As the end of term of City Council approaches, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Council as a group for collaborating with us on the following:
-The 2007 Strategic Plan and annual progress update in the State of the City Address is very helpful for business. Regular meetings between the Chamber and the Mayor, CAO, and senior staff regarding strategic issues contribute to the community development, which is good for business.
-The 10 year economic development plan: Prosperity 2020 was a great team effort between staff, business, community members, and Council, and will be a good guiding document going forward. Taking the long view when short term problems were all around showed vision.
-The task force on Sustainability has opened a great discussion between the fiscal side of business, social service providers, and environmental stewardship
-The Community Energy Initiative is putting Guelph in the right headlines, and is good for business.
-Approving funding for the Physician Recruiter to be paid through the Guelph Chamber has put Guelph in an enviable spot with a patient shortage instead of a physician shortage. Wellness includes health care, and Guelph is in a great position for years to come.
-Sticking to the decision to go ahead with the Hanlon Creek Business Park, and the secondary plan showed leadership. Some decisions get more attention than others!
-Approving the transit strategy will be good for our industrial businesses and small businesses alike if done well, as well as helping with traffic problems as we move forward. Lots of details to look after from here, but the start of a good plan.
-Approving funding for the infrastructure proposals put Guelph at the front of the line for approvals from the Federal government. The roads may be a mess right now, but what is going on under them will serve us well for years to come.
-Taking capital out of the budget and controlling costs where possible showed fiscal responsibility. Now we need to fund capital projects in another way. The hard discussion is how to get private and public efforts coordinated.
Conversations at Council were sometimes frustrating with the details being discussed, and some decisions did not go in the direction business would like to see. But public service is a great calling, and Councilors are to be congratulated for stepping forward and for collaborating with the whole community. Chambers of Commerce naturally take a neutral stance on elections of any type, and the congratulations are to City Council as a group for the work completed this term. We hope the incoming Council continues to collaborate with the business community by working with the Guelph Chamber of Commerce. LL