johnmutton-blog

[johnmutton-blog]

Employment Ontario

Job growth, career growth and economic development are so essential to raising the quality of life in "Anytown" Ontario that while it is sexy talk, we rarely have a handle in what is going on. 

While some politicians like their Economic Development officers to go after big game like auto plants and factories, the truth that the real growth is existing business growing into broader national and multi-national markets.

 With job growth comes less unemployment, comes less people on Social Assistance, comes the economic multiplier of increased disposable income being spent in our communities, however a Durham co-ordinated approach is far from being achieved. 

Programs such as Employment Ontario being administered by the great people at the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre offers programs and assistance to employers and those wishing for employment of any kind in Durham. Seven sites that administer this program in Durham with a total funding of 3.5 M dollars and supply chain and employment recruitment make the DRUHC one of the most powerful tools available for economic development in Durham, yet it is the best kept secret but with an incredible track record of success.

 If you are a Durham employer, a job seeker or work in business development in the private sector or economic development in he public sector I urge you to look at the programs at www.unemployedhelp.on.ca. Don't let the name fool you, this is a huge granting and business development agency.

[johnmutton-blog]

gridlock

I spent most of the week in LA on business and I am astounded at the constant traffic issues in Los Angeles County. Indeed we are closing in on that type of a problem here. While congestion only used to occur at rush hour now we have congestion on Saturdays and Sundays, very similar to Los Angeles. 

We have so many people travelling one person and one car and given the transit alternatives this will continue. Transit improvements are essential to Durham and the entire GTA, but how do we afford it. 

Judging by the amount of empty buses driving around Durham, I am not sure if we are properly deploying our routes and money. Peer reviews of our system by some of the top transit providers in the world should happen so we can get it right from the get go. Light rail is an option I would like to see looked at as we had a great system in the Greater Phoenix Area when I lived in Arizona. It was a simple system, however it worked fantastic and gave good options to all public to travel the major urban centres. 

We can learn from our peers, let’s not repeat mistakes and let’s look at those that have done the trial and error to get our transit system right and maybe, just maybe we will get more people out of the car. A transit ride needs to be easy to understand, clean, safe and faster than a car. These are some of the things that must happen for the public to embrace public transit and support the cost. We can’t run empty buses around and be fiscally responsible at anytime.

[johnmutton-blog]

gridlock

I spent most of the week in LA on business and I am astounded at the constant traffic issues in Los Angeles County. Indeed we are closing in on that type of a problem here. While congestion only used to occur at rush hour now we have congestion on Saturdays and Sundays, very similar to Los Angeles. 

We have so many people travelling one person and one car and given the transit alternatives this will continue. Transit improvements are essential to Durham and the entire GTA, but how do we afford it. 

Judging by the amount of empty buses driving around Durham, I am not sure if we are properly deploying our routes and money. Peer reviews of our system by some of the top transit providers in the world should happen so we can get it right from the get go. Light rail is an option I would like to see looked at as we had a great system in the Greater Phoenix Area when I lived in Arizona. It was a simple system, however it worked fantastic and gave good options to all public to travel the major urban centres. 

We can learn from our peers, let's not repeat mistakes and let's look at those that have done the trial and error to get our transit system right and maybe, just maybe we will get more people out of the car. A transit ride needs to be easy to understand, clean, safe and faster than a car. These are some of the things that must happen for the public to embrace public transit and support the cost. We can't run empty buses around and be fiscally responsible at anytime.