May 30, 2007
MPP DUNLOP
– STATEMENT TO ESTIMATES COMMITTEE TO THE
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL RE:
THE H.R.C. LANDS
(Queen’s Park) – MPP Dunlop made a
statement to the Minister of Public Infrastructure
Renewal, the Hon. David Caplan regarding the status
of the HRC lands.
A copy of Mr. Dunlop’s statement is enclosed.
Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North):
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to put on record
a statement similar to what the member from Huron-Bruce
did just yesterday.
There are 2 areas I would like to comment on,
both effecting my riding and the citizens of Simcoe
County.
Those areas of concerns are:
1. The closure of the Huronia Regional Centre
in Orillia and the future use of those lands and
if the time permits
2. The need for substantial infrastructure investment
as a result of the Greenbelt legislation in Simcoe
County.
Mr. Chair – Minister Pupatello made a bad
decision on September 9, 2004, when she decided
to announce a closure date of March 2009 for the
3 remaining regional centres in our province –
that decision will ultimately remove 700 well
paying jobs and a 30 million dollar payroll from
the City of Orillia and area.
As well the only remaining safety-net for some
of the most vulnerable people in our society is
being removed in a mean spirited and cruel manner.
Staff at the regional centres, are sworn to complete
secrecy and family members have been treated with
disrespect because they want what was promised
– group home facilities that are equal to
or better with equal to or better services than
those available at the regional centres.
Those facilities simply do not exist in Ontario
and nothing is planned for at this time –
but the question in Simcoe North is – how
is the government of Ontario about to compensate
the City of Orillia for the negative impact of
the closure.
The answer lies in the future use of the lands
that the HRC sits on – they are zoned as
institutional.
Mr. Chair, a number of Ministers in the McGuinty
Government have dodged this for the past 3 years.
Minster Bentley won’t event make a comment
as he said in estimates last spring – it’s
not his problem. Minister Meilleur as the lead
Minister has said she will come up with a plan
as she said in Estimates last year – no
plan.
Now, we are told it is in the hands of the Minister
of Public Infrastructure Renewal and the Ontario
Realty Corporation
Let me give the Minister some thoughts of my
own – Lakehead University – has a
satellite campus in Orillia – very successful
- they need a permanent site – part of the
HRC lands would be perfect - a perfect setting
for this exciting new adventure.
Georgian College - would like to expand their
Orillia Campus, across the road, sits the HRC
lands – perfect for expansion. Georgian
has little room for expanded programs in their
Barrie campus.
The OPP General Headquarters sits across the
road – I have dreamed of a Centre of Excellence
for policing in Canada – complete with Marine
Unit Training and a satellite campus of the Ontario
Police College - the HRC lands would be perfect
for this as well.
A Centre for Excellence for the Training and
Education of those working with severely mentally
and physically challenged individual this could
be housed in 13 acres that house the remaining
300 individuals who make HRC their homes.
How about an Environment Education Centre as
proposed by the Twin Lakes Conservation club at
the Coral Cove Camp – also a part of the
300 plus acres that make up the HRC lands.
As I said these lands are institutional –
there is plenty of room on the lands for all of
the organizations that I have mentioned - it is
time for the McGuinty Government to compensate
the Orillia and Area – we don’t need
waterfront condos - We need jobs – permanent
jobs, like the ones you are removing with the
closure of HRC.
As the MPP for Simcoe North, I ask the Minister
and the Premier to do what is right - give fair
compensation to the City of Orillia and are by
arranging the sale or purchase, (or long term
lease) of these lands at little or no cost to
these agencies. The City of Orillia and area deserve
no less!
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For further information contact:
Garfield Dunlop, MPP
705-327-4500 (cell)
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