Providing more housing and increasing access to primary care physicians and health-care professionals are two top priorities for Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark as she contemplates the agenda for 2024.
Clark, who is also the deputy mayor of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, took office for Peterborough County in December 2022. As she entered the second year of her two-year term as warden, she spoke with kawarthaNOW about a couple of the key issues and challenges for the county in the months ahead.
Like many places in Canada, having more housing options for residents is at the forefront of her thoughts.
“We have 4,000 housing starts in the next couple years just in the county, so we are doing our share here in the county with severances and different subdivisions going,” Clark said.
On a broader level, the warden is engaged in housing discussions through her seat on the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC). Housing affordability and attainability are current focal points for the caucus.
Across the EOWC’s region, there are approximately 12,000 to 14,000 units on municipal community rental housing wait lists, EOWC figures noted.
“People are waiting an average of almost five years and up to 10 years in some cases to access these community rental housing units,” states the EOWC website. “As part of the Ontario government’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031, the EOWC is looking to do our part in increasing housing supply through our bold 7 in 7+ regional housing plan.”
The EOWC’s ‘7 in 7+’ regional housing plan proposes building at least 7,000 community rental units over seven years across the region to address the wait lists.
“I’ve been quite involved in that and have been advocating both in Ottawa and in Toronto to our MPs and MPPs,” the warden said. Clark also served as a panelist on housing at the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) conference in 2023.
Also top of mind for Clark in 2024 is improving Peterborough County residents’ access to family doctors and/or nurse practitioners and other health-care providers.
The county recently hired a health care co-ordinator to drive physician recruitment efforts and advocate for a community health centre (CHC) in the county. CHCs are located throughout Ontario and are designed to help people access primary care providers, including doctors, nurse practitioners, social workers, dietitians, and others.
Clark said if one looks at a map that details where the CHCs are located in the province, the gap for Peterborough County is obvious.
“We’re like a desert when it comes to (having) that type of facility and it’s very crucial for new physicians who are not interested in doing (administrative work). They want to come in and take care of the patients. We know we are losing some potential partners, doctors, because we can’t provide that.”
If the provincial government provides the go-ahead for a CHC, Clark said the effort will encompass various partnerships with a variety of stakeholders to bring it to life.
On a broader level, she sits on AMO’s health care transformation committee.
“Anywhere that I can be involved to advocate for (housing and health care), I certainly take full advantage of that,” the warden said.
When asked what she is most excited about this year, Clark said there are a few projects and initiatives that come to mind. Read more in an upcoming story on kawarthaNOW.
Clark’s career in public service began more than 20 years ago as a township councillor for then Otonabee Township. She has served as deputy mayor of the amalgamated Otonabee-South Monaghan and as a member of county council since 2018.
