Shocked by your latest Tax Assessment? Well, the majority of homeowners in Caledon can certainly empathize. Lacking any substantial industrial base, the present concept of Scandinavian levels of taxing regarding residential homeowners, is, by any normal standards, unsustainable.
There are discussions pending (before planning) about enlarging certain pockets that are located on viable transportation arteries such as the Sandhill pocket, that could easily meet much of the needed criteria associated with industrial lands. Hopefully, the council and the planning office are far-sighted enough to create lands that will attract value industries (high skilled manufacturing jobs). Trying to attract the future Husky, Intel, Microsoft, and Magna of the world should be their primary focus point.
Can we create an educational facility that would serve as a feeder to these industries? This is another good question, and the answer should be why not. The Town could easily lease nearby property for a nominal sum for 50 years to a post secondary institute that specializes in training graduates for a career in high-tech fields (i.e. Sheridan and computer graphics).
Can we better utilize the asset of the Caledon Airfield and attract associated industries (like Bombardier)? These types of questions remain to be answered. We, as citizens with burgeoning families, should be socially engaged to ask these questions and more. Tip O’Neil once said that all politics are local, well here is your chance to do something for your families and your community. Let council know what you are thinking!
Clearly, encouraging more large-scale transport centres does not fill a critical void within our community, and is hardly reflective of the type of community that Caledon really wants to become. Bill Davis was once quoted as saying a simple regret that he had was that other communities attracted more upscale jobs than Brampton. Now is the time to set our course in making Caledon a value-added community.
Please refer to Bill Rea’s article in the Caledon Citizen for further details about what is happening in Sandhill. Lest we forget, doff your caps. Hope everyone had a lovely Remembrance Day weekend!
*Update: Caledon residents weigh in!