SEASON’S  GREETINGS!

In my last newsletter, I wrote about the planning, legal, and engineering work that accompanies population change. But development is not just about water, sewers, transit, roads, and parkland. It’s about people. Knowing who we are and what we want for our Town and our neighbourhood.

Planning for People

As of August 31, 2005, Richmond Hill’s population was estimated at 166,994 and York Region’s was 908,071. These calculations are based on the 2001 census data and the next census will be taken in 2006 (when you receive the Census, please fill it out. We need the information for planning services and accessing fair funding from other levels of government for our community.)

In 2001, the number of immigrants in York Region was 283,800 or 39% of the total population. In Richmond Hill, we can safely estimate that our “minority population” is now in the majority comprising more than 54% of our total population.

With the changing population and continued growth across our Town and Region, we must plan services and programs to meet the needs of all our residents. At the present time, there are a number of initiatives to welcome and help our new residents from around the world find settlement, work, and friendship within our community. I work withthe Canadian Federation for Intercultural Friendship; the Municipal Cultural Planning Task Force; the Quality of Life Reporting System for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and York Region’s Human Services Planning Coalition. We work with leaders from across our communities to establish a planning framework so that we may understand who we are, what we need, and what we can contribute to building our creative, vibrant, ‘sustainable’ society.

Funding Fairness:

Building an inclusive society based on fairness and equity - an opportunity for achievement for all - requires a plan and money. One of the ongoing fights that York Region has with the Province and Toronto is what is known as the ‘pooling money’. This is the money that the Province requires York Region to contribute to Toronto for social services. It currently stands at $81.63 million while we struggle with our own vulnerable populations. Consider this: the waitlist for Social Housing across the Region currently stands at 5,721. We recognize the need for a new economic model to provide for base funding on a per capita or per user basis and we are working to bring York Region tax dollars back from Toronto to serve our community here.

Maintaining our quality of life requires a vibrant, local economy; protection of the natural and built environment; opportunities to attain personal goals, fair and equitable sharing of common resources; meeting our basic needs; and providing opportunities for rich social interactions through the inclusion of all residents in community life. That’s a tall order but if we take the time to think about the overall benefit to our community, it is a worthwhile endeavour.

Housing Affordability?:

York Region also plans to address the need for new affordable rental housing by joining with the recently announced federal/provincial Affordable Housing Program. Through this program, a new multi-residential, low rise building containing 40 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units will be constructed in Newmarket. Opportunities for more affordable housing in Richmond Hill also need to be explored. ‘Affordable housing’ is determined by the percentage of income spent on the monthly rent or mortgage. Many homeowners are paying 50% or more of their income on housing leaving little room for other necessities.

BAH HUMBUG!!

For those of you who believe that social services and housing are just another handout, consider this:  the York Region Community Services and Housing Department Program tracks the numbers of people receiving assistance and reviews on a quarterly basis the status of their economic status to ensure that public dollars are not being ‘given away’. In the first half of 2005, York Region recovered almost $1 million in overpayments, terminated assistance, or reduced assistance. If you need help, you must qualify for assistance. If you are truly in need, then, as a compassionate society, we have an obligation to provide for that need.

In York Region, approximately 30,000 residents last year received community services from programs purchased under the Community Development and Investment Fund. The priority areas include: Employment Supports; Family and Children Services; Homelessness and Capacity Building (or life skills) and Sustainability. While governments have a role to play, we recognize that the individual also has a responsibility to make a reasonable effort to provide for themselves and their family. That’s fair.

Welcoming those with Physical Challenges:

An inclusive society also recognizes the need to provide for residents with disabilities. The new Accessibility for Ontarions with Disabililties Act has been proclaimed into law and ensures that all Ontarions with disabilities will have full access to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, building, structures and premises by January 1, 2025. It is a wise investment for our future.

Many of our public facilities are already fully accessible and Richmond Hill is now engaged in creating its first, fully-accessible playground. Not only will it accommodate children with physical challenges but its construction will provide for parents with handicaps to be able to play with their children more easily. The play structure will be located at Crosby Heights Public School (East side, old Richmond Hill). It is my hope that this pilot project will set a new standard for play equipment across the Town.

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter. I look forward to your response.

Merry Christmas,

Brenda