The Velodrome Part #2: Has the Province Done Its Homework?

"What do Mississauga, Vaughn, and Hamilton know that we don't? Or what do we in Milton know that the others don't?"

A friend of mine asked me these questions as we waited for a Special Council Meeting to begin on the Velodrome.   We didn't know the answers then, but they're starting to come out now.  Last week Paul Henderson- Olympic Sailor, and lobbyist for Toronto's failed 1996 Olympic Bid, came out with a warning that he thought the Games would come in over budget.  He is now among critics who think the Games' budget could come out over its $1.4 billion budget.


Milton has definitely done its homework on this project.  My guess is Town Staff has checked the numbers many times trying to figure how this would work without impacting the tax base. And it likely will work with the support of Mattamy and their private partners.  But just because Milton has done its homework, and due diligence in having a project that won't impact the tax base, doesn't mean other levels of government have done theirs.

And perhaps that's what Mississauga, Vaughn, and Hamilton know that we don't.  Maybe they've realized that a certain provincial government having trouble balancing its books, hasn't.  Maybe the other municipalities have realized the province has failed to take into account the need for extra public transit between venues, or venues that have been moved, or roads that need to be built/ closed down for transporting the athletes.  And they want no part of it; who can blame them? Usually when the Province errs, it's the municipality that ends up paying the price.

I'm still in favour of the velodrome.  I support it as an idea that would turn the spotlight on Milton in a positive way.  But when someone like Paul Henderson with his credibility says the Games could turn out to be over budget maybe we should pause and listen.  Maybe it's time to question the Province on its finances for the Games; How are we going to pay for the additional transit? (Milton still only has rush hour Go service), Are you going to be able to afford the needed university campus? and if so will it be "shovel-ready" by 2015.  What about the cost to provincial roads?  Has that been taken into account?

Henderson's comments on the Pan Am games make me wonder if the Province has done its homework on its portion of the budget.  I think the time has come for someone to ask.

Milton gets a Hospital Expansion, or Will it?

So we've got our badly needed expansion.  I know, I should be jumping for joy- so happy I should be bursting.    But I'm not; instead I'm in the cynical camp on this one.  I've often used the saying: Be ware of politicians making promises for it is election time. Promises are  meant to be broken.

I know I'm being such a Debbie Downer.  I know I'm bursting the balloons of many friends on Council, and involved with the Friends of Milton Hospital.  But all I can see here are political ramifications that beg the question: Will we really get the hospital expansion?

A couple of months ago I would've predicted Ted Chudleigh had this one in the bag.  On name recognition alone he'd win.  Couple that with the fact he was positioning himself as a man of action on the Hospital- probably the #1 campaign issue, and I would say victory was a sure thing.  Thursday's funding announcement made it an even race.   Now Chudleigh gets to take partial credit and say he, along with numerous councilors, and the Friends of Milton Hospital fought hard for it, and got it done. Flip it over, Liberal candidate Indira Naidoo-Harris gets to go out and take credit saying it was a Liberal government who gave permission for it, and a Liberal government who will help fund it if re-elected.  It can be viewed as vote-buying.
And I don't trust it. I think all these promises of hospital expansions are linked to polling numbers.  Do a poll in any of the ridings, and I bet you'll find the Liberals running second or lower to one of the other parties prior to the announcement. Do one afterwards and you'd see a surge of support.

Right now it's great- we've got exactly what we wanted- what we've been fighting for for years.  But what happens if the Liberals are re-elected and Milton gets lost in the shuffle of all the other expansions/new facilities/ and new funding? What happens if Hudak is elected and finds there's little left in the cupboards for hospitals? Will we really see an expansion at Milton Hospital?

I hope so.  I don't know if there's another community more deserving- I don't know if there's another community where it's more justified.  But I have to wonder if the funding announcement on Thursday was a little more opportunistic than good policy; that maybe this was more about getting elected than giving a badly-needed expansion to a community. 

Milton's Issues this Provincial Election

It's summer- the days are lazy, filled with heat, sunshine, pools and patios.  Nobody wants to think about politics, but here we are two months out from another election and it may be time to start thinking about who to vote for.  Inspired by a thread on the Hawthorne Villager, Here are What I believe to be Milton's issues?

1. Hospital Expansion: Ironically it's also the one issue the Town has little control over.  As spelled out in the constitution, the Province are the ones with the power to decide how to allocate resources- including hospitals.  Without a provincial government's permission the shovels won't go into the ground.  The Progressive Conservative (P.C.'s) M.P.P. Ted Chudleigh has fought hard for the hospital, and will continue to do so; and his leader Tim Hudak has promised to get rid of the controversial LHINS (Local Health Integrated Networks), and use the money for front line health care

The Liberals have made hospital expansion a part of their platform, but in a vague way- and with the phrase "should fiscal capacity allow, (if they have the money)."  Council continues making a convincing case based on growth any chance they get; sending copies of approvals for new subdivisions straight to the offices of Cabinet Ministers.

