Mayor Ann Lawlor's 2022 Inaugural Address

November 21, 2022
Check against delivery

Good evening, everyone. It is a great honour to be standing here today and speaking to you in my new role as Mayor for the Town of Halton Hills.

Today, we have gathered; our new Town Councillors, cherished family members, friends, election supporters and special platform guests.

Thank you all for coming to this inauguration – this very special event that is historically ceremonial and politically significant….

But before we get into the meat and potatoes of my remarks –

For those of you who were at the Santa Claus parade on Saturday evening in Georgetown, and before there’s a headline in this week’s paper –

You know that it’s customary for the Mayor to ride in the Acton and Georgetown Santa Claus parades. They are on the same day.

Well this year, I was pleased to be invited by Mayor Rick to take the Georgetown parade, while he would ride in Acton.

Along the parade route, there were lots of comments about the car I was using, which happened to be a slick, fully loaded, blazing yellow 2022 corvette convertible that had never seen snow and in fact had only just arrived in Canada.

Despite appearances, let me assure you that that car is not mine, and it was not financed by your tax dollars at work!

The car was offered to the organizers- Georgetown Lions Club for the parade by our friends at Georgetown Chevy and we thank them for adding some high end muscle and wow to the event. And for sure– way more people were looking at the car than at me!

So I repeat, a $150,000 mayor mobile is not in the budget! Actually, next year, if the Chief lets me, I might be riding the parade in a fire truck, or maybe one of the Town snow plows. We’ll see, but whatever vehicle, the parade is always a fun night and thank you to the sponsors who gave me a memorable ride.

So back to what is in my original notes –

When I decided to run for this office, I did so with a sense of pride - pride for my 12 years on Council and legacy under the leadership of Rick Bonnette. Rick, my thanks to you for the path you forged and the one I will now take a turn to lead…

I am proud of the communities we are maintaining and those we are creating.

I am proud to stand here today and for the next four years, as someone invested in this Town, in our residents, our businesses and all the different sectors from arts to sports to myriad organizations that keep this place, Halton Hills, the just-about-perfect Canadian town.

We are located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Approximately 63,000 people, there are two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, Esquesing Township, the Steeles Avenue employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval – and several smaller settlements.

Our community has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, quality of life and desirable location on the edge of the GTA.

A few years ago, the Town was named among the top ten best places to live in Canada by a national magazine. We maintain small urban and rural services while our GTA location delivers the amenities of city life. The slogan ‘small town living at its best’ sums up our character in a nutshell.

Over the course of my terms on council, that slogan has been operationalized through strategic plans which then in turn, give direction to the programs and services that council chooses to deliver.

The sustainability strategy was introduced several years ago and I believe its four principles for cultural, economic, environmental and social health and vibrancy remain true today….

It is a foundational statement and It establishes and provides a vision for our exceptional community.

The sustainability strategy appeals to me personally on several levels:

• As a social progressive who cares about justice and access in all their iterations;
• As an entrepreneur who measures success with a triple bottom line – economic, social and environmental;
• As a grandmother who thinks in terms of generations and who recognizes that we are building our town and country so that our children and children’s children can thrive; and
• As an elected government official who is trained in public administration and who promises to guard the interests and well-being of the people of Halton Hills, Canada

I note that every single individual on this stage who ran an election campaign talked about maintaining the special community character that is Halton Hills.

So how have we structured this special community?  What does it look like?

The strategy references four pillars:

First, it is a community of Cultural Vibrancy: offering the opportunity for personal fulfillment through access to sports, recreation, arts, culture and heritage.

This means that as a municipality we have grown our offerings in recreation, often partnering with the volunteers of our local sports groups, recreation and environmental associations;

We have continued to support and build neighbourhood camaraderie through special programs and grants;

We have nurtured and showcased the talents of our local artisans

And our library has continued to evolve offering services to create, learn and engage in welcoming spaces….

We have designated heritage buildings which establish our unique sense of place, distinguish our community from others and remind us of our special roots.

The second pillar of our community vision includes Economic Prosperity: and it is based on a green, diversified and resilient economy, and the strengthening of the existing industrial base.

