Kawartha Lakes – The Jap Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) met on March 9 and 10, 2023 within the County of Lennox and Addington for his or her annual strategic precedence setting assembly to set Caucus priorities for the yr forward.
Mayor Elmslie attended and commented, “The EOWC priorities align with Kawartha Lakes’ Strategic Plan, notably by way of creating an distinctive high quality of life for residents. By encouraging inexpensive, purpose-built rental housing, we’re addressing an pressing want going through greater than 2,200 households throughout Kawartha Lakes. Correctly funding, staffing and resourcing municipal long-term care houses will help seniors when they should make the transition. Lastly, investing in group paramedicine providers and decreasing offload delays at hospitals will permit paramedics to spend extra hours serving sufferers. These are tall orders, however we’re dedicated to working along with different ranges of presidency to maneuver ahead as shortly as potential.”
The EOWC recognized the next priorities for 2023:
- Inexpensive and Attainable Housing via the EOWC’s ‘7 in 7’ Regional Housing Plan
- Lengthy-Time period Care
- Paramedic Providers
The EOWC will proceed to handle municipal sector points that come up all year long forward on an as wanted foundation.
“Now greater than ever, municipal governments play an important position as organizations that unify and strengthen Ontario and Canada. The EOWC is able to lead, inform and reply in the course of the coming yr and past. The Caucus has set clear objectives and we intend to strongly advocate on behalf of our area’s communities and residents” said EOWC Chair Peter Emon.
Inexpensive and Attainable Housing
Housing affordability and attainability stays a key focus of the Caucus. Throughout the EOWC’s area, there are roughly 12,000 to 14,000 items on municipal group rental housing wait lists. Persons are ready a mean of virtually 5 years and as much as 10 years in some instances to entry these group rental housing items. As a part of the Ontario Authorities’s objective of constructing 1.5 million houses by 2031, the EOWC is trying to do our half in growing housing provide via our daring ‘7 in 7’ regional housing plan.
The EOWC’s ‘7 in 7’ regional housing plan proposes constructing not less than 7,000 group rental items over seven years throughout the area to handle the wait lists. The plan would require partnering with the Federal and Provincial Governments, in addition to the personal and non-profit sector, and Indigenous companions. Utilizing a mixed-model strategy, the ‘7 in 7’ plan has the additional advantage to deliver on practically 21,000 extra market price items. This could whole 28,000 housing items. The EOWC is transferring forward with the ‘7 in 7’ plan and is at present working with KWM Consulting Inc. to create a enterprise case to maneuver ahead successfully and sustainably.
The EOWC can also be calling on the Provincial and Federal Governments develop a powerful monetary framework to help municipalities so as to higher put together, plan and implement housing and associated help providers. As well as, the EOWC is advocating for higher orders of presidency to standardize language round housing and have clear streamlined definitions for each ‘inexpensive’ and ‘attainable’ housing.
Lengthy-Time period Care
Municipal governments are key companions within the supply of long-term care, which was highlighted repeatedly all through the COVID-19 pandemic. The EOWC was an preliminary advocate for the 4 hours of care mannequin that the Province is within the strategy of implementing and continues to supply evidence-based suggestions to tell the federal government’s choices round long-term care and associated helps.
All year long forward, the EOWC is advocating for a long-term care human assets technique to handle staffing shortages throughout the area that works for rural houses and their labour market. As a part of the human assets advocacy, the EOWC is constant to name on the Provincial Authorities to eradicate staffing companies that pose an pointless and unsustainable useful resource and value burden on municipalities.
Moreover, the EOWC is advocating that the Provincial Authorities assessment and modernize the long-term care funding framework. The EOWC is able to proceed to supply sound enter on behalf of member municipalities and work with authorities and stakeholders.
Paramedic Providers
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, EOWC member municipalities have skilled elevated pressures on their paramedic providers. Through the yr forward, the EOWC is advocating for everlasting, sustainable and predictable funding to help paramedic providers in addition to group paramedicine efforts.
The EOWC can also be calling on the Provincial Authorities to modernize the dispatch system to enhance the prioritization of calls and general degree of service. Moreover, the Caucus is advocating for the Provincial Authorities and related stakeholders to scale back offload delays at hospitals which might permit paramedics to spend extra hours serving their communities.
At present, the EOWC is working with ApexPro Consulting Inc. to replace the EOWC’s 2019 Assessment of Jap Ontario Paramedic Providers Scenario Overview report. It will present a present regional degree information overview of paramedic providers. The EOWC seems to be ahead to sharing the report, findings and proposals with authorities and relevant stakeholders as soon as finalized in summer season of 2023.
Photograph caption left to proper: Warden Ron Vandewal, Warden Nancy Peckford, Warden Bob Mullin, Warden Peter McLaren, Warden Henry Hogg, Warden Mandy Martin, Mayor Doug Elmslie, Mayor Steve Ferguson, Warden Tony Fraser, EOWC Chair Peter Emon, EOWC Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark, Warden Liz Danielsen. Lacking from picture: Warden Normand Riopel.
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