GUEST SPEAKER: John Henry, Chair, Regional Municipality of Durham
Note: Regional Chair John Henry is the first of our civic speakers for the 2020-21 Rotary year. The civic speakers (Regional Chair, MP, MPP. Mayor, Police and Fire Chiefs) provide valuable insights into the wants and needs of our community and help our Rotary Club to plan a better path to helping our community , as a result.
Past President David Andrews introduced Regional Chair John Henry, highlighting John as a fellow Rotarian; noting his dedication to the people of Durham Region and his ongoing support and of Rotary in local projects such as the Rotary Ribfest, the Rotary Centennial Bridge and The Rotary Gazebo in the Oshawa Botanical Gardens, World Polio Day, our Reverse Draw, Kids Against Hunger, the recent Rotary Bottle Drive, and his enthusiasm to speak to our Rotary Club whenever asked. He is a great supporter of our Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood.
John spoke with his usual enthusiasm for Rotary and the successes of Durham Region. I am able to highlight only some these. As always, his knowledge of the history of the area is amazing!
As for the Rotary Bridge and Gazebo, he noted that the Rotary Wheel embedded in the floor of the Gazebo was originally at the Rotary waterfront cottage which is now the Jubilee Pavilion. The wheel was donated by Oshawa Rotarian Bob Hambly.
Even in these challenging times, there were three exciting announcements that John attended today in Durham Region: Facebook Canada announced today that it is teaming up with Ontario Tech University's Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism to create what it calls the Global Network Against Hate. The network, which is to receive $500,000 from Facebook over five years, is being tasked with spotting emerging trends in online extremism and developing strategies, policies and tools to counter them. The move comes as experts like Barbara Perry, director of the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism warn that the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming U.S. election campaign are likely to drive a wave of online hate postings in Canada and elsewhere over the coming months — hate that could spill over to the offline world.
In Newcastle, today ,John was at an event where it was announced that $2.6-million going to the Parkview Seniors Lodge expansion in Newcastle will help to fill a much-needed gap for affordable seniors’ housing. The expansion will add 37 new units, of which 30 will be affordable. The investment is part of a joint federal-provincial Social Infrastructure fund.
In Ajax, John attended with Premier Doug Ford who announced that the Ontario government announced that a new long-term care home will be built at Lakeridge Health's Ajax Pickering Hospital site in months, not years. The project is part of the province's Accelerated Build Pilot Program. By working with Lakeridge Health and Infrastructure Ontario, the province intends to build up to 320 new long-term care beds by 2021 at this site.
He noted that the are NO Covid 19 cases in Durham Region hospitals today and only one active case in Durham Region
If you get a chance, please go to the new updated Region of Durham website and see all of the date and news and regulations and procedures that go along with COVID-19 in all of our daily lives. https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/novel-coronavirus-update.aspx
He wanted to know that Durham Region is open for business. There are 150 projects on the go during COVID-19 pandemic
There are 4,200 region staff (not counting Durham region Police) who are working from home, looking after all of the various services: water, roads, traffic, health, education, etc
He said that the busses in Durham Region have been working with everyone practicing social distancing and masking. Transit was free up to mid July.
The region lost many volunteers, due to the pandemic, particularly in the long term care facilities that are open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Region hired an additional 230 people for the Region’s 4 long term care facilities.
The Region was able to shift around 458 people to work in other departments during the pandemic so that no one was laid off.
Paramedics, for example still took 32,569 calls since the pandemic started and conducted 19,000 patient transfers
Pending connection of GO East to Bowmanville right thru Oshawa and the old Knob Hills / Fittings property .
With the $4 billion announced by the province last week, Durham region will certainly get some of those funds, but to date, since the pandemic started, they are in a $43 million loss position.
In addition, Buses are being upgraded and new ones are being added , as well to meet the new demands . Some of which are electric.
Durham Region Transit has an “On Demand” service throughout the Region. You can call in and within 2 hours, b picked up at your house and taken to the nearest transit point. On Demand service has expanded to Brock Township, making access to public transit service throughout Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock townships easier than ever. To learn more about On Demand service, visit the Planning Your Travel page. On Demand/Specialized is a flexible and personalized service for customers who do not have: Access to scheduled service – rural areas in Durham Region AND The ability to use scheduled service – eligibility requirements apply
Zoom and Webex platformed meetings have made meetings well attended and very popular throughout Ontario and will certainly be the way to meet, going forward, even getting quorum at Region Meetings
The communities in Durham are being planned around the transit
Lots of new supportive housing is in the works: New Housing Units in Beaverton and Oshawa to support Senior Housing
Recognizing areas of poor technology connections during this pandemic and pushing to have improving this a national priority
In spite of problems created by the pandemic there have been positives in Durham Region
New business in Port Perry
Adapting to making PPE
Farms and Markets are open
Agricultural growth ie Willowtree Farm
Building continues – we are open for business
A new task force has been formed to help businesses deal with COVID-19. With some businesses forced to close their doors, the Durham Economic Task Force quickly came together to provide supports and information for businesses. Members of the task force include the Region's Economic Development and Tourism team, the Business Advisory Centre of Durham, all the Durham chambers of commerce and boards of trade, and local municipal economic development teams. The Durham Economic Task Force has one goal: to deliver the urgently needed information, support, and resources to our business community to help them get through this difficult time. The Task force, headed by Simon Gill, Director of Economic Development and Tourism heard what business urgently needed, and they are all working to make sure the businesses are supported.
Durham Region’s New Strategic Plan includes a Recovery Framework considering social and economic needs. The 2020-2024 Strategic Plan is focused on five goal areas: 1.Environmental Sustainability 2.Community Vitality 3.Economic Prosperity 4.Social Investment and 5.Service Excellence
John notes that Durham is recognized as the greatest Region in Canada and is recognized World Wide. He also wears his Rotary Mask as well as his Paul Harris Pin at every opportunity thus promoting Rotary and encourages all of us to do the same. Premier Ford, a Paul Harris Fellow himself, noted John’s pin today. The Ford family have been Rotarians for many years.
John touched on Durham Region farmers and said that agriculture is a very important segment of Durham Region . He encouraged all of us to pick up the Durham Farm Fresh 2020 brochure.
John noted how proud he is to be a Rotarian and proud that Rotary is an organization that touches the entire world. He is also so proud of the 10 Durham Region Rotary Clubs and happy to host the clubs at World Polio Day 2020 with proclamations and the flag raising ceremony (held this year on Sept 21 so it can be videoed for the World Polio Day event in the Global Classroom at Durham College on Oct 22).
He reminded us that 40% of Ontario’s power come from the two nuclear plants in Durham region
Our farmers feed Toronto
Durham College is a leader in Artificial Intelligence.
Durham Region is more affordable than any community in the GTHA
Durham Region is a great story
The need for service clubs is stronger tha ever before
In response to questions John noted that there would be a tax increase but this would NOT be due to Covid related costs, only inflation
Past District Governor Ted Morrison thanked John noting his enthusiasm, great leadership and support of Rotary.
Meeting adjourned by Pres. Sue at 7:50pm
NEXT MEETINGS:
Topic: Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood Weekly Meetings on ZOOM
Time: 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Aug 4, 2020 07:00 PM
Aug 11, 2020 07:00 PM
NOTE: Aug 18, and 25, etc weekly Rotary meeting are 6:30 to 8 PM with dinner served at The Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. Bring your mask.
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Meeting ID: 999 2616 6884
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