Therefore, as a town, we have fostered an environment for business to thrive including the Premier Gateway with its prime location at major transportation hubs;

We have supported small business and also targeted specific business sectors in advance manufacturing, renewable and clean energy, food and beverage and agribusinesses…

And we have developed a business concierge program that offers white glove service to expedite high value investments

The third pillar of the Sustainability Strategy embraces Environmental Health: This vision sees a community where integrated, thriving natural systems are valued, actively protected, and enhanced for long-term health and enjoyment.

It also recognizes the unique geography of Halton Hills celebrating our urban rural mix and special neighbourhoods that are vital to our sense of belonging and community spirit. Acton, Georgetown, the Glen, Norval, Stewarttown, and the rural lands in between – they should be distinct - not swallowed by sprawl.

The Town has long been a climate change leader. Our council pledged to work toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The direction has been to plan within urban boundaries, adopt climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, partner with other governments, conservation authorities and non-government organizations to have a collective impact.

We must take responsibility for our piece of the planet - thinking globally and acting locally.

And we would be wise to take lessons from our Indigenous people who lived close to the earth and whose footprints are barely visible through thousands of years of living on this land.

Finally, I come to the fourth pillar which completes the vision for Halton Hills which is Social Well-being: That is, we will strive for a healthy and safe community based on an ethic of caring and social equity.

We are making strides to advance work in equity and diversity and I am committed to ensuring that ours is a safe, healthy and welcoming community for all.

We opened two youth centres and partnered with agencies to provide wrap around support

We have raised awareness and we recognize the need for housing in variety of accommodations to support people at all stages of their lives such as apartments, townhomes, granny suites, and smaller homes on smaller lots that are affordable….

Our senior partner, Halton Region, is responsible for advancing social services, and through our representation on regional council, I am proud of the vital supports that are provided for our residents. Voluntary sector organizations enhance those needs.

I have spoken a bit of where we have come from and now I wish to speak about where we can go....

While I am by nature an optimist and have a decidedly ‘can do!’ approach, I am not a Pollyanna….

This chain is solid pewter, not hollow, and you know, it weighs on my shoulders…

There are some challenges that I see in the offing, and I am confident that our council will address them with wisdom and sensitivity:

One challenge is financial pressures on our budget due to inflation and non-discretionary cost increases such insurance premiums;

We will need to stay the course to ensure our house and finances continue to be in order as we manage through fiscal challenges – many of which are beyond our control…

A second challenge is upheaval due to new and unfolding regulations dictated by the Province. These will affect our core community vision, planning and operations and add even more financial stress.

Several pieces of new legislation and regulation including, the so-called ‘More Homes Built Faster Act’ threatens citizen participation, years of planning processes, natural heritage protection, climate action and heritage preservation.

Further provincial action will take land out of the precious Greenbelt.

In addition, the Province has significantly revised the Halton Region Official Plan and the Halton Hills urban boundary, by 2051, will shift significantly south to develop thousands more acres which are currently farmland.

These announcements immediately following the election set me back on my heels and I am not alone.  In fact, there is near universal response amongst Ontario municipal leaders asking the province to slow down and consult with us.

The third key challenge for our council will, I believe, be managing growth, both within our urban borders and developing the new Vision Georgetown lands. My guess is that we will see shovels in the ground for this new neighbourhood by 2025/6.

I will work hard to ensure that the new neighbourhoods that we create reinforce our character; that we avoid sprawl and the geography of nowhere.

I envision new neighbourhoods that are walkable, with central gathering spaces that feature parks, schools, recreation facilities and commercial venues.

Our community, for our own personal safety and security of our property, will continue moving toward environmental resiliency.

Finally, let me address my Council colleagues….

To those of you who are returning, let me say, congratulations. Your constituents continue to have confidence in your leadership and wisdom and I am glad to see you back.

To those of you who are new, you have earned a seat to help shape the future of this municipality. The commitment, drive and grit that brought you here will serve you well. You will have a learning curve and give yourself time to digest and consider information that is presented to you.

I invite all your passions and your positions when we discuss issues at Council.

This council has its work cut out for it. But we are up for the challenge - renewed, refreshed with many years of experience around the table and a passion for maintaining our unique community soul.

Thank you everyone for witnessing this special evening and thank you for thoughtful voting, participating in our Halton Hills community and for keeping our democracy strong.