For Immediate Release
February 26, 2013

NORTH HURON OFFICIALS MEET WITH PROVINCIAL MINISTERS

North Huron Reeve Neil Vincent, Councillor Brock Vodden, and CAO/Clerk Gary Long met  with several provincial Ministers at this week’s Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA)/Goodroads Convention in Toronto.   Fire Department of North Huron (FDNH) Deputy Chief David Sparling and ESTC Program Coordinator Stephanie Currie also attended one of the meetings.   Meetings were held with the following Ministers:

The Honourable Linda Jeffery, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
The Honourable Jeff Leal, Minister of Rural Affairs
The Honourable Eric Hoskins, Minister of Economic Development, Trade, and Employment
The Honourable Madeline Meilleur, Minister of Community Safety

North Huron officials discussed the following issues:

• The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) needs to be more flexible to support residential, commercial, and industrial development projects in rural communities;
• Make Huron Home: An Immigration Strategy of Huron County recognizes the potential role that increased immigration could play in economic development;
• Small municipalities need continued infrastructure funding;
• Program support and funding for community economic development initiatives;
• North Huron’s recently completed Strategic Plan and opportunities to partner with the province to achieve our goals and priorities; 
• A “rural lens”  for provincial policy and program development
• Having the Emergency Services Training Centre (ESTC) in Blyth become a Regional Training Centre for Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) courses as well as deliver a provincially recognized Emergency Vehicle Operator Program

“Our meetings went very well.  It’s an opportunity for us to profile our municipality, discuss current issues and priorities, identify possible partnership opportunities, and build relationships with key decision makers at Queen’s Park, “ said Reeve Neil Vincent.  

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For more information, contact:
Gary Long, CAO/Clerk
519-531-0308 cell
glong@northhuron.ca