The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

» 10 TOWN HALL MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@milton canadianchampion.com What does the coming year have in store for Mil- ton? Continued growth with a population increase of about 10,000, more news on the university front, con- § struction of new municipal s facilities, roadway im- Canadian Champion | Thursday, January 18, 2018 | y : Indira. Naidoo-Harris, MPP Halton ~~ = It's 2018 and I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year! This is an exciting time and the arrival of Janu- ary 1" marked the introduction of a num- \ ber of key pieces of leg- islation that will have a positive impact on the lives of many Halton families. As we look forward to the coming year thoughts of keeping our families, safe, healthy and happy is always a focus. In fact, the wellbeing of youth ; _ provements and perhaps a .- - tion is on the horizon, few mew faces around the Milton Council table, to name a few, according to the heads of council and Town staff. Mayor Gord Krantz and Milton CAO Bill Mann re- cently polished up their crystal ball to give the Champion their forecast for the coming year and be- yond. - While a municipal elec- Mann « assures residents that it will be "business as usual" for Stal at Town Hall. "Our overall priority is still growth management, from a corporate point of view," he said. "The indica- tion we get from the major- ity of residents is they real- ly appreciate the commu- MPP Notebook program. system. health card number, young people will now be able to access free medication when they're ill. A new online, mobile- friendly tool lets Ontarians quickly search through a list of the medications and other drug products covered under the Universal health care is a defining characteristic of Canadian society. The introduction of OHIP+ represents a fundamental step towards access to medications as part of a universal, publicly funded health care and families, is what led our government to roll out OHIP+. This historic investment in health care, means free medications for everyone 24 years old and under. * Through this program young Ontarians will now have access to medication they need, when and where they need it. OHIP+ means that no family will have to choose between paying for medication for their sick child or putting food on the table. It's the right thing to do. The OHIP+ program is comprehensive. It covers the cost of more than 4,400 drug products that are currently available through the Ontario Drug Benefit program for youth 24 years and younger. By simply showing the pharma- cist their prescription and health card or * Oe a Vale AO aie: 'OHIP + represents the government's commitment to building a stronger, healthier Ontario. By creating a system in which young people have immediate access to the medication they need, we are investing in the future health of Ontarians. This histor- ic investment in health care will have a major positive impact on the lives, well- being, and financial security of youth and families. | am pleased our government is also expanding access to quality, affordable child care, including new spaces right here in Halton, and expanding the Ontario Student Assistance Program with free tuition for students who qualify. We're investing in our young people, and building a strong future for all of us. For more information, please visit ontario.ca/ohipplus nity that we're developing." Both Krantz and Mann say that local residents should expect to start see- ing more - high-density housing, with 10 intensifi- cation projects on. the books at the moment. "We have to get our heads around the fact it's going to be more dense in Milton, in Halton and in the Greater Toronto Area," said Krantz. "A lot of peo- ple resist, but you have to buy into that notion." Mann said the Town has been sensitive to educating the current community on the topic, noting that the municipality views inten- sification as a "real oppor- tunity." Higher density develop- ment will be situated around the Milton GO sta- tion, Milton Education Vil- lage (MEV) and Sustain- able Halton lands in south- east Milton. As part of the latter, the Town is advocat- ing for a GO station at Der- ry and Trafalgar, which would also create opportu- nities for transit-oriented, higher density housing de- velopment. "I'm really excited about 'what we could develop at Derry and Trafalgar," re- marked Mann. "We see that as amajor priority in terms of what we're trying to ac- complish." Near the current Milton GO station, Mann said the «Town has conditionally sold its works yard for a Service Solutions * Companionship MILTON Town of Milton logo high-density, mixed-use development and has also had discussions with Mil- ton Mall about redevelop- "It won't happen over- night, but the sooner we can get qut of our cars and start using public transit, the better," he said. Mann expressed his en- thusiasm for some of Met- rolinx's initial ideas for the redevelopment of the Mil- * ton GO lands, including a central = platform that High- density housing way of the future for Milton: Mayor and CAO. - would facilitate -two- -way, . all-day service and the cre- ation of a pedestrian tun- nel. In the meantime, sever- al roads projects are an the way to help alleviate the number one challenge the municipality continues to address - gridlock. "People have to appreci- ate that the major road sys- tem (in Milton) is a Region of Halton responsibility, but we are working very' ment opportunities. © heavily with the Region," Rounding out the area is said Mann. the Region's The wid- plans to re- "The jndication - ening of Bri- develop the tannia Road Allendale Wwe get fromthe and exten property . _ » sion of Tre- withamixof 71a] ority of maine Road jhigh-density residents is they northwards 'housing, re- . from Steeles "tail ana really appreciate Avenue are green space. : : among the Sen the community AO Ht more people that we're regional may equal : yw roads pro- more cars, developing. jects, with a Krantz said a Hwy. 401 in- the secret to ~ Town of Milton terchange at \ Milton's CAO Bill Mann Tremaine long-term being pro- success will be the use of posed for = 2020, noted public transit. Mann. While it's one thing to expand roads, Krantz ar- gued that the solution to gridlock lies in the creation of new provincial high- ways, namely the previous- ly proposed GTA West and GTA Niagara corridors. "In my opinion, the ® See ONGOING, page 11 905-749-9466 330 Bronte) St. S., Suite 111 Milton, Ontario LST 7X1 info@home2stayseniorcare.ca ReICTe 2 www.home2stayseniorcare.ca