jan-2018

92 93 ing, this year; Caledonia has been completed, as well as Cayuga and Jarvis. So, all of those small communities have been re-faced,” he reports. “We’ve installed a program called the Community Partnership Program, which gives businesses the chance to reinvest in their buildings. For every dollar that they spend, we contribute 35 cents to help with the reinvigoration of facades, so that what they’re doing is in line, and consistent, with the type of investments that we’re putting into streetscaping or our downtowns.” Serving as Haldimand County’s mayor for the past eight years, Hewitt says that he is most proud of the way his administration has bal- anced the use of tax dollars in a way that brought economic opportunity to the community. “Our credit rating has gone up four times in the past seven years to double-A,” he states. “We currently sit with three times the reserves of the average municipality in Ontario. And so, while we are spending a considerable amount of money in the communities, we’re still very well managed and fi- nancially sound. A lot of municipalities across the province are not in the same financial condition to be able to invest in their infrastructure and put dollars back in their communities.We’ve been able to leverage our investments, manage our assets, and do it in such a way that our taxes are still lower than the average and our reserves are considerably higher. It gives us a very good out- look for the future.We’re prepared and ready for it HALDIMAND COUNTY, ONTARIO and Haldimand County is going to be a strong county for many years to come.” “It’s a great place to raise your kids, a great place to play, and it’s still affordable,” Hewitt says in sum- mation. “Cities like Toronto are becoming less of an option for young, start-up families and less and less attractive for those who don’t want to live in that type of environment.We still have that country feel with so many options available to us.” PREFERRED VENDOR n Shelter Cove www.sheltercove.ca Shelter Cove is a unique Waterfront Community on the shores of Lake Erie in Selkirk, ON. This gated community, situated adjacent to Selkirk Provincial Park assures your privacy and security with controlled access, and stunning on-site amenities. These include a 5,000-sq. ft. clubhouse currently under construction, 100-slip marina, swimming pool, walking trails and so much more. Best of all, Shelter Cove’s homes are exceptionally affordable while also providing low monthly main- tenance fees for grass cutting, snow removal and property upkeep. All this to ensure you can enjoy your leisure time as you wish. It’s a smart way to live the lifestyle many others only dream about.