Wellington County's Green Legacy Programme Should Go Province-Wide
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TED ARNOTT, MPP WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS Keeping in Touch – Update 2016 Wellington County’s Green Legacy Programme should go province-wide Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott’s proposal to Mark Van Patter, and Green Legacy Nursery Manager establish an Ontario Green Legacy Programme to mark Rob Johnson on hand to watch the debate, Mr. Arnott Ontario’s 150th anniversary within Canada has been acknowledged the work of County officials. endorsed by the Ontario Legislature. “I want to once again express On October 22, the my admiration for the Legislature voted County of Wellington, for the unanimously to pass Mr. outstanding leadership they Arnott’s Private Member’s have shown in launching their Resolution calling on Green Legacy Programme and the Government to take maintaining it on an ongoing Wellington County’s basis, such that it has grown Green Legacy Programme into the largest municipal tree province-wide by planting planting programme in North 150 million trees beginning America,” Mr. Arnott told the in 2017. House. “They have shown us “An Ontario Green Legacy the way.” Programme could be a “When the County of legacy that all of us in Wellington first started this House can claim as down this road, it was a our collective gift to the large challenge. But we generations to come,” found that we could succeed Mr. Arnott said during with the involvement of the his closing remarks in the community. With the support debate. of the House and Mr. Arnott’s GREEN LEGACY PROGRAMME – Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Resolution, I find that I am With Wellington County Arnott is pushing to take Wellington County’s Green Legacy Programme CAO Scott Wilson, Green province-wide to mark Ontario’s 150th Anniversary as a province within hopeful and know that we in Confederation. Ted and his son Dean are pictured attending a tree the Province can succeed,” Legacy Committee Chair planting workshop in 2004, the year Wellington County launched the programme. (Photo courtesy of the Fergus-Elora News Express) said Mr. Van Patter. continued on page 2 Contact Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott Wellington-Halton Hills Provincial Riding Office Queen’s Park Office 181 St. Andrew St. East, 2nd Floor Room 420, Legislative Building Fergus, Ontario N1M 1P9 Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A8 Tel. (519) 787-5247 • Fax (519) 787-5249 Tel. (416) 325-3880 • Fax (416) 325-6649 Toll Free Call: 1-800-265-2366 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Visit us on the web: www.tedarnottmpp.com Please recycle. 1 WELLINGTON-HALTONKeeping in Touch HILLS – Update MPP TED2016 ARNOTT Wellington County’s RFQ issued for new Green Legacy Programme should go province-wide Groves hospital continued from page 1 The new Groves hospital project is taking yet another step forward. The Ontario Green Legacy idea has also been In September, Infrastructure Ontario and Groves Memorial endorsed by the David Suzuki Foundation, Community Hospital announced that they have issued a Request NeighbourWoods on the Grand, the Ontario for Qualifications (RFQ) for a consortium to design, build, and Federation of Agriculture, the Christian finance a new hospital to replace the existing Groves Memorial Farmers Federation of Ontario, the Professional Community Hospital in Centre Wellington. Foresters Association, as well as Halton Hills “This is great news for our community,” Wellington-Halton Hills community leader Laurent Thibault. MPP Ted Arnott said. “It’s exciting to be involved, and see the Mr. Arnott intends to continue to follow up progress towards our new hospital. With this announcement, we’re with the Minister of Natural Resources to see again one step closer to seeing the new hospital open its doors.” that the Government follows through. The RFQ is the first step in the process of selecting a team to “Passing my resolution today was the first build the new hospital. Once submissions are completed, qualified step towards an Ontario Green Legacy applicants will be shortlisted. The Hospital anticipates that a Programme,” Mr. Arnott said afterwards. Request for Proposals could be issued as early as the middle of “Now we need to see a positive response from next year. the Government. I intend to continue to raise “I spoke to Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid in the Legislature this with them until they commit to making the day the RFQ was issued. I wanted to thank the Government for Ontario Green Legacy a reality.” their support. Working together, we continue to make progress,” added Mr. Arnott. Mr. Arnott also recognized the contributions of local officials and residents. “Our community has been working hard towards the goal of a new hospital for many years,” Mr. Arnott said. “I want to once