2. Infrastructure: There has been much talk lately of the Greater Toronto Area (G.T.A.) west corridor.  This would include widening the 401 to 8-12 lanes through Milton, and adding the interchange at Tremaine Road. I'd like to see them move ahead with this project.   While we're at it, how about transit? I'd love to see GO finally add full-day train service to the Milton Line.  When I last asked about it, someone told me they'd put the study on it on hold, to do environmental assessment on electrifying the whole system.

3. Trust/ Accountability: Should probably have a higher ranking than third.  But it is an issue.  Can we trust these characters who are applying for the job of Premier? For his part McGuinty's record is rife with broken promises, and scandals: the $1 billion eHealth scandal, the O.L.G.C. scandals, the Green Energy deals, the health tax, the HST.  He has admitted even if he wins, he may not hang around for another full term, and that just gives his whole campaign a completely defeatist attitude.  Long-time Liberals are deserting the party among those David Caplan, and Greg Sobara are among the names not running.

Even though, I identify with the most with the P.C.'s policies,  I find myself surprisingly underwhelmed by Tim Hudak.  He has allowed the Liberals to define him negatively, and hasn't really done too much to stop it.   I have to wonder if he'll connect well enough with voters- I've met him a few times through work, and didn't have a very flattering first impression- he looked down a lot, and seemed to make little eye contact.  It's gotten better each meeting.   Andrea Horwath is an unknown quantity; she comes across well, and has strong qualifications.  

4. Education: Specifically the Milton Education Village  (M.E.V.) Universities and colleges are expected to overflow in this part of the province.  The Liberals have said they want the final decision on where satellite campuses are located.  The P.C.'s want to add 6,000 new spots in post-secondary education and want the institutions to compete with each other for them.  All-day kindergarten will be fully enacted in 2014-2015; something that's impossible to stop even if a possible future Premier wanted to.

These are just four of the issues I feel are facing Milton.  I'm sure there are more- if you can think of any more simply leave a comment.

Building What? Together

The province released its "Building Together" Plan a document that spells out the plan for infrastructure for the next 10 years.  It reads like an election platform, rather than a policy document- as if someone said let's throw this one at the wall to see if it sticks. If it does, then maybe we'll get re-elected??

Most importantly for Milton there was no firm commitment for a hospital expansion.  The section of the report applicable to that: Completing the 27 major hospital projects under construction, and continuing to invest in hospital expansions and redevelopment projects, subject to fiscal capacity. The plan also indicates the province will commit to 3-5 expansions/ redevelopment projects... subject to fiscal capacity- a phrase that will get them out of a lot of promises.

My understanding of the funding process is that prior to the release of the provincial government's latest budget, Milton along with other municipalities made a presentation to the province on why they deserve funding for the hospital or infrastructure project.  That list was then wheedled down to 50 deserving communities, which, was supposed to be released before legislature was prorogued. This document doesn't spell out many specifics, and that not only hurts Milton, but all Ontarians.

Another disappointment to Milton: the post-secondary education portion of the plan.  Recently the province decided that it should have the only say on where satellite campuses should go.  Never mind the needs of an institution.  Never mind the fact Laurier has land, and a willing partner in Sheridan College or the fact the town is the fastest growing in t he country, and among the youngest.  the province still needs to say "yes."  There are provisions in the plan for more universities and colleges, but again, as with healthcare they're vague. 

It's a contradiction too.  The Liberals want 407 expansion, Essex-Windsor highway- both will make it easier  for commercial traffic to cross the borders.  They want to add to the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, and build at least 500 centreline-kilometres of highway where warranted by growth and demand.  What happened to the environmentally friendly Liberals? The ones that created Metrolinx, worked with the City of Toronto to change Transit City?  Giving us still more ways to put more cars on the road, goes counterpoint to that doesn't it.  Speaking of Transit, this is where Milton does get something: A promise of trains that are at least 12 cars.  Something that should probably have happened around a decade ago.

I know this is a ten year plan, and a lot can change in a decade; subject to fiscal capacity.  But where's the vision? Where's the creativity? The Progressive Conservatives have policy for families that can be clearly applied to their everyday lives.  The Liberals- at least the ones who are in the provincial government right now are vague.  Why not have a plan that would make that phrase "subject to fiscal capacity" a thing of the past?

This plan is unimaginative.  Ontario is facing a multi-billion dollar shortfall, failing infrastructure, and an aging population.  What's needed is creative ideas that will solve problems. The Liberals want to build together. Build what together? Because you're going to need to be a lot more specific than this.