Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce
Mayoral Luncheon Speech, May 24, 2023
Mayor
Good afternoon and thank you all for making the time to be here today. Many thanks to the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce board and staff for bringing this annual event together – it’s always the place to be to meet the leaders of our business community.
The City of Kawartha Lakes respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Mississauga lands and the traditional territory covered by the Williams Treaties. We are grateful for the opportunity to work here and we thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land - for thousands of years. We recognize and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We also recognize the contributions of Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples, both in shaping and strengthening this community and country as a whole. This recognition is connected to our collective commitment to make the promise and the challenge of Truth and Reconciliation real in our community.
As your Mayor, I’m happy to be sharing remarks today. And I’m also going to take a few questions at the end, so thanks to those who submitted questions through Alyssa Adams.
I’d like to thank a number of Councillors for being here today [note the ones present] and we also have some of our staff here from across a number of departments including our CAO, economic development, communications and development services…among others. It’s great to have your support here today.
They say there’s only two certainties in life: death and taxes. As your Mayor, maybe I can help with the taxes, but the other one – you’re on your own!
about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
We have built a solid foundation for our community We are intent on growing responsibly We should be proud of our shared successes
First, and I can say this from the perspective of a 25 year resident, and a Councillor for the last 16 years: we have built a solid foundation for our community
Over the years, Kawartha Lakes Council has made good decisions, often hard decisions, to ensure that the municipality has the financial and other resources it needs to deliver for its taxpayers, with no surprises.
You may recall in 2016 that the tax rate increased by 8 percent. That was a very hard decision, and a hard year for residents. That was the year of ‘closing the gap’ between the funds we had and what we needed to look after all of our land and buildings. That increase was a ‘catch up’ so that future years could have lower, stable increases that were affordable.
We’re seeing other cities now coming to terms with similar gaps. I’m glad that’s behind us. Since 2016, we’ve created and stuck to our Long-Term Financial Plan. This has meant modest increases of 3 percent or less.
More recently, the decisions made through the Pandemic have left us in a good position. We wisely leveraged the pandemic grants provided to us by the Province, and we invested our last couple years of surplus funds into reserves helping our economy recover.
For example, many community organizations such as the United Way, John Howard Society, Community Care, Big Brothers and Sisters, and more, have accessed the municipal pandemic recovery fund, and we’re starting to see a return to normal operations. The effects of the pandemic will echo for some time to come, but the worst is over.
Today, we’re in the fortunate position to use a portion of our 2022 Surplus to build resiliency among community groups and help temper the rising costs of inflation. Council has set aside a one – time fund of $200,000 for community groups spanning tourism, arts and culture. These organizations, many who are with us today, form the fabric of our local economy and I’m pleased we can give them a hand up with this application-based program. Beyond this year, we’ll be setting up a different, long-term funding program.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
What’s more, we were able to give back to other organizations in our operating budget, such as the Kawartha Lakes Art Gallery and the Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives. These and other associations provide enrichment to all ages in our community.
And last but not least, the Chambers of Commerce received an ongoing commitment to their summer ambassador program. This allows fresh young faces to welcome visitors to our communities and encourage local spending.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
Another part of the budget I’m pleased about is that we were able to support the Ross Memorial Hospital with $1million dollars for their capital needs, helping to keep equipment current to serve our community.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
The Capital Budget, totalling $57.7 million, will help us catch up on many projects that were deferred during the pandemic.
One of those projects is downtown Lindsay - We’re putting the finishing touches on it–such as landscaping, asphalt touch-ups and brickwork. I’m sure you’ll all be glad to see the construction crews leave town by July first!
I want to thank each of you who has lived through the construction, and kept your doors open, for your ongoing patience and support of these costly, and necessary, projects.
Omemee still has a ways to go, but by the fall, the majority of improvements to Highway 7 will be finished and it will look great.
Beyond those projects, we’re investing into all corners of Kawartha Lakes - for local parks, arenas and community centres, including a major renovation to the Coboconk Wharf.
Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
As always, we’re investing heavily into our roads with almost $27 million going to roads capital projects. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated 1.5% infrastructure levy that every property owner sees on their tax bill. This came about from my time as Deputy Mayor and I did the Roads 101 tour. I consistently heard from residents that what was needed was better roads. We’ve committed to chipping away at that each year. Although we only have 7 households to support each km of road, we now have the funds required, and the roads are getting addressed year over year.
One last note on the budget – regarding debt. In 2016, we took on a $25 million debenture in order to be able to do the bigger ticket items such as the downtown reconstruction projects, Logie Park and Bobcaygeon Beach park. That debt has been paid down each year, and will be paid off completely in 2026. In short, we’re in solid financial shape.
I’m really impressed with the way our new Council dug into the complexities of the budget and worked together to pass what I consider a lean budget. We’re learning together and we’re committed to investing your valued tax dollars wisely.
OK moving on from budget numbers: it’s no secret that Kawartha Lakes is growing. We’ve planned and invested over the last 15 years for this type of growth and expansion – and it’s here. We’re committed to responsible growth.
We know that changes can be hard– and not everyone wants our municipality to become more populated. But this is the way of the world in 2023. Growth is everywhere. There is desperate need for new places for people to live.
