Halton taxpayers find relief from GTA Pooling

HALTON — Taxpayers in Halton Region will soon see relief from the impacts of GTA Pooling, thanks to the persistence of our local political leaders and a commitment by the Ontario government to make the property tax system fairer for people across Ontario. The Ontario government’s 2007 budget, released on March 22, included a promise to eliminate GTA Pooling. Pooling will be reduced by one-sixth of 2004 levels each year until the program is eliminated in 2013. Currently, Halton Region contributes $41.2 million annually towards GTA Pooling.

“Through our Fairness for Halton campaign, Halton Regional Council has strongly urged the Ontario government to make funding models fair for our communities,” said Halton Region Chair Gary Carr. “The GTA Pooling is an unfair burden on taxpayers in Halton, and across the GTA. I applaud the Ontario government for listening to the advocacy efforts of myself, our four Mayors as well as Regional and Local Councillors, by taking steps to eliminate GTA Pooling. This is great news for our residents and our communities.”

The Ontario government will ensure continued financial support for municipalities currently receiving assistance through GTA Pooling contributions. The Province will take responsibility for social assistance and social housing costs currently funded under the program, eliminating the financial burden from the municipal property tax bases of contributing GTA municipalities, while providing financial assistance for recipient municipalities.

The Ontario government originally established GTA Pooling in 1998 as a temporary financial stopgap measure to offset costs for the City of Toronto for providing social assistance and social housing to its residents. Since Pooling was established, Halton Region has contributed $325 million dollars to the City of Toronto.

“As an MPP, I voted against the GTA Pooling. It simply is not fair that our taxpayers should be paying for Toronto’s social assistance and social housing costs,” said Carr. “I am pleased that we are one step further to ensuring fairness for Halton. It is important now, to get the funding commitments we need to ensure that growth pays for itself, and that the cost of growth is not on the backs of our current residents.”

MADD Halton/Peel chapter Strides for Change

OAKVILLE — MADD Halton/Peel Chapter introduces its newest fundraiser — Strides for Change.

Strides for Change is a 5 km non-competitive walk and wheel chair event that is intended to bring the community together to send the message that we will not tolerate impaired driving on the streets of our neighborhoods.

Peel Regional Police Chief Michael Metcalf supports our message by stating that, “The Peel Regional Police Service is deeply committed to eliminating impaired driving through enforcement and public education. This policing priority is endorsed and
supported by our citizens. We value our relationship with the MADD Halton/Peel Chapter and appreciate their assistance in helping to educate the public on this very important issue.”

MADD is initiating its first ever walk-a-thon not only to raise awareness, but also to increase much needed funds for its chapter.

All monies raised will be used towards victim services, education and public awareness for the communities of Halton and Peel.

The event takes place on Saturday June 2, 2007 at Erindale Park, Mississauga. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies begin at 10:00 a.m.

Bring your neighbours, family, friends and co-workers to help send the message that the citizens of Halton and Peel will not tolerate impaired driving. There will be live music, a kidzone, refreshments, victim’s tributes and much more.

MADD is currently looking for volunteers to help run this event, as well as corporate sponsors. Please get involved in this most worthy cause.

To participate in Strides for Change or for more information on sponsorship and/or volunteering, please visit the MADD website at www.maddhalton.ca, email us at maddhaltonsfc@yahoo.ca, or call our office at (905)-844-0096.

SURVIVAL: Emergency measures expert Alain Normand presents a personal survival kit.

Pandemic emergency will result in major workforce absenteeism

BY DENIS GIBBONS The Business Executive

BURLINGTON — When the next pandemic hits Canada, personal health care will be foremost in the minds of government officials, but the manager of emergency measures and corporate security for the City of Brampton says that’s not all we will have to worry about.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting of the Business Information Technology Network (BitNet) in Burlington, Alain Normand said so far government pandemic plans are all about health.

“The real emergency,” he said “is going to be about the workforce. The problem is going to be fear, because of the media coverage it will get. Absenteeism could be as high as 50 percent.”

Normand urged businesses to plan for the long-term, and not just for avian flu.

“There are other diseases re-emerging like chicken pox and mumps,” he said. “Our immunity is not as built up for those. We’ve got to stop looking only at bird flu. The likelihood of the next pandemic coming from birds is very low.”

He said businesses need to prepare a plan now, taking into consideration the possibility of more people working from home, online meetings and conference calls and shift work.

“Parents will want to stay home with the kids,” he said. “So one parent can always be home with the kids.

“Absenteeism is going to be the real problem. Start training people now to take over things that are essential.”

He said one company he knows of has planned to keep critical decision-makers locked in for six weeks, with their food brought in for them.

And he stressed that personal hygiene is going to be very important.

“When you talk to people, stay at least a metre away from them because we can spit,” he said. “Hand-washing is very important and people should limit their number of handshakes.”

Normand said there were six pandemics in the last century, ranging from the Spanish flu in 1918 to the Russian flu of 1977. Both of those, he said, were of swine origin.

“Generally flu pandemics come from swine, not birds,” he said. “There have been no cases of transmission from human to human so far.”

He said the provincial government has projected that there could be one death per 800 persons in the next pandemic.

But Normand said people are making a big mistake if they expect governments to make all the preparations. He said many expect there will be a mass vaccination.

“The reality is the vaccines will arrive too late,” he said. “It takes six weeks just to develop.”

Normand said anti-viral drugs reduce the amount of time you’re going to be sick, but they can also produce side effects like mental disorders.

