On April 26, I delivered my first State of the city address as mayor of Greater Sudbury. It was an occasion to reflect on what council has accomplished in the first five months of our term.
It was also a chance for me to share my optimism and positive outlook for the City – why I truly believe our community is the best place to live, work, and play.
Greater Sudbury is facing new and unprecedented opportunities to grow our businesses and attract new investment. We have the land, the talent and the resources to be a sustainable and responsible leader in the critical minerals sector. We are a hub for education, health care, hospitality, small business, arts, and recreation within Northern Ontario.
We have a high quality of life and a low unemployment rate. In short: we have great potential across all sectors in our city.
Seizing these opportunities is dependent on our ability to attract and retain people in our community. It is my goal to increase our population to 200,000 by 2050, to fill existing and expected job vacancies and to expand our tax base.
I am actively advocating for the federal government’s Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (a program which addresses local labour force shortages while encouraging immigration and population growth) to become a permanent program. The city’s “Hit Refresh” campaign highlights the great opportunities and amenities in our city. In the coming months, we will announce more plans to support employers looking for skilled workers.
We are expecting large development projects across the city throughout 2023 – and beyond. Council remains committed to encouraging investment in our local economy and making sure that projects that are good for our community stay here.
To support sustainable growth, I will be introducing a motion to create a special committee of council. This committee will ensure that our development services demonstrate best-in-class policies and processes to support the anticipated demand for residential and non-residential development over the next two decades.
Greater Sudbury’s robust mining services and supply sector is also poised for growth. I have met with firms based in our city who are at the forefront of underground battery electric vehicle design and manufacturing. I wanted to hear firsthand about their plans for expansion and to know how Sudbury figured in their future.
I came out of these meetings feeling very optimistic; I remain committed to working with these stakeholders to keep and create skilled mining and manufacturing jobs here in our community.
One way to encourage investment is through the city’s Employment Land Strategy, which aims to increase the supply of serviced industrial lands. Council has also approved a financial incentive to accompany the strategy; the new Employment Lands Community Improvement Plan (CIP) will support investment attraction and expansion in targeted industries like clean technology, life sciences, and film and television.
Our Housing Supply Strategy will develop a path to encourage a robust supply of residential types to accommodate the evolving needs and life stages of families, groups and individuals. Based on the projections of anticipated growth, it is reasonable to conclude that the market will build between 2,000 to 2,500 new units in the next five years. My thoughts are always focused on how we can do more: let’s aim for 3,000 to 3,500.
While we need to service industrial lands and ensure we have the necessary housing supply, we must also foster a welcoming city. In my opinion, a welcoming city has a healthy, vibrant downtown, where businesses want to set up shop and residents want to stop and stay awhile. When it comes to the opioid crisis that is affecting communities all across the country, we continue to work with the province to fund harm reduction services and other supportive wrap around services.
Throughout my first five months as mayor, I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many residents at community events; I have participated in winter carnivals and pancake breakfasts, fundraising galas and sporting tournaments. I am pleased to report that we have already held four successful ward town halls in four months, with more to come.
I will continue to promote the city and all our unique lifestyle amenities – from our 330 lakes, network of trails and greenspaces, and award-winning attractions like Science North and Dynamic Earth – so that everyone knows that Greater Sudbury is the best place in which to invest and set down roots.
Together, we will continue to make good things happen here in Greater Sudbury.
Paul Lefebvre is the mayor of Greater Sudbury.