And not just any place. Good places that welcome newcomers. Good places that help families and businesses prosper. Good places like Kawartha Lakes that create communities to ensure generations to come call this place home. However, we do have some challenges ahead of us to deal with.
The province has committed to building 1.5 million homes by 2031 – that’s only 8 years away. To achieve this, they are substantially changing the rules of the game.
Within the last several months, there have been major changes tabled and those changes have us concerned on a few fronts – protecting affordable housing targets, protecting the environment, avoiding sprawl, and our ability to charge developers the necessary fees to be able to service the new development, to name a few.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
We were planning for 21,000 new housing units city-wide by 2051. With this being almost 30 years away, we had all necessary plans in place to service the new units and to provide service to new residents.
Under the new policies put out by the Province in recent months, the timelines of the growth have been moved up. Now we’re looking at reaching that much of that growth within the next 10-15 years.
What you’re looking at in this first chart on the left is the number of new units under way, many of them due to MZOs. These new units will double the population of Lindsay within the next 10 years.
We are facing an unprecedented challenge with this speed of growth. We are doing everything that we can to make our concerns known to the province and to work together to find a balance that allows municipalities like ours the tools we need to grow responsibly.
Our staff are putting the necessary plans in place to prepare for the influx of new people. We are planning for the water, sewer, roads, emergency services and recreational needs of the community. We are doing all we can to draw the line at the right number of new homes, and balance it with the right number of new jobs.
As you can see in this chart here – the growth across the municipality is largely in Lindsay. We are working to develop smaller urban centres like Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls and Omemee, however, the lion’s share of new housing will be in Lindsay. It seems not that long ago that we build the Northwest Truck to support all of this growth, and now it’s a reality.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
In the meantime, many new people are already here! The last census numbers in 2021 show that over the last 5 years, we are seeing that balanced community we’ve been working hard to build, and we’re seeing more and more younger people jumping in. One of the fasting growing demographics is ages 25-39. These are the people who’ve gotten their education, a career started, and are bringing their families here to live and grow up.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
3. We should be proud of our shared successes
I want to finish with celebrating some of the outstanding success stories taking place across Kawartha Lakes. These stories are possible because of strong partnerships, trust and respect. They’re what make living here meaningful and they’re what convinces others to Jump In to our lifestyle.
I think one of the most exciting new developments is in downtown Lindsay. Launch Kawartha –has opened it’s doors to the Innovation Cluster and they have a fresh and welcoming space in the Scotiabank Plaza.
One success story there is Netmechanics – owned by Graeme Barrie, an entrepreneur who started a cyber security firm. Graham moved to the area from Bruce County, and first came to our Small Business Centre. After getting to know our Economic Development staff, he went through their Starter Company program to learn how to further expand his business Graeme then became an Innovation Cluster client - and is continuing to grow under the mentorship of that team. Graham and his business contribute to our economy and the cyber security of many other businesses in the broader area.
It’s partnerships like this that make our business community welcoming and attractive to new entrepreneurs.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
Another brilliant partnership has been fostered through the Community Concierge program It’s brought 36 employers in Kawartha Lakes, such as Kawartha Dairy, together with work-learning placements to allow Trent University Grads to transition to working in Kawartha Lakes. We’ve always said we need to keep the best and brightest right here at home, and we are doing that.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
As we reflect on the partnerships that make our community strong, let’s salute the pioneering spirit that you see in those who were recently inducted into the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame. These exceptional business leaders strengthen the Kawartha Lakes through their vision, leadership and commitment to excellence.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
And then there’s the Agricultural Awards. While our business mix grows and expands, agriculture remains our number one economic sector, bringing in $170 Million annually, and representing over twelve hundred jobs on over a thousand farms. Congratulations to the 2023 Farm Family Award Winner: The Thurston Family. This multigenerational family has deep roots in Kawartha Lakes; they first arrived in the Dunsford area in 1835; today they are active members of the ag community and widely involved in sports, church and community.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
And I’d also like to congratulate Mariposa Dairy for receiving the Excellence in Agriculture Award. For this cheese processing business – it’s been all about partnerships and innovation. The VandenBergs started Mariposa Dairy in 2005, and they, together with nearly 200 staff, have built it into an environmentally responsible, leading edge organization. And, it happens to be the second largest goat cheese manufacturer in North America!
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
We know how special our community is. We’re about to expand the message even further: Next October, the International Plowing Match is coming to Lindsay, and is expected to draw 80,000 visitors I don’t have to tell you, it will be an economic boost along with elevating the Kawartha Lakes brand.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
Now there are many more people who are doing incredible things – and not everyone wins an award or gets their photo in the paper. I want to take a minute to thank the Chamber of Commerce Board, the Lindsay BIA and all of our community volunteers.
Did you know - we have been recognized as one of the best places to live and to purchase a home? Moneysense readers chose Kawartha Lakes as the number 2 place to buy a home in Canada, second only to Toronto! You are a part of that ranking, and we thank you.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
And I thank you for allowing me to share with you the three statements I hold close, and that I believe will see our community through the tough stuff:
We have built a solid foundation for our community
We are intent on growing responsibly
We should be proud of our shared successes
Thank you, to each one of you, for being a part of our collective success, and for being a valued partner in our Kawartha Lakes community - this welcoming, resilient and beautiful place we call home.
3 Certainties about Kawartha Lakes, Mayor Doug Elmslie, May 24, 2023