When the pandemic hits, he cautioned, schools will be closed for six weeks, public transit will shut down, all public assembly locations will be closed, there will be border restrictions and the government will encourage people to stay at home.

He said the World Health Organization website outlines the six stages of a pandemic and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce also has a Pandemic Tool Kit available.

Normand, himself, developed a board game for the City of Brampton called PX3, The Emergency Strategy Preparedness Game. It’s a fun way to learn the tools and techniques to use in an emergency and an ideal item for schools.

“People throw pamphlets away,” he said. “The best approach is to go through children.”

Information about the board game can be obtained by calling 905-874-2911 in Brampton. TBE

BitNet Seminar to focus on mobility trends

BURLINGTON — BitNet will be holding its monthly Breakfast Seminar on May 8 with guest speaker Darcy McDonald, Sr. Manager Channel Development & Support Rogers Communications. As a “Subject Matter Expert” Darcy assists Rogers Business Solutions’ Customers with identifying and developing their custom wireless data applications by making recommendations and assisting with the selection of the most appropriate partners and technologies.

McDonald’s topic will be: “Top Mobility Predictions and Trends for 2007.” The predictions will help identify emerging wireless trends for the year and indicate ways that consumers and businesses will benefit. These trends include widespread use of mobile social networks, greater choice in multi-function devices and more wireless home entertainment options.

The top mobile and wireless trends that will emerge in 2007 were not possible without the two biggest stories of 2006: the advent of the cheap smart phone, and Sprint Nextel’s bodacious announcement that it is building a nationwide mobile WiMax network. These two top stories of 2006 lead us to key predictions for mobile and wireless trends for 2007. Some of these trends will fully flower in 2007, while in other cases we’ll just see the start of a big trend that will develop more fully in years to come.

The event, sponsored by Rogers Communications, will be held at The Burlington Art Centre, Shoreline Room, 1333 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON. The cost is $20/person if you register on-line at www.bitnet.ca; $20 for BitNet members at the door and $25 for all others at the door.

Please note that seating is limited for this event so you are advised to register early. The doors open at 7:30 am. Networking is available before the seminar.

WILDCATS: From White Oaks HS in Oakville, Wildcat Robotics members Spencer Hunt, Ahmad Hamadi, Chris Lewis and Lisa DeMarco show off their remote-controlled robot prototype at the Careers Unlimited fair. Under the tutelage of teachers Chris Arnold and Dave Lewis, the group won 1st place in a student robotics competition in Virginia, beating out 67 other teams. Photo by Tim Rigby.

HIEC runs Careers Unlimited Fair

BY TIM RIGBY The Business Executive

OAKVILLE — White Oaks High School was the setting for an expansive career fair for high school students entitled “Careers Unlimited” operated by the Halton Industry Education Council (HIEC) on April 3.

The event showcased scores of career opportunities for students, including education and social work. Some of the exhibitors included the Halton Business Development Centre, Sheridan College, The Home Depot, the Centre for Skills Development and Mary Kay.

“As we move to re-culture our community and education system to more accurately value all potential career destinations for students (university, apprenticeship, college and the world of work), events like Careers Unlimited take on an even greater importance in the future education and career planning for students and their parents in Halton,” said Dave Lewis, Coordinator – Pathways Guidance and Cooperative Education, Halton District School Board.

“Careers Unlimited clearly represented a variety of career options for students that allowed the key stakeholders to come together to ask questions and get information. Students, parents, administrators and community representatives all expressed a need for even more events like this.”

Cesare DiDonato of the Halton Catholic School Board echoed the accolades for the Careers Unlimited event.

“Careers Unlimited is a unique event which provides students and parents with insightful information about career pathways,” said DiDonato. This is relevant information for young people who are trying to decide on their future.”

“The Halton Industry Education Council does a remarkable job organizing the many people who have so much to offer our youth.” TBE

Oakville Town Clerk takes on role of OEDA Interim CEO

BY JULIANNE MCKALL The Business Executive

OAKVILLE – The Oakville Economic Alliance (OEDA) welcomes Cathie Best, CMO (Certified Municipal Officer), as Interim CEO. Officially in the role for four weeks now, Best is on secondment from her position as the Oakville Town Clerk until December 2007. The Assistant Clerk will fulfill Best’s duties as Town Clerk for the next nine months. One of the longer standing Senior Management team members, Best brings extensive knowledge of town procedures, departments and council proceedings to the OEDA position.

“One of the key aspects in the OEDA master plan is to create greater liaisons between the Alliance and the town,” says Best. “This will create a better awareness of the functions and services that both provide, and facilitate a better process in order to serve our clients.”

As Interim CEO, Best intends to concentrate on a few initiatives in the OEDA business plan. One is to review the existing two-year business plan itself, and secondly, to ensure that staff job descriptions are current and work well for the Alliance. “In a nine month period of time, of course, I don’t plan on changing the world,” Best adds, “but I would love to be able to identify areas where any improvements can be made and help to facilitate those improvements to the betterment of the Alliance and the staff.”

Best wants to bring focus to the Alliance, which helps businesses with their questions or concerns, and assists those who are interested in locating in Oakville. “We have great opportunities coming forward in terms of employment lands that will be available in the upcoming year,” said Best. “I’m looking forward to concentrating on business attraction and retention, and the tourism functions within the town. It’s a big job,” Best admits, “but I’m really excited about this. It is a learning process, but a wonderful challenge in terms of looking at the future for the next several years.” TBE