Councillors Maskell, Russo appointed to Single-Tier Transition Committee

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon Council has formed a Single-Tier Transition Committee.

The committee's role will be ensuring timely feedback from Council to the Town of Caledon's internal transition team –  staff members working with the five-member Provincially-appointed transition board tasked with dissolving the Region of Peel.

As of January 1, 2025, Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga will be single-tier municipalities.

The Single-Tier Transition Committee (STTC) was formed at a November 14 Special Council Meeting. It will be a committee of Council, like the Governance Review Committee or Audit Committee.

Ward 3 Councillor Doug Maskell will be the STTC's chair, Regional Councillor, Wards 4, 5 and 6 Mario Russo will be vice-chair, and Mayor Annette Groves will be an ex-officio member.

While Council voted to create the STTC — which was recommended in a report written by Caledon's CAO Nathan Hyde — the appointment of the STTC's chair and vice-chair was done using Strong Mayor powers.

Before the STTC's creation was voted on at the November 14 Council meeting, discussion occurred.

Ward 2 Councillor Dave Sheen asked how Maskell and Russo were chosen to be the chair and vice-chair of the STTC.

“I agree we need to have… some way for Council to interact with the transition team,” said Sheen. “But the staff report doesn't explain how the two Councillors were chosen.”

Groves said she made the decision to appoint the chair and vice-chair as she has the authority to do so, but did not elaborate further despite repeated requests from Sheen.

Regional Councillor, Wards 1, 2 and 3 Christina Early said she was concerned to see a two-person transition committee speaking for Council, also expressing concern over a lack of representation in the STTC from the west side of Caledon.

Ward 1 Councillor Lynn Kiernan said Groves using Strong Mayor powers to appoint the STTC's chair and vice-chair was undemocratic.

“I think the west side of Caledon is being ignored once again,” said Kiernan. “We are in the dark, our voice is being stolen and that cannot be happening anymore.”

Groves said there is no “East versus West” and that every Councillor votes on issues that affect all of Caledon. She said the STTC will be bringing information back to Council as a whole.

“I have full confidence that we're all working in the best interests of the entire community of Caledon,” said Groves.

Russo said the STTC won't be making any decisions and will just be transferring information back and forth.

“I don't even know why this is becoming a conversation piece,” said Russo.

He said all STTC meetings will be viewable by the public like any other committee meeting.

Ward 4 Councillor Nick de Boer suggested making the STTC like Council's Planning and Development Committee, which includes all of its members.

Groves cited coordination of schedules and limited time to do transition work as reasons she would not do that, and de Boer countered saying Council would make time to attend STTC meetings. Sheen seconded his point.

Council had previously deferred the creation of the STTC at an October 10 special council meeting.