again thank the many people involved – Groves staff, volunteers, the County, the Township, and the many supporters across our community. Without their efforts, we would not be where we are today.” During his 25 years at Queen’s Park, Mr. Arnott has been a strong advocate for the Groves Memorial Community Hospital. For more than a decade, he has been helping to push for the new hospital project. He has raised it numerous times in speeches in the Legislature, in letters to Ministers, and in private conversations, meetings, and phone calls with successive Health Ministers and Ministry staff. “As the MPP for Wellington-Halton Hills, I intend to continue to monitor the progress being made at Groves hospital, with a view to making sure that we continue to move forward toward our vision of a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Centre Wellington,” he said. TERRY FOX RUN – Town of Halton Hills Councillor Jon Hurst and Ted Arnott help kick off the annual Acton Terry For more information on the Groves hospital project, Fox Run on September 20 at the Acton High School. visit the Hospital Foundation’s website at: Each year there are numerous Terry Fox Runs held in communities across Wellington-Halton Hills. http://www.grovesfoundation.com/ (Photo courtesy of the Independent & Free Press) 2 WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS MPP TED ARNOTT FAMILY SKATE – Each year Ted and Lisa host their annual family CELEBRATING CANADA – Canada’s 148th Birthday celebrations skates in Wellington-Halton Hills. Everyone is welcome. This winter, were held in Erin on July 1. This past year, Ted also attended Canada the family skates will be in Georgetown (January 10), Acton (January Day festivities in Elora, Aberfoyle, Glen Williams, Fergus, and Acton. 17), and Aberfoyle (January 24). (Photo courtesy of the Erin Advocate) (Photo courtesy of the Wellington Advertiser) Attorney General says new Halton Courthouse a “priority” ntario’s Attorney General current courthouse was built in has worked hard to raise awareness OMadeleine Meilleur says 1962, it served a population of of the need at Queen’s Park. that a new Halton Courthouse is a approximately 190,230. While He asked for a tour of the Courthouse “priority” for her Ministry. there was an addition in 1979, it and has raised the issue in Question The Attorney General first publicly now serves approximately 550,000 Period, as well as in debate in the identified the Halton Courthouse as a people. With the population of Legislature. He has also spoken to priority in Question Period on March Halton Region exploding in recent the Attorney General on numerous 24, in response to a Question from years, that number is expected to occasions, including initiating the Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted climb to 565,000 by next year alone, September 8 meeting with her and Arnott. and Halton Region forecasts that its all the Halton-area MPPs or their population will grow to over 750,000 representatives. She later repeated the statement by 2031. in a meeting on September 8 with On October 27, Mr. Arnott Mr. Arnott, Halton MPP Indira Mr. Arnott has worked across party approached Finance Minister Charles Naidoo-Harris, Burlington MPP lines to push for this needed project, Sousa after Question Period to speak Eleanor McMahon, and local lawyer reaching out to the three other to him about the need for the new Paul Stunt, which Mr. Arnott had Halton-area MPPs and working Courthouse. He gave the Minister arranged. with them cooperatively. a letter outlining the importance of the project. On November 18, he “It’s encouraging that the Attorney “I have always been willing and followed up in the same manner with General appears to recognize the prepared to work with MPPs from Deputy Premier Deb Matthews. need for a new courthouse in Halton other parties to get the job done for our community,” Mr. Arnott said. Region,” Mr. Arnott said. “I’ve “Now that the Attorney “This is an issue that affects our toured the existing courthouse, and General has said a new Halton entire Region and people expect us to it is simply inadequate to meet the Courthouse is a priority, we set party differences aside and make needs of Halton Region.” need the Government to progress towards our goal.” commit to the project in the Halton Region is one of the Since Mr. Arnott first learned about 2016/17 provincial budget.” fastest growing communities in the country. However, when the the need for a new courthouse, he - MPP Ted Arnott 3 Keeping in Touch – Update 2016 Georgetown Hospital walk a big success Wellington-Halton Hills MPP programs and facilities. a promise from the Government of Ted Arnott spoke in the Ontario “I try to attend the Walk every year, up to $2.6 million to support needed Legislature on September 29 to and I was glad to see Halton Hills renovations at the Hospital,” he highlight the annual Georgetown Regional Councillor Jane Fogal and noted.