North Glengarry Mayor Jamie MacDonald was sworn in as the 2024 Warden of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry (SDG) on Friday, December 15.
MacDonald was elected as the head of the regional government’s council on October 16. He previously served as warden in 2016 and 2018 and is succeeding 2023 Warden, North Dundas Mayor Tony Fraser.
In his inaugural speech, MacDonald did not hide the fact that municipal governments are facing significant financial challenges which the Ontario government must address.
MacDonald said SDG has faced a combined increase of more than $1.2 million for the cost of social services, social housing, paramedic services, and the Glen-Stor-Dun Lodge long-term care facility it co-administers with the City of Cornwall. He expressed concern that no property reassessment has been performed in Ontario by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) since 2016 and no assessment is planned for 2024.
“The provincial government needs to jump start MPAC. Property values have increased exponentially, and I worry how that will affect our residents,” MacDonald said.
He referred to the need for more housing and said municipalities are willing to work with the federal and provincial governments to meet targets, but the municipal level cannot meet its cost obligations for public works infrastructure without further assistance.
“Show us the money and we will get the new housing built, guaranteed,” MacDonald said.
He emphasized he wants rural schools to stay open and keep serving communities. MacDonald expressed appreciation for a recently announced provincial plan to have more school facilities shared by school boards or to have schools be part of other multi-use facilities. He said it is the kind of idea he was already advocating for.
MacDonald also said that as SDG Warden in 2024, he wants to promote environmental sustainability through environmental stewardship and environmental business.
He said the challenges facing SDG can be addressed through partnerships and collaboration, including with the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), City of Cornwall, and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.
North Glengarry Deputy Mayor Carma Williams presented MacDonald with the SDG chain of office. Brief remarks were also made by Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Member of Parliament Eric Duncan, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Nolan Quinn, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Stephane Sarrazin, Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Abram Benedict, and UCPR 2023 Warden Normand Riopel.
