Tillsonburg brings up multiple issues at conference

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

The Tillsonburg delegation brought up multiple issues at the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto.

A delegation of Mayor Deb Gilvesy, Deputy Mayor Dave Beres, Councillor Kelly Spencer and CAO Kyle Pratt attended the convention, meeting with ministers and attending presentations on municipal matters.

In an update at the Jan. 26 council meeting, Gilvesy said they met Hon. Rob Flack, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, to discuss the land use study in Oxford County. Tillsonburg raised a concern about the amount of commercial land initially identified in the study, and requested an increase.

A package was also dropped off with Ministry of Health staff in regard to the doctor shortage and the new clinic for unattached patients. A meeting wasn’t requested because there wasn’t enough data from the clinic at the time requests for meetings had to be made. Gilvesy said since the clinic opened in July, there have been 460 appointments, and 97 per cent of openings were filled. There are 14,000 residents in Oxford County who aren’t attached to a primary care provider.

Speaking to Health Minister Sylvia Jones presentation, Gilvesy said, “She didn’t want to see municipalities have recruitment packages available because then municipalities are competing against each other.”

The minister also said Ontario is on track to connect all residents with a primary care provider by 2031, but Gilvesy said in the meantime there are still 14,000 Oxford residents without a doctor.

On homelessness, it was said there are 85,000 individuals in the province who are homeless, which is an 18 per cent increase over the prior year. However, rural homelessness saw a 30 per cent increase.

“This is a problem that’s not easily solved,” Gilvesy said.

Beres, who is on the ROMA board, explained municipalities attend the convention to request funding. Most provincial ministers and the premier attend the annual gathering.

Spencer commented that she finds the seminars and workshops valuable.

“I learned some relevant information that I believe will benefit the town,” she said.

Later in town council’s meeting when accepting the Long Point Region Conservation Authority’s board minutes, Gilvesy added the proposed conservation authority amalgamation was a topic of discussion at ROMA.

“Every municipality is upset about the amalgamation of conservation authorities and that was a common theme,” she said.

Beres, who is the town’s representative on the authority board, said LPRCA staff and the board made a presentation to the minister on the topic.

“It’s a voice that needed to be heard and was heard,” he said.