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C2 - The Canadian Ghampion, Friday, June 1, 2007 Planning for ou future together by Regional Chair Gary Carr Over the last year, you may have heard of the Durable Halton Plan, Halton's response to the Provincial Places to Grow Plan. Halton needs to plan for up to 780,000 people and 390,000 jobs by the year 2031, but this process is about more than where Halton will grow in the future, it's about planning for the people and businesses that will call Halton home. It's about protecting what is valuable to Halton, before accommodating future growth. Last year we began work on the plan that will guide how Halton grows to the year 2031 and beyond and one of the things residents told us is that they didn't understand the name... so we changed it! We wanted a naine that would tell everyone that this plan is about sustaining Halton and protecting what Halton citizens value. Following much discussion and consultation, Regional Couincil declared the new name of the planning process to be Sustainable Halton. While Halton Region leads this critical planning process, we need your help. In June (see box for dates), we'll be out in the community to hear from you again in a series of public open houses, focus group meetings and workshops. This is only the beginning of our consultation and we'll be asking for your opinions through the entire process. It is critical that we hear from residents, businesses and everyone who has an interest in how and where Halton will grow so we can incorporate your feedback into the planning process. As part of the Sustainable Halton planning process, there are now 22 background papers available online at www.halton.ca/ sustainablehalton. The documents, which will provide a framework for discussing Halton's future, include issues such as the region's land supply, examining healthy communities principles, determining how to meet Halton's human services needs for the future and how to meet future infrastructure needs, such as roads and water and wastewater services. If you can't make it to one of our open houses or the Sustainable Halton symposium, check out the documents online and email us vour comments at sustainable@halton.ca. Working together we can plan a sustainable Halton that will serve the needs of Halton residents and businesses for generations to come. r sustainable What do you think? We need to hear from you... Join us at one of our upcoming drop-in open houses to share your thoughts on how and where you want Halton to grow in the future. We are also holding a half-day symposium where we will delve deeper into the various issues that make up the Sustainable Halton planning process. Please RSVP by June 15 by calling us at 905- 825-6000, ext. 7455 or by emailing us at sustainable@ halton.ca. Drop-in open houses Burington Oakville Tuesday, June 12 Monday, June 4 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Burlington Seniors Centre Halton Regional Centre 2285 New St (in Central Park) 1151 Bronte Rd Halton HMs (auditorium) Wednesday, June 20 Milton 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 6 Acton Arena 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. 415 Queen St E (Hwy #7) Lions Club Acton 77 lhompson Rd Symposium Saturday, June 23 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Halton Regional Centre, auditorium 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville (please RSVP by June 15 by cafling 905-825-6000, ext. 7455, toil free 1-866-4HALTON) During the Sustainable Halton planning process, we will examine issues that are critical for planning our future. Some of these issues include examining: • where we can grow in Halton; • how we can make the best use of areas that are already developed; • the future age make-up of Halton residents to ensure we have the social services, such as child care spaces and eider care services, available to meet their needs; • how Halton can encourage the development of healthy communities where residents can walk, bike and have access to other types of transportation, not just the car; " how Halton can ensure its residents have adequate housing choices so they can continue to live in Halton if they choose to, no matter what their economic situation or life stage; • the types of housing Halton needs to meet our population growth, such as having more townhouses and high rise buildings; • what Halton's Natural Heritage System will look like and how to ensure we protect our natural environment; " how and where Halton's aggregate industry, such as quarries, can coexist with a growing region; and • the agricultural community and how we can protect and encourage it while we grow More information on these issues is available through the Sustainable Halton background papers available online. Tell us your thoughts on Sustainable Halton by emaillng us at sustaInable@halton.ca or culling us at 905-825-000, ext. 7455 (toll fret 1-866-4HALTON) June Meetings at Halton Region Headquarters June 12, 9:30 a.m. Health & Social Services Committee June 13, 9:30 a.rn. Planning & Public Works Committee June 13, 1:30 p.m. Administration & Finance Committee June 20, 9:30 a.m. Regional Council Meeting This page has been donated by this newspaper to communicate important infonration to Halton residents at no cost to taxpayers.