Advocacy Committee Meets with Mayor Mitchell

The Advocacy Committee had the opportunity to meet with His Worship, Mayor Don Mitchell, on March 17, 2021, to discuss the needs of local businesses and gather a better understanding of ongoing Town of Whitby initiatives and their impact on the greater community. The committee developed an agenda focused on the Town’s economic recovery plans, transportation, intensification strategy, and customer service strategy.
Throughout the meeting, the committee discussed with Mayor Mitchell the role of our municipal government in supporting businesses to open their doors and return to heightened levels of operation. Whitby Council has been a leading municipality in advocating for evidence-based decisions before widespread sector shutdowns are implemented. Additionally, programs like reduced parking fees in Whitby’s downtown continue to encourage residents to shop and support local businesses.
Other notable discussions at the meeting included:
– The Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit Route and the proposed route designs through the Downtown Whitby Core. If you missed the public meetings hosted by the project team, visit the Chamber’s webpage dedicated to sharing information regarding this project
– Introduction of the Town’s new Culture Plan
– Growth and intensification in the Town of Whitby as outlined in the Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan. Check out Mayor Mitchell’s recent article discussing the accommodation of a large amount of growth within the existing town boundaries and how the Town intends to manage that
– The Town’s Customer Service Strategy will address ‘red tape’ within the municipality’s service offerings and make adjustments to how residents and business owners conduct their business with the Town
To get a closer look at Town priorities and hear more on the items discussed above, be sure to register for ‘In Conversation with Mayor Mitchell’ taking place on Thursday, May 13, 2021.
The entire committee appreciates the time Mayor Mitchell made to discuss the varying challenges and opportunities affecting our members. If you have a question you would like answered by any of our local leaders, check out our Ask A Leader Program.

– Hailey Wright, Manager, Community Relations, Trent University Durham GTA