Caledon will be represented at Western GTA Summit

May 15, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Nick Fernandes
The Western GTA Summit is being held this coming Tuesday (May 21) and Caledon has been invited to join in to have it’s voice heard in regard to issues of the economy and transportation.
The summit will center itself around how the GTA lives, moves and thrives. Around these concepts, it will explore issues such as neighborhood planning, addressing traffic congestion and fighting poverty within the communities.
It will take place in the Mississauga Convention center at 75 Derry Rd. West and will run from 1 to 9 p.m. The summit will address issues of gridlock, both of the economy and transportation, poverty, urban zoning and public transport integration.
Summit Co-Chair Brian Crombie told Caledon councillors Tuesday about the need to bring the whole Western GTA together, as the area represents a population of some 1.5 million.
“We have a voice that we fear is too often drowned out,” he remarked.
The other co-chair, noted broadcaster and Caledon resident Tayler Parnaby stressed the need for the Town to be represented at the summit to bring the community’s voice to transportation issues.
“The discussions that will take place are critical to Caledon.” he said. “If we do not engage, the opportunity for learning will be gone”
Parnaby spoke primarily of the local transportation issues, regarding which he said that Caledon is at a place that the other communities were at decades ago. Many Caledon residents work closer to the city, but the town lacks public transport and Highways 427 and 410 do not go further than Caledon’s borders. “Foresight is the great genius of municipal leadership” he said, adding he believes the Town must tackle this issue as soon as possible.
The summit itself will have numerous panels featuring speakers from all levels of government, including Premier Kathleen Wynne, Mayor Marolyn Morrison, Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell and Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion. Citizens will be welcome to register and participate in open panels and roundtable discussion, all in the spirit of making the Western GTA’s voice heard.
For more information, go to the website at westernGTAsummit.ca