Greetings and Happy New Year Ward 1!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the residents of Ward 1 and the City of Pickering! My name is Lisa Robinson and I am your newly appointed City Councillor, for Ward 1.

For over 20 years, I have been helping families in the real estate sector, while notably receiving designations as a real estate negotiation expert and a senior real estate specialist. Given my thirst to make a difference in the world, I gravitated to the field of law. I have since secured a paralegal diploma with Honours, became a member of the Law Society of Ontario, and have been appointed a Notary Public under Notaries Act. I have a lifelong passion for learning and continued education. I advocate for those in need throughout various streams of law, Human Rights, Landlord & Tenant matters, Provincial Offences Act, and Criminal Justice issues. I am a proud mother of a teenager, a community activist, a published author, a neighbour, and someone who believes in giving to local charities each year. One of my favourite philanthropic undertakings is my creation of Project Humanity and the Robinson Annual Halloween Haunt and Corn Maze, which brings thousands of people to my home each year.

I look forward to getting to know the residents of Pickering throughout my term in Council. I am passionate about helping individuals achieve their goals and inspiring others to lead by example. Community, fairness, dialogue, compassion, respect, transparency, and accountability are some of the key cornerstones that I believe in and live by.

I am thrilled to have created my first of many eNewsletters, providing you with a few key updates in the city!

Our first Town Hall Meeting was held in the evening of January 16 at the East Shore Community Centre. We had a great turnout, and it was well received by our residents in attendance. There was thoughtful dialogue and discussion between all who participated. We would like to extend our thanks to the staff who helped make this night a success!

Engagement with our residents remains of utmost importance to us. We are thrilled to be hosting our second Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 7:30 pm in the Helen Paris Room of the George Ashe Community Centre and Library, located at 470 Kingston Road.

Please join us!

For future Town Hall Meeting information, including dates & locations, please contact the Council Office by email at council@pickering.ca or by telephone at 905.420.4605.

With a new Council comes the opportunity for new ideas and a new vision. This will kick-off at our first regularly scheduled meeting of Council being held on Monday January 23^rd at 7:00 pm, in Council Chambers. Over the coming months, there will be lots of discussions and decisions on many items that are important to you and your families.

Meetings are open to the public and we encourage you to follow the agendas which are posted on the City of Pickering Council Calendar, found here.

Like many of you, I share your concerns regarding the Province of Ontario's Bill 23 - More Homes Built Faster Act. Bill 23 proposes to shift the cost of Development Charges, which are currently paid for by developers, onto you the taxpayers. This will increase the amount of taxes you pay monumentally, while simultaneously reducing the amount of services in our city. Additionally, Bill 23 will allow developers to pave over a few of the best rural spaces in Pickering by changing some of the environmental protection regulations. In my opinion, we should not open up our green belt to development under the pretenses of creating more affordable housing. I believe we have enough land within our own existing urban boundaries to build a substantial amount of homes within our city and province. Having three decades of real estate experience, I struggle to see the benefit this Bill has to our residents, and I promise to be a voice for your concerns.

Before our 2023 budget meeting on April 13, I have asked that the Office of the CAO provide Council with a substantive report containing a list of options that would enable Pickering to introduce a city-wide snow clearing program. This would include the clearing of snow off all sidewalks and windrows throughout the city. Heavy snowfall and harsh Canadian winters impact us all, and what better way to combat the snow than have the ability to lend a helping hand to all residents throughout the city. 

Council collectively shared the same view to assist in the efforts of maintaining this special event in our City. During the January 9, 2023, Special Meeting of Council, it was requested that the Office of the CAO provide Council with a substantive report to review our options moving forward. We are hopeful for the return of this magical event in 2023! 

There is no doubt a growing demand for basketball programs among children, youth and teens in our city. Council has asked city staff to review options that would create more opportunities and more flexibility to host pick-up basketball at a variety of locations throughout the city! We welcome your feedback and interest in being part of this worthwhile discussion.

Connect with our Customer Care team, Monday to Friday (8:30 am - 4:30 pm), by telephone at 905.683.7575, email customercare@pickering.ca or pickering.ca/livechat.