Timmins council may be setting a new, more positive trend in politics by uniting across all political stripes to support a resolution, researched and drafted by Mayor Steve Black and Councillor Andre Grzela, calling on the province to regulate gasoline prices for the benefits of the consumer and the gasoline station owners
Call it the Timmins Way - one that believes, as stated in the words of a local song, The Timmins Song – “I’m in Timmins through thick and the thin.... together we win...Timmins I’m in.”
This unique approach arising from Timmins may lead to the changing of the political landscape which for the past 30 years has increasingly been devoted to divisive “wedge” politics, much to the detriment of the voting public who have been turned off by the cynicism of that approach as shown in dramatic drops in voter participation in elections.
According to Andre Grzela the councillor who read the resolution to council at the meeting on April 27, 2016 the venture was a joint one between Mayor Steven Black, himself and council.
“Both Mayor Black and I shared in the research,” Grzela told Timminstoday.com the day after the council meeting. “I did the charts and price comparisons and Mayor Black provided the wording and research into the resolution.”
Indeed it was Mayor Black’s frustrating experience fuelling up in Timmins at exorbitant prices for a trip to nearby Kirkland Lake and being dismayed at the significantly lower prices of gas stations in community less than two hours away.
Mayor Black’s experience which has been shared by all councillors and residents of Timmins kick started the process which led to Councillor Grzela’s resolution.
The resolution was unanimously supported by all councillors.
On the surface municipal politics is free of political party affiliation. However, on closer scrutiny one can easily discern the party affiliations.
Mayor Black ran as the Conservative candidate against sitting NDP MPP Giles Bisson in the 2014 provincial election.
Andre Grzela is the executive assistant to Bisson and the first term councillor for Timmins Ward One winning his ward in the October 2015 municipal election.
“This is something everyone across province and all municipalities can support even those with the lower prices can rally and get behind us,” Mayor Black said as an introduction to Councillor Grzela’s resolution.
“It is a great initiative to seek change at the provincial level as they have the ability to regulate prices to ensure fairness for all residents in Ontario across the province,” Mayor Black added.
“And to ensure equality in the business climate in fuel prices especially in natural resources communities helping our resource communities,” the Mayor stated.
Mayor Black also thanked the two upper levels of government Charlie Angus, MP (NDP) and Giles Bisson (NDP) stating they were pleasant to work with and that he appreciated their lobbying efforts.”
Grzela’s resolution stated the price of fuel is critical to the day to day cost of living for all residents of Ontario. The price of fuel also plays a large role in establishing a competitive business climate.
Grzela noted that some regions in Ontario have consistently experienced higher fuel costs that go beyond the cost difference of transporting fuel.
The fuel sales industry is quick to raise fuel prices as the price of oil increases but fuel prices do not adjust as quickly when the price of oil decreases Grzela explained in his resolution.
Grzela’s motion pointed out that history has shown fuel prices increase for long weekends and holidays.
For these reasons Grzela urged council to vote in favour of his resolution calling on the Province of Ontario to regulate fuel prices.
The resolution was unanimously supported by council and as a result the City of Timmins will petitions the Government of Ontario to regulate fuel prices to the levels that are affordable and profitable as in jurisdictions that have lower fuel prices;
The resolution and the background information will also be forwarded for support to all municipalities in Ontario and as a result of an amendment introduced by Councillor Pat Bamford it will also be sent to all municipal associations and the Good Roads Association.
All the resolutions of support garnered by the City of Timmins from other municipalities and municipal associations will be provided to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Finance, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, The Good Roads Association and Timmins - James Bay MPP Gilles Bisson.
