Commuter-weary Georgina residents hoping for a good job closer to home are invited to attend a series of public meetings starting this Saturday at the Ice Palace in Keswick.

“There is only one job in Georgina for every seven people and that means people are commuting for hours a day to work elsewhere”, said George Schrijver, of WCM Consulting, who has been retained by the Town of Georgina to assist in the creation of a socio-economic development strategy.

Dubbed My Georgina, the project is funded jointly by the town and the South Lake Community Futures Development Corporation.

“Think of the impact on the environment and the waste of personal and community time. Daily, every unnecessary hour spent travelling represents 4 per cent of your life,” Mr. Schrijver said.

A healthy score on the jobs-per-resident scale is one job for every two to three people.

With more people moving to Georgina to escape the high house prices farther south, this ratio has been getting worse and not better, he said.

The population of  Georgina is expected to grow by at least 50 per cent by 2031 — about 25,000 more than live here today.

“Since people are coming, the only solution is to create more jobs locally and not just any jobs.

“While retail stores and retail jobs always follow population growth, the community needs higher-paying jobs as well, if it is to be self-sustaining.”
The tax base of Georgina also increases with the arrival of these higher-paying industries, Mr. Schrijver added.

What type of industries and what impact will they have?

“The term socio-economic reminds us that people are key” Mr. Schrijver said. “If the end result is greater prosperity at the sacrifice of important community values then the effort should be questioned. Designing the strategy to respect these values is a better way.”

The public consultations will concentrate on two main issues.

First, what are the values of the community of Georgina.

“These might focus on prosperity, the environment, community safety and so on,” he said, adding it is simpler for a community to agree on what it does not want, then everything else is acceptable to good.

The second question looks for ideas that can be investigated for implementation.

Mr. Schrijver stressed that as many ideas as possible are needed, but only those that best meet the goals and values of the community will be adopted.

“Communities are best served when opinions and influence are replaced by facts and sound judgement,” he said.


Public consultation schedule:

Saturday, July 19,10 a.m. to noon. Ice Palace multi-purpose room.
Monday, July 21, 7 to 9 p.m. Virginia Hall, Hwy. 48.
Wednesday, July 23, 7 to 9 p.m. Civic Centre committee room.
Thursday, July 24, 7 to 9:00 p.m., Udora Community Hall, 24 Victoria Rd.
Saturday, July 26 10 a.m. to noon, Ice Palace, multi-purpose room.
Monday, July 28, 7 to 9 p.m. Sutton Arena hall, 48 Hawkins St.
Tuesday, July 29, 7 to 9 p.m., Cayley Hall, 6 Turner St.,  Roches Pt.
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 7 to 9:00 p.m., Egypt Hall, 6756 Smith Blvd.
Thursday, Aug. 7, 7 to 9 p.m. Peter Gzowski Library, meeting room, 5279 Black River Rd. Sutton.

Thursday, Aug. 14, 7 to 9:00 p.m. Pefferlaw Library, 76 Pete’s Ln.


To provide your input e-mail MyGeorgina@georgina.ca to comment.

Comments received so far include:

- We can do this. Have to think better, not bigger
- Some retail jobs are fine but they just don’t pay enough.
- Just put industry where it does not hurt tourism and agriculture
- Go wireless and stop the commuting
- No smoke-stacks!
- Let the future take care of itself. I’m happy as is
- We have to make ourselves sustainable in every way
- Change will happen whether we like it or not. Better to plan and manage it than just let it happen

- Don’t put the waste in the Lake or our water or our air
- It’s sad to see younger people leaving. They are our future
- Community is all about compromise – let’s make the best ones possible. Do it OUR way

- I need to earn more than the minimum wage – but where?