Munro stresses growth planning
By Chris Simon

York-Simcoe MPP Julia Munro talks to constituents during a New Year's levy at the Churchill Community Centre Sunday. Munro stressed growth planning as the largest challenge facing the area over the next year.

Growth management is the single biggest issue Innisfil will face over the next year, says York-Simcoe Progressive Conservative MPP Julia Munro.

From health care and agriculture to development and attracting new business, Innisfil-area politicians will have plenty of growth-related concerns to address in 2008. The town is expected to grow by thousands of people over the next few decades, and the foundations for handling that population surge will need to be laid soon, said MPP Julia Munro.

Munro made the statement during a new year's levee at the Churchill Community Centre Sunday afternoon.

"It's finding that balance between growth and the preservation and conservation," she said. "If people look at other jurisdictions and new technologies, there are ways to take what at first appear opposites and find some common ground.

"People years ago didn't take into full account what it means to have that spike in population. Now we know it's a little more than water and sewers; it's police, fire, recreation and gridlock."

However, public consultation will be an important factor in growth guidelines, said Munro.

"There's an irony here in this balancing act," she said. "What attracts people is what (this area) looks like now. You don't want to change why you wanted to come. There has to be a lot of public discussion. These are complex issues and you don't want to have people polarized. You want to have consensus. You'll only have that if they understand."

About 30 people attended the event, to discuss provincial government issues and local concerns. Levees play an important role in spreading democracy, and understanding the concerns of constituents, said Munro.

"It's very important to have that access. People need to know we're not just somebody who shows up every four years and wants a sign on the lawn," she said. "People have spoken to me about coming to particular meetings."

"It's very important to make those kinds of connections."

Residents also gain a better understanding of an MPP's job, said Munro.

"Generally, people don't understand what I do as an MPP," she said. "For me, it's important to demonstrate that and make those connections in the greater community, like the hospital and (Local Health Integration Network). That's the only way I can be informed on their behalf and at the same time raise questions (on) issues that are important in the community."

Munro was elected to represent York-Simcoe in last year's provincial election. Although she is a member of the official opposition, Munro says she can still be an effective MPP.

"No one has an exclusive hold on the right answers," she said. "It's very much the role of the opposition to be looking at the issues from a different angle. I'm much more interested in getting to the right end result. I've voted for bills that are moving in the right direction, that's more important than it is to be there to obstruct. You have to be there to wave the flag to say "Don't forget, don't overlook.""