Halfway through its mandate, Timmins city council checks up on its core priorities

Now that Timmins city council has completed two years of its four-year mandate, councillors felt it was time to check in on its priorities.

Midway through its four-year mandate, city council in Timmins said this week that it was time to check in on its priorities.

CAO Dave Landers produced a checklist of seven main concerns, including housing, infrastructure, safety, recreation and tourism, economy, environment and core services.

“We can consider this a bit of a report card and use it as a reference point so we know what more we need to be working on over the next two years,” said Mayor Michelle Boileau.

Landers told council those priorities have formed the basis of its advocacy with Timmins MPP George Pirie and the province.

In the last couple of days, he said the city has heard some announcements directly tied to their hard work.

“We’ve heard that we’ll be receiving housing enabling infrastructure funding, as well as funding to help rehabilitate Municipal Road,” said Boileau.

As council moves on to the remaining half of its mandate, Landers said pressure on upper levels of government must continue -- and councillors agreed.

“I think we really need to put more effort into developing more large-scale residential service areas versus trying to pick parts out of parks and vacant lots here or there,” said Coun. Steve Black.

Landers said members of the Timmins Economic Development Corp. will attend a council meeting at the end of the first quarter to provide an update on their projects.