective transportation network in Whitby, including removing tolls on Hwy 412 and local control of historic Downtown Brooklin; partner with municipalities to create complete and connected communities, such as the Transit Village in Port Whitby; consider the impact of legislation on lower-tier municipalities and small businesses, such as Bill 148 (Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act) and cannabis; explore more opportunities to assist municipalities to promote the development of affordable housing in their communities, particularly in our downtowns; provide sustainable programs to help fund critical municipal infrastructure services like roads and bridges; and, adopt new enhancements on public safety, including changing the Ontario Building Code to require the installation of fire sprinklers in all new residential construction. "As a Town, we are committed to making Whitby the best place to live, work and visit," said Mayor Don Mitchell. "Partnership at all levels of government is critical to enabling positive change in our community. We believe that provincial support of these seven priorities will make a true and positive difference to Whitby and its residents." The Provincial Priorities publication is a summary of the important issues the Mayor and Town have supported and communicated to the province during this Council term. To view the full Provincial Priorities publication, visit http://www.whitby.ca/en/resources/news- room/provincial_election_2018_ tow_priorities_final.pdf Whitby Releases Election Priorities Publication