By Pepper Parr
April 16th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr stand up to speak he will tell you two things:
The Region is a great place to live and do business and it is the safest place to live as well.
Then he will get into what getting outdoors and enjoying the community you live and work in.
On those subjects Carr is unstoppable.
Here is how he does his song and dance – something he puts his heart and soul into.
“Business owners often tell me that Halton is a great place to invest thanks to its prime location, access to an educated workforce and a high quality of life that is second to none.
“Our annual Business Conditions Survey provides additional insight into how businesses are doing – their outlook for the year ahead, confidence in the local economy and plans for growth. This year’s Business Conditions Report presents the results from our 2018 survey, which confirms that employers and employees continue to benefit from a growing local economy. Here are some highlights:
• Four in five businesses surveyed in 2018 are optimistic about the future and expect economic conditions to remain stable or improve.
• Half of these businesses are anticipating increased profits over the next 12 months.
• Two in five businesses plan to hire additional employees in 2019.
• Three out of five businesses are investing in capital assets and in skills training to increase productivity.
A strong Regional economy is essential to everyone’s prosperity in Halton. Whether you plan to start up, relocate or expand an existing business, our dedicated Invest Halton team supports local businesses at any stage. Connect with our team and get the latest local economic data and expert advice that can help you do what so many other innovative companies are doing – investing in Halton.
This is pure Gary Carr – and he has the numbers to back up his words.
The Halton Region Economic Development office has administered an annual Business Conditions Survey of local, for-profit businesses across the region since 2013.
Nearly 300 Halton business owners responded to the 2018 Business Conditions Survey. The Municipalities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville are all represented as well as most major for-profit sectors including manufacturing, construction, professional and business services, science and technology, finance, insurance and real estate, wholesale, distribution & logistics and retail.
If data matters – and it does – the numbers are impressive. Things couldn’t look better – right?
But the province seems to be looking at dismantling the Regional level of government and merging the four municipalities into a single entity.
That is not good news.
This is nothing about the economy and good management of the taxpayer finances.
It is only about taking and consolidating the power to govern, and eliminating the number of voices making decisions locally, and who get to say anything about anything.
This guy is just a dictator dictating.
Look out for the lies behind the excuses if the power is taken away.
Editor’s note: It was actually a piece with a lot of data on where the economy in the Region was during 2018. We all get to interpret the news based on how we see the world.
Sorry to Pepper – it was exactly read like the non sequitur that he noted as editor and my mistake of commenting without being specific in what I meant.
I was targeting the Ford threat at the end of Pepper’s piece – “But the province seems to be looking at dismantling the Regional level of government and merging the four municipalities into a single entity.
That is not good news.”
This was the target of my comment, which I did not give enough thought to in identifying why I made it.
I fully agree with Pepper’s point as he put it – “If data matters – and it does – the numbers are impressive. Things couldn’t look better – right?”
This is what prompted my comment, and what it should be read as directed to.
Sorry again Pepper and your Editor’s note is fully justified.
Why is the Premier trying to change “A good community”? Regardless of what the residents want, Mr. Ford will do it “his way.” Look at the mess this PC government is doing to health care and education. Every time a PC government gets into power, they take the hatchet to education. Look what the Harris government did all because he couldn’t make it as a teacher. If you can read, write, speak, have a good career, etc. YOU SHOULD THANK A TEACHER not throw them under a bus. I am a Conservative member but ashamed of this group.