January 31, 2022 (3 Minute Read)
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Other municipalities would be wise to take note: Brampton’s leadership has become a beacon of stability during a global pandemic the world has not seen in over 100 years.
During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the first time in many years, the leadership at the City of Brampton has fostered stability at City Hall and has remained grounded despite challenging times.
It was not too long ago that Brampton was considered the deadbeat city of the GTA community with an entitled bureaucracy, ongoing financial mismanagement, and lacklustre morale at City Hall. The constant turnover of employees and uncertainty delayed progress, which resulted in City Hall lurching amongst the chaos and never being able to fire on all cylinders.
In brief, today’s corporate stability at City Hall has been foundational to Brampton’s response to the global pandemic and has primed the municipality to surpass its neighbours in growth, innovation and quality of life. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
Just this week Rogers Communications announced they would invest $100M and relocate 3000 jobs to the downtown core. A vote of confidence of this magnitude by one of the largest forward-thinking tech companies in Canada would not have been possible without the stable, professional, and effective leadership at City Hall, both on Council and in the civil service. The welcoming business environment and ongoing focus to developing Brampton’s innovation district are delivering real and tangible results.
Mayor Patrick Brown called the Rogers’ announcement “transformational” at Council and indeed, it is.
What’s also been transformational is the culture shift at City Hall. Forbes recently announced that for the fourth year in a row, the City has been recognized as one of Canada’s 300 Best Employers. City employees were engaged and made their voice clear that the City of Brampton is a great place to work. Gone are the days of last term’s mass firings that saw 25 bureaucrats exit the City in a single day.
Perhaps this is best signified by Brampton’s leadership role in championing anti-Black racism initiatives, Indigenous reconciliation projects, and promoting equity and inclusivity throughout the community via the creation of the city’s first ever Equity Office.
Brampton taxpayers are also enjoying frozen property taxes for four consecutive years replacing last term’s infamous “Out of Policy Request” program that saw over $300,000 bonused to just 8 senior employees.
Moreover, the City is investing in tomorrow via record levels of investment into its reserve accounts ensuring there are healthy savings for future years. This also includes investment into infrastructure, primarily: roads, public transit, and the environment.
The City was also recognized by Macleans magazine as one of the Best Communities in Canada – in no small part due to Community involvement and the amenities and services the City provides. Brampton ranked 13th out of 415 communities, outperforming Mississauga which ranked 183rd.
It’s quickly becoming easy to understand why one of Canada’s leading tech companies decided to invest $100 million in Brampton’s downtown core. Brampton is taking its rightful place amongst the best municipalities in Canada and is now leading the way.
Kudos to City Hall’s elected leadership and the stable, professional and effective civil service for placing Brampton on the map.
This time, it’s for all the right reasons.