BURLINGTON, HALTON HILLS, MILTON AND OAKVILLE FORM HALTON MAYORS RECOVERY COORDINATION GROUP

HALTON HILLS, ON – The mayors of Halton's four municipalities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville have joined together to form the Halton Mayors Recovery Coordination Group. Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette, Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton will coordinate and work together to prepare for a successful transition to a post-COVID19 emergency, reopening and recovery, and living with the changes it has brought. As the response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, all four communities are maintaining the delivery of critical and essential services while also planning for recovery. While this does not mean that emergency measures put in place by the province, the Region or individual cities and towns to slow the spread of COVID-19 are expected to be lifted in the near-term, it is prudent to begin to look ahead so that our plans can be ready to execute when the time comes. The final phases of the pandemic response include the potential reopening of municipal facilities and the implementation of recovery efforts over the balance of the year. The dates of when recovery might begin are contingent on the continued slowing of the spread of the virus and the province lifting its emergency orders and restrictions, including those related to businesses and physical distancing. "From the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, we have stayed in contact as we collectively responded to the situation at hand, so it makes sense that we remain aligned as we plan for the post-COVID 19 recovery phase in our communities,” said Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “Some residents in Milton work in the other Halton municipalities and vice-versa; so one of our immediate challenges will be restarting our economies in a safe manner that protects public health across all four municipalities,” said Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz. “We all have diverse expertise and experience that will inform this group’s collective action. There is also a lot of talent and know-how in each of our municipalities that we as mayors can draw upon during the recovery phase,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “I look forward to working with my fellow Mayoral colleagues. Whether it is on the CN Hub issue or the amalgamation question, we have found that we are stronger when we work together as a team,” said Mayor Rob Burton. All four Mayors have made the commitment to keep each other apprised of decisions being considered in each respective municipality, share best practices, and coordinate when it comes to the recovery planning. They will also ensure a continued close linkage with Halton Region, with the chair Gary Carr as an invited guest to our group when his schedule permits. City of Burlington: John.Bkila@burlington.ca Town of Halton Hills: mayor@haltonhills.ca Town of Milton: mayor@milton.ca Town of Oakville: Christine.Davis@oakville.ca and mayor@oakville.ca About the Town of Halton Hills The Town of Halton Hills, with a population of approximately 60,000, consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, the Halton Hills Premier Gateway employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval – and several smaller settlements. Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. The Town is ranked as one of the top small communities in Canada by a national magazine. Visit haltonhills.ca