Back to SearchMayor Marianne Meed Ward announced plans to launch and lead a Red Tape Red Carpet task force at this morning’s State of the City address at the Burlington Convention Centre.
In front of a sell-out crowd, the Mayor spoke about her plan to help eliminate the red tape and bureaucratic delays that Burlington businesses have faced in their pursuit of growth throughout the city.
The Task Force will begin with a broad meeting that is open to the public to raise specific issues and concerns on topics ranging from permits, approvals, and other obstacles. A smaller task force of stakeholders will then be identified to come up with actionable recommendations that will be brought to council and shared with the Province by summer. Dates and details will be announced shortly, and the Mayor suggested that anyone interested in participating at the task force level can reach out to her via email at mayor@burlington.ca.
Co-chairing the task force with Mayor Meed Ward will be Kelvin Galbraith, Ward 1 councillor.
Quote from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward:
“I’ve heard your concerns and I’m taking them seriously. As mayor, I consider it my job to make it easy to do business in Burlington, and to be the chief advocate of attracting new business and expanding current businesses throughout our city. To help create a place where people can live, work, and thrive. What better timing to look at ways to improve our processes and drive efficiency than while a regional review is already underway by the Province. I’m delighted to have Kelvin Galbraith as my co-chair, with his wealth of experience as both a business owner and as chair of the Aldershot Village BIA.”
Quote from Councillor Kelvin Galbraith:
“This task force is a great step towards addressing the obstacles business owners see when they look to expand or start a new business here in Burlington. We have the space, infrastructure, and talented work force to support them, we just need to fast-track the approvals and processes that limit and frustrate them. I know from first-hand experience that we can identify the low-hanging fruit and come up with some actionable solutions that will make a real difference. We want to let business owners know that Burlington is open for business!”
The State of the City address also touched on Mayor Meed Ward’s plans for the coming term and introduced the team of councillors she’ll be working with to make it all happen. Issues ranging from overdevelopment and the Official Plan review, to traffic and transit, protecting greenspace, and restoring civility and respect at City Hall were just some of the priorities she covered in her speech.
Video of the speech, along with accompanying transcript, will be available later today on the Mayor’s blog at mariannemeedward.ca.
-30-
Media contact:
Victoria Al-Samadi | Mayor’s Chief of Communications & Strategic Advisor
Office of the Mayor Marianne Meed Ward | City of Burlington
426 Brant Street, PO Box 5013, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Z6
Tel: 905-335-7607
Cell: 647-708-7827
Email: victoria.alsamadi@burlington.ca
Subscribe