2019-Jun-21
Potential Opportunity to Create a Larger Municipality on the Bay’s Coast
The province launched a review of 82 municipalities in the Districts of Muskoka, Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Niagara, Peel, Oxford and Simcoe several months ago. The stated purpose was to consider service delivery, public access to services, duplication reduction and cost savings.
The review of Muskoka District could result in a proposal to amalgamate the six local governments, including the Township of Georgian Bay, where five GBA member associations are located. A strong argument can be made for an alternative proposal to create a larger coastal municipality based on the strong alignment of interests among communities in the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve area. This would build on the original rationale for creating the Township of the Archipelago. The opportunity and the case for it is well covered in this article: Georgian Bay Mayor Calls Provincial Review “Opportunity” for Coast. Read it here.
GBA is preparing a position paper on the issue of municipal alignment that we will share with our member associations shortly for the purpose of collecting input on this issue. Whether a real opportunity exists will depend largely on whether the province is prepared to listen to alternative proposals, or will move ahead with its own plans. Stay tuned, GBA will keep you posted on this important issue.