PARRY SOUND - When McKellar Reeve Peter Hopkins put together his campaign for the municipal election he stressed collaboration, not amalgamation.
Like other council heads in West Parry Sound, Hopkins said he is happy about the progress made through the regular mayor’s meetings, and wants to continue to work with the other six municipalities in this informal manner.
Member of Provincial Parliament (MMP) Norm Miller said while amalgamation won’t come up in his campaign for the upcoming fall election, it is a topic he is willing to discuss with those wanting to explore the potential of forming larger municipalities. Right now, many West Parry Sound reeves and mayors say they aren’t interested.
“The place where it makes the most sense, is where there are willing partners,” said Miller, who noted councils in smaller municipalities spend a lot of time protecting their own turf, arguing over who will pay for what, instead of looking out for the greater good.
“It can make sense in some areas to have a larger, single-tier municipality with a more regional outlook,” he said. Recently, council heads in Burk’s Falls, Armour and Ryerson have approached Miller, considering amalgamating into one municipality.
“It’s best if it’s a homegrown type of thing,” he said.
Hopkins, however, points out the great strides the seven councils in West Parry Sound have made, including looking at co-sharing the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities Conference in 2013.
“Four or five municipalities have already passed a resolution,” he said. “We want to make sure we are the gateway to the north. This is the first good thing that all seven municipalities have agreed on.”
Hopkins said newly elected area mayors and reeves are still getting to know one another, and the progress made has been positive.
Parry Sound Mayor Jamie McGarvey agrees that the mayor’s meetings are a step in the right direction.
“I have to look at the progress we have achieved so far,” he said. “We certainly discuss areas where we can work together.”
McGarvey pointed out the Regional Economic Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) has also provided opportunities for partnerships.
According to McGarvey, regional cooperation is a priority for the Town. McGarvey pointed out the work the Town has done with Seguin on the development of the airport, and a newly ratified agreement by Carling and McDougall councils for the Industrial Park.
“We are quite willing to work with area municipalities,” he said.
Wilf Sabourin, who served as the Mayor of the Town of Parry Sound from 1997-2000, brought up the idea of amalgamation years ago, to no avail.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been tarred and feathered in my life,” he told the North Star last August. “It’s easy when you have one council to deal with, there’s more money to work with, it does good in all other areas. People talk about it all the time, but when it comes down to the brass tacks, nobody really wants it.”
McDougall Mayor Dale Robinson said McDougall’s council has been approached about amalgamation several times. Robinson recalled a study completed during Sabourin’s term as mayor that determined McDougall taxes would rise and Parry Sound taxes would drop should they choose to join forces.
“There would have been no change in services,” said Robinson, noting he wanted to see more of a level playing field to consider amalgamating. “At that point we said no thanks. It wouldn’t make any sense to move forward.”
Miller suggests many smaller municipalities might fear losing their identity in the event of amalgamation.
He said the community of Vankoughnet, near Bracebridge, where he lives, still has a village square and community events, despite Muskoka amalgamating into six large municipalities in 1970.
“I don’t think (the identity of a community) changes,” he said. “It’s natural that people want to keep things the way they were or have been.”