Bridge re-elected wardens caucus chair
County councillor and past warden George Bridge was re-elected to the position of chair of the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC) Economic Development Sub-Committee on Feb. 22.
The caucus is working on an economic development strategy to grow the regional economy. The strategic action plan will underline the region’s commitment to working together and speaking with one unified voice on critical economic issues in southwestern Ontario.
The strategic action plan will be finalized in the coming months.
“I’m humbled to be re-elected to this position,” stated Bridge in a press release issued by the county.
“I look forward to leading the charge on implementing our new strategic action plan. A regional economic development action plan will explore the diverse needs of municipalities, identify common themes and set priorities. We want to focus our attention on issues and solutions with the biggest impact on economic growth.”
In 2015, the premier of Ontario met with the western Ontario wardens and asked the region to speak with a single voice on economic issues. This approach has been successful in eastern Ontario.
“The WOWC have already been effective moving forward important regional goals, most recently, developing the SWIFT (Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology) Network initiative. SWIFT aims to connect the region with a high-speed fibre internet network,” the release states.
The WOWC is a not-for-profit organization representing 15 upper and single tier municipalities in southwestern Ontario, representing more than three million residents.
The caucus aims to enhance prosperity and overall wellbeing of rural and small urban communities across the region.
Caucus members work collectively to influence federal and provincial legislation and programs through advocacy, research and analysis and education.
For more information, visit www.wowc.ca.
