Councillor Elgar fights for a more sustainable growth plan.
“This (Oakville’s growth plan) is a decision that will affect the town and its residents for generations to come. Council should take the time to get it right.” Toronto Star Editorial, March 1, 2002
Elgar wants to see sustainable growth, and is concerned about the type of growth that has been occurring in Oakville. “I want to represent the interests of the people of Oakville” says Elgar. GTA Municipal News – Dec. 6, 2000.
“In the last 36 hours I have received more than 100 e-mails (not to mention phone calls) from people saying stop the growth north of Dundas” Allan Elgar on CBC Television on the night of Oakville's growth plan vote. (Elgar was successful in having the plan sent back to staff for improvements).
Elgar convinced council to refer the plan back to staff for more work.. “Ward 4 Councillor Allan Elgar – with council squarely behind him – asked that OPA 198 (Oakville’s growth plan) go back to staff for further work (Oakville Beaver – Date?)
Elgar opposes the selling of Public Land (in Ward 4) For Industrial Development
On the proposed public land sell-off: “The greenspace “linkages” that proponents are trumpeting, said Elgar, are only 30 m wide, essentially nothing more than glorified “bike paths”. “We need to get more (greenspace) or we make a joke of the system”. Oakville Beaver June 14 2003
Elgar Searches for Answers on why Oakville was "North American Ground Zero" for West Nile Virus.
“Elgar wants health officials to investigate whether there’s a connection between the two environmental issues (sewage treatment waste and West Nile Virus). Should there be a causal link, it will add a new dimension to Ontario’s increasingly outraged debate about West Nile prevention. For one, it could assuage west-GTA residents’ nervous puzzlement about the reasons why Oakville appears to be a new North American ground zero for the virus.” Eye Magazine, March 27, 2003
“No one can tell for sure if there is no link to phosphorous, algae, wastewater and mosquitoes,” said Elgar. “It is better to step back (with plans to expand the sewage treatment plant in Ward 4) until the proof is clear.” Oakville Today, April 3, 2003
Elgar, concerned Oakville had North America’s highest rate of West Nile infection last summer, wants to know if algae floating along Lake Ontario’s shoreline has any link.
“If (a link between sewage treatment waste, algae and mosquitoes) is found to be true, we’ll have to rethink everything we’re doing with wastewater treatment in Halton,” he said. (Oakville Beaver March 30, 2003)
West Nile virus study: Where are the results? (Oakville Today - Thursday, October 09, 2003)
We can not
wait until after the (provincial) election (to get study results),” said Allan
Elgar, councilor, Ward 4. Elgar argues that if the data is not released soon it
will become redundant. “What good is data available in 2003 from 2002 if we
can’t use it until 2004.” he said.
“People agreed in huge numbers to give of their blood. The least (the government
can do) is keep the community informed.”
Elgar believes that having the report would give Halton Public Health Unit a
better idea of where to look for mosquito breeding sites, the real source of the
problem.
Elgar is not alone in his sense of urgency. In a letter dated September 19 to
Philip Hassen, Deputy Minister of Health and Long Term Care, Bob Nosal, Halton’s
Medical Officer of Health requested that the study be released immediately.
Elgar is fighting to close loopholes in our by-laws
“Elgar says he is concerned about landowners cutting down agricultural woodlots “under the guise of farming. He believes that agricultural woodlands need to be more securely protected” Oakville Today, June 12, 2003
Says Elgar, noting the recent destruction of trees in north Oakville, “Now is the time to speak up, or we may see more of our precious natural areas lost.” Oakville Today – May 22, 2003
Elgar is fighting to close loopholes in our by-laws
“Elgar says he is concerned about landowners cutting down agricultural woodlots “under the guise of farming. He believes that agricultural woodlands need to be more securely protected” Oakville Today, June 12, 2003
Says Elgar, noting the recent destruction of trees in north Oakville, “Now is the time to speak up, or we may see more of our precious natural areas lost.” Oakville Today – May 22, 2003
Allan Elgar will continue to push for OMB Reform
“The OMB is an enemy of the environment and an enemy of the people. This unelected, unaccountable body demonstrates over and over again that its main mission is to be a rubber stamp for developers.” Allan Elgar, Mississauga Business Times May 2003
Residents should not pay for growth
We are currently subsidizing developers when we grow. Taxpayers have to foot the bill for the shortfall between development charges and the actual cost of growth.
… (People think) we have to grow to keep our taxes down, but that’s a huge myth. Our taxes are going up faster than in towns that aren’t growing at all.” Allan Elgar on CBC Radio “Ontario Today” – July 28, 2003.
Growth does not pay for itself. If it did, our taxes should go down or at least remain stable. Oakville Councillor Allan Elgar asks, “Who do you think is paying those costs if the developers aren’t?” Hamilton Spectator, Feb. 3, 2003
Allan Elgar encourages Public Participation in Community Issues
“We feel the topics discussed (at Elgar’s West Nile Virus Forum) will engage the public and help them understand the nature of this new health challenge” Oakville Beaver April 11, 2003.
Elgar believes the public opposition to OPA 198 and the proposed urbanization of the last remaing rural land in Oakville will translate into “a little more action in local politics during the next election. I think people are starting to wake up” GTA News March 6, 2003