Caledon wants waste management, Regional roads to continue being delivered by Peel

Motion made to ask Peel Region Transition Board to not download those services

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Caledon would like to see the Region of Peel continue to handle its waste management and regional roads. 

At Caledon Council's May 21 meeting, Councillors unanimously supported a motion to ask the Peel Region Transition Board to recommend that waste management and regional road services in Caledon continue to be delivered by the Region of Peel through their current funding model. 

The Peel Region Transition Board, which is no longer tasked with dissolving Peel, is currently tasked with investigating whether certain region-provided services can be downloaded to lower-tier municipalities. 

The motion supported by Caledon's Councillors notes that if Caledon assumed regional roads (such as Highway 50, King Street and Charleston Sideroad) there would be a significant financial impact to Caledon residents.

“The Town has validated these concerns, with supportive external analysis that proposes a combined 70 per cent annual tax increase in Caledon as a result of downloading Regional roads and waste management services,” reads the motion. “The transition board has not yet identified an adequate ongoing funding source for provisions of roads or waste management…”

Caledon Mayor Annette Groves said the tax increase Caledon residents would see if regional roads and waste management were downloaded would be unaffordable. 

“There are so many uncertainties… it's important that we do take a position and that the Province knows the position of Caledon's Council,” said Groves. “If something isn't broken, you don't need to fix it. The Region has been delivering the services quite well over the past 50 years.”

Regional Councillor, Wards, 4, 5 and 6 Mario Russo said now that Caledon has the evidence to support its position, it can take one. 

“It's only become apparent, through facts, very, very recently that this is a position that is not sustainable, or a position that the Caledon taxpayer can afford to go down…” said Russo.