A week after housing and municipal affairs minister Steve Clark resigned from cabinet, the new minister in charge of that file has announced he's taking a step back to review a plan to assign facilitators to a number of upper tier municipalities, including Waterloo region, to determine if the municipalities that make up those regions can stand on their own.
In a post on the platform previously known as Twitter, Paul Calandra said a decision on whether to move forward with facilitators in Durham, Halton, Simcoe, Waterloo and York will come at the end of the month.
"Our government is working hard to ensure municipalities are properly equipped to meet their housing targets and get shovels in the ground," the post reads.
"As such, I will be reviewing the previously-stated intention to appoint facilitators to assess regional governments."
The potential change in direction comes just three weeks after the former minister Steve Clark assured municipal leaders at the Association of Municipal Organizations of Ontario conference he was on track to name regional facilitators to decide the fates of Waterloo region and others by Sept. 11.
Regional Chair Karen Redman met with Premier Doug Ford and Calandra on Friday while the premier was in town for the opening of the new central division Waterloo regional police headquarters in Kitchener, and the Ford Fest rally at Bingemans.
Asked by CambridgeToday to shed light on those talks, Redman reiterated her stance that splitting the region into single tier municipalities is not in the best interest of residents and she believes the region remains "stronger together"
"We are stronger together, as I have said from the beginning. The Region of Waterloo delivers essential services that people rely on everyday. I am focused on addressing the housing crisis and improving quality of life for everyone who calls Waterloo Region home. I look forward to continued conversations with residents and provincial partners on this issue."
