FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRAMPTON, ON (January 28, 2021) – Yesterday, the City of Brampton released an update on its advancement of the 2018-2022 Term of Council Priorities in 2020, highlighting key achievements over the past year amid the pandemic.
As a result of interviews conducted with the Mayor and Members of Council, feedback captured from senior leadership, and a polling exercise performed at Council Workshop in November 2020, Council yesterday approved 16 initiatives (pg.162) as top priorities for Council in support of the community. The priorities are divided into two streams: Intergovernmental/Advocacy Priorities; and City Mandated/Controlled Priorities, all of which continue to support Brampton’s established strategic directions.
COVID-19 created unforeseen conditions and challenges requiring staff to adapt quickly and shift in the delivery of programs and services. In spite of this, the City continued to move forward in key areas while balancing its COVID-19 response and recovery:
Brampton is a City of Opportunities
The City of Brampton continued to improve livability and support businesses by:
• Providing $233,000 in grant funding to small businesses
• Engaging more than 5,000 participants though 137 virtual events and seminars
• Providing 1,043 client consultations, including the creation of 38 new businesses and 82 business expansions through the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre
• Launching four new partners in the Innovation District to enhance economic presence in Downtown Brampton
Brampton is a Mosaic
The City continued to celebrate Brampton’s diversity and champion inclusion through:
• Investing $435,561 in the Advance Brampton Fund, supporting 48 digital projects for non-profits
• Established Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit, and approved launch of an Equity Office in 2021 with a focus on identifying and removing barriers in the workplace and community
• Hosting Fire Services Career Info Session for the Black Community with record participation of 900 attendees
• Renaming two City parks, Purple Lilac Memorial Park and Emancipation Park with a focus on safety and inclusion
Brampton is a Green City
The City focused on innovation, energy efficiency, public transit and revitalizing natural spaces by:
• Launching its first-ever Backyard Garden program, attracting more than 6,000 participants, growing 10,000 lbs donated to local food banks
• Introducing its Community Energy & Emissions Reduction Plan to reduce green house gases
• Securing $83.1M in funding to advance Transit projects; and $38M for its Riverwalk project to advance flood mitigation
• Approving plans for Transit’s third facility, a fully electric transit maintenance and storage facility
Brampton is a Healthy and Safe City
The City helped improve community safety, enhance mental health supports and encourage active and healthy lifestyles through:
• Installing 26 Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras in Community Safety Zones across Brampton
• Opening four new outdoor skating rinks to ensure residents could safely keep active in winter months
• Completing enhancements to fitness amenities like recreation centres, parks and fields
• Constructing 26 kms of bike lanes to promote active transportation throughout the city
Brampton is a Well-Run City
The City of Brampton continued to prioritize service excellence and being a Well-Run City in the face of the pandemic through:
• Freezing taxes for the third consecutive year with a record contribution to reserves, while delivering key services to residents
• Maintaining a triple AAA credit rating, the highest rating a municipality can receive for sound fiscal practices
• Being an early adopter of Mobi Inspect, an app to inspect facilities
• Advocating for and securing financial relief of $34.9M (Phase 1 Safe Restart Program), $27.5M (Phase 2 Safe Restart Program) and $0.6M (Municipal Transit Enhanced Cleaning Fund)
• Being named by Forbes as one of Canada’s Best Employers, in a list of the 300 top employers across the country
For more information about the highlights and achievements for 2020 within the 2018-2022 Term of Council Priorities visit www.brampton.ca/tocp
Quotes
“I am pleased to present the highlights and results of our Term of Council Priorities that we accomplished as a team in 2020. In the wake of the pandemic, the City’s immediate focus was to support our community. At the same time, we continued our important work on the existing 51 initiatives and 22 priorities, and 20 additional Council-approved initiatives. As we move into 2021, our Council’s sharpened focus on 16 priorities for 2021-2022 ensures that we maintain focus on what matters to the community.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
“In 2020, we faced extremely challenging times due COVID-19 and City staff worked tirelessly to support our residents, businesses and community groups. Our team continues to deliver efficient and effective City services amid a global pandemic while continuing to achieve this Term of Council’s Priorities. I am proud to share the 2020 achievements of our team, and Council’s mid-term refresh resulting in 16 key priorities are a testament to Team Brampton’s commitment to deliver the very best for our community.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton
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As one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, Brampton is home to 650,000 people and 70,000 businesses. People are at the heart of everything we do. We are energized by our diverse communities, we attract investment, and we are embarking on a journey to lead technological and environmental innovation. We partner for progress to build a healthy city that is safe, sustainable and successful. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Learn more at www.brampton.ca.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marta Marychuk
Senior Advisor, Media Relations, City of Brampton
437.770.5987 | marta.marychuk@brampton.ca
