Q1: The Town of Caledon recently approved population projections to grow to       108,000 by 2031.  The recent growth strategy issued by the Provincial            Government puts 27,000 acres of south Caledon into the unprotected “White Belt” and available for future growth.  What is your plan for Caledon’s growth strategy? Do you envision Caledon of the future as a town or a city?

Regional Council Candidates:

Richard Paterak

"I envision Caledon remaining a town for at least the next fifty years.  Caledon has embarked on a slow gradual increase in its population, not necessarily by choice. The growth is mandated by the province to a certain extent, and tacitly encouraged by leaving the white belt unprotected in any real sense.  In the immediate future that growth will be in Mayfield West.  Later growth will occur in other areas of south Caledon and the approved growth in Caledon East will occur.  Because of the terms of the Greenbelt there will be no appreciable growth except the build-out of vacant severances in the country side, the Palgrave Estates, and infill in the small villages.  At the occasion of the 10 year reviews it is possible that the settlement areas of the villages within the Greenbelt may increase, but servicing restrictions (lack of capacity in our rivers to accept much more effluent) will keep such expansions to a minimum at the very least.  I would argue that such expansions should be reserved for specialized housing such as seniors housing.  This could be either public or private or both.

The trick for Caledon will be to build distinct communities on the Peel Plain that attract distinctive employment opportunities.  In time we will have a very asymmetrical  settlement pattern with a heavily populated south and a sparsely populated north.  The challenge for the councils of the future will be to imbue Caledon’s culture with an understanding that the north can complement the south and vice versa, and although both parts of Caledon will be quite different, both are valued parts of Caledon."

Jim Pattison

No reply.

Area Council Candidates:

Doug Beffort

"The voters who I have met at the doors during the campaign are united in their desire to retain the rural ambiance of Caledon in the current hamlets and villages of Ward 1. They appear to approve of the current Town plan to maintain the three areas of growth being Bolton, Caledon East and Mayfield West.

As a long term resident of this area, I concur. This means, however, that the answer to the last part of the question is both. Growth in the nodal areas will create a more city like atmosphere with the job of council to implement as many new ideas and technologies into these new ‘subdivisions’ as possible. We need to include traffic calming ideas, environmental technologies to allow ground water to seep back into the ground, for example and demands on the developers to provide new and unique designs to the building process. We need to actively seek ways to have people living and working in their communities. New ideas about building may create new ideas about how we view growth. We have to work at blending the creation of new growth in the designated areas with the rural ambiance that must be maintained in the villages and hamlets.

The Provincial Government must be pushed to clearly articulate the demands of the ‘white belt’. I am a strong supporter of maintaining as much of the original greenbelt lands as possible as a legacy for my grandchildren and their children. I understand that there may be some strong feelings by developers and land owners as to what they had anticipated was going to happen to their land in the future. I also understand that it’s not an easy position to say ‘NO’ to people when they have a vested interest in an emotional issue."

Tim Forester

"I too share the concern of the lost protected land and how this opens the door for potential development speculation. Caledon should make it clear that future development will be limited to the old Official Plan guidelines which include the White Belt. 2031 projections are as low as 88,444 with most of the growth being in Mayfield West. A fully developed Mayfield West is 114,000. With regards to Ward 1 Villages, the current settlement areas need to be maintained with development only on approved lands with community input as to size and character of homes to be built. We are a little premature in turning Caledon into a City. This discussion would occur once the population reaches 100,000."

John Martin

"As it stands Caledon has no growth strategy. The last council has just rubber stamped guidelines issued by the provincial government. My vision see's only moderate growth. I have great difficulty accepting even one third the 108000 figure. Without infrastructure improvements on a grand scale this too cannot happen. Caledon needs to remain a town. If the unprotected white belt is developed rural Caledon is outvoted. Then we will have less protection from accelerating development."