The mayors of Belleville, Quinte West and Prince Edward County had a chance to speak with Ontario’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Tuesday on a number of issues, including the Integrity Commissioner.
It was a chance to express their concerns directly to Minister Steve Clark, as they sat in Mayor Mitch Panciuk’s office at Belleville city hall.
Following the meeting, Mayor Panciuk tells Quinte News concerns were raised about rules regarding the Integrity Commissioner.
Paniuk says the mayors want the commissioner system to be more fact- and evidence-based.
He said there is also the concern about the release or non-release of councillors’ names in an investigation.
During the meeting, the municipalities made it clear they are interested in obtaining some exemptions to provincial red tape to allow developments to go forward more quickly.
Panciuk cited the case of the case of Bell Boulevard expansion.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison raised the issue of the Lake Ontario high water levels and the concerns municipalities have with dealing with the levels.
County Mayor Steve Ferguson was also in attendance.
The need for more provincial funding for community housing in the Quinte area was also made clear to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Following his meeting with the mayors, Minister Clark pointed to Belleville’s Housing Summit last year and indicated the province has “about a billion dollars for housing repairs and to grow community housing.”
Clark noted that Hastings County officials asked him to review the provincial Community Housing Prevention Funds in connection with Grace Inn Shelter.
Clark tells Quinte News, “My message is the government wants every Ontarian to have a safe stable place to call home and we want to leverage every dollar.”
Clark also said, “The need for affordable housing is really great in this area” and he hopes to be able to meet the city’s needs.
Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith and Hastings Lennox and Addington MPP Daryl Kramp also attended the meeting in the mayor’s office.
Following that meeting, Clark, Smith, Kramp and the mayors met in private with the Landlords Association. also at city hall.
