> Salute to Niagara’s Best In The West winners! /Pgs 7-42 > Time is now to preserve waterfront: Turcotte Pg 4 >West LIncoln farm part of Project Odeon bust Pg 5 > Grimsby Trillium winners announced Pg 43 Thursday, August 10, 2023 Vol. 12 Issue 15
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Grimsby native Bryce Arnold signed with the Toronto Blue Jays last month. For full details on Bryce’s path to pro ball, please turn to Page 6.
Grimsby, Lincoln & West Lincoln
History made with first joint council meeting By Mike Williscraft NewsNow History will be made this week when Grimsby, Lincoln and West Lincoln councils hold a joint meeting at West Niagara Fairgrounds on Wednesday (Aug. 9). The meeting, which will be conducted in closed session “for the purpose of educating or training the members”, as per the
Municipal Act, could prove an important first step to west Niagara municipalities getting ahead of a provincial initiative to streamline processes. Since last fall, the provincial government has been telling municipal officials to improve and streamline services or risk a top-down decision to improve the current
administrative climate. Since June, municipalities have been told a “facilitator” will be appointed to review several regions, including Niagara, despite the region just having gone through a similar review just three years ago. MPP Sam Oosterhoff says this review is very different. “Essentially, the fa-
cilitator will look at whichever governance model is best to deliver on priorities such as housing, streamlining delivery service, and major infrastructure projects,” said Oosterhoff. Niagara West mayors have seen this freight train coming and had some general discussions on possible sharing of services
over the last several months. With the announcement of the facilitator imminent, possibly as soon as the Aug. 2325 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, Wednesday’s session called by the mayors after discussions with Oosterhoff - may be a logical start of a Niagara West-made plan.
“The big question is how municipal governments can streamline planning to address the housing crisis, and build the infrastructure needed to support economic growth in Ontario not just today, but for the decades to come. My understanding of the governments intent is to find ways to See MEETING, Page 3