As 2018 draws to an end, Chatham-Kent's recently elected mayor and the province's recently appointed Minister of Infrastructure, are ready to work towards goals in the new year.
Mayor Darrin Canniff was elected as Chatham-Kent's mayor during the fall municipal election. Although an important event within the community, Canniff said a few others stand out, in terms of promoting Chatham-Kent.
"To me, one of the big things [from 2018] are all of the big events that came to Chatham-Kent this year; the International Plowing Match, Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling, and most recently Hometown Hockey," he said. "Those were some fantastic events that put us out there and in many cases on a national stage."
Heading into 2019, Canniff said there are many goals he would like to see accomplished, some of which mirror what was said during his mayoral campaign.
"We need more affordable housing in Chatham-Kent, we need to attract more individuals to our community -- of all ages because there is a workforce that's certainly looking for a number of skilled workers," said Canniff. "We're also looking to increase our economic development efforts and bring more high-quality jobs."
Canniff also mentioned that some of the goals will have to be worked on continuously, not just over a three month period. The mayor also wants to get more people out in the community and eliminate a complaint of, "There's nothing to do in Chatham-Kent".
"In 2019, we really need to make a concerted effort to get people engaged in the community, whether they want to volunteer or just get out to events," he said. "We're learning about what various organizations are doing and how we can help as a municipality to get people engaged."
Cascades Casino is expected to open its doors in 2019, which Canniff calls a major opportunity in retaining and attracting residents.
"We're looking for those types of things," he said. "We want more entertainment, we want more events in Chatham-Kent.
I'm very optimistic about Chatham-Kent's future over the next four years."
This past year also proved to be a momentous one for MPP Monte McNaughton who was reelected into a PC majority government and appointed Minister of Infrastructure.
"It has been an amazing adventure. I owe so much to my amazing family and constituents for all of their support," said McNaughton in an emailed statement to BlackburnNews.com.
In 2019, McNaughton said he is most looking forward to seeing the results of policies passed in 2018.
"I’m looking forward to seeing cheaper prices at the gas pump, a new plan for broadband access, less red tape for businesses to contend with and a better investment environment for the province. This will put more money back in the pockets of the people of Ontario," said McNaughton. "We’re making life easier for families while also creating conditions for businesses to create more good jobs here in our province."
