Civil and Municipal - Jan 2024

Day celebrations.“The list goes on, but we really turn it out with an event portfolio of around 24 events annually, and then supporting third party events of about 10 or so,” Foran portrays. “It’s very robust, and we have a very busy team delivering these things for our residents and those visitors coming in from outside of town.” FUTURE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Looking to the future, Mayor Leduc once again points to the impending growth in Bradford West Gwillimbury, stressing the need to expand the town’s water treatment and water sources efficiently to meet growing demands. He suggests that although dealing with governmental checks and balances adds complexity, the goal is to streamline processes and minimize delays that could impact taxpayers. “Delays cost everybody money, and we’re hoping to be able to reduce some of those and create opportunities to make the growth work for everyone. At the same time, we need to respect the taxpayer’s dollars. That’s the key here, is to deliver on all of this without impacting the taxpayer, where they can’t afford the growth.” With this in mind, Foran discusses the challenge of managing service levels amidst rapid growth while also striving to offer top-notch services. Loukes envisions growth opportunities along Hwy 400, highlighting the potential to transform Bradford West Gwillimbury into an exemplary hometown, reducing reliance on commuting to Toronto and neighboring areas. McKnight broadens the perspective, highlighting the town’s aspiration to be a complete community where residents can live, work, and enjoy life without the necessity to commute elsewhere. 31 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 01 BRADFORD WEST GWI LL IMBURY, ON