With traffic flow through the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury solidly on the newly elected council’s radar for the next term, Deputy Mayor James Leduc said business development is also where his passion lies.
A vocal advocate for the Highway 400 Employment Lands, Leduc said he will continue pushing for commercial development there.
“That’s a very passionate part of what I do,” he said.
His goal will be to help bring in more businesses and create more local jobs.
“That’ll be a really big focus of mine in the new term,” Leduc said, adding he also wants to work with existing business owners on their needs.
“A good business community is a strong economy for our community,” he said.
Leduc was re-elected as the town’s deputy mayor Tuesday night in a landslide victory, winning about 85 per cent of the vote.
The other deputy mayor candidate, Iftikhar Ahmad, got 15 per cent of the vote.
This will be Leduc’s fourth term on council and second as deputy mayor. Before that, he spent one term each as councillor in Wards 2 and 6.
“It was a good campaign by myself and my team. I’m quite thrilled and happy with the residents giving me their confidence and support,” he said.
BWG’s entire current council was re-elected in this year’s municipal election.
“I wouldn’t say surprised (that everyone was re-elected). I was delighted,” Leduc said. “It was a fabulous four years. It was such a great team effort put on by everybody. It speaks volumes of (Mayor) Rob (Keffer’s) leadership.”
Ahmad congratulated Leduc after his election victory, calling his campaign “fair.”
He said he hopes council took his messages on the campaign trail to heart.
“It is vital that Bradford’s infrastructure keep pace with its populace. Our traffic issues, the GO parking situation, parking on Holland Street, rising taxes… it is time to take responsibility for fixing the issues that plague our residents,” he wrote in a statement after the election.
“We must improve the communication between Bradford and its populace. We must give our people faith in the idea they’re being listened to. We must embrace that this is no longer the Bradford of 10, 20 or 30 years ago. This is the Bradford of today.”
Election results:
Mayor: Rob Keffer (90 per cent of the vote), Pat Roberge (10 per cent)
Deputy mayor: James Leduc (85 per cent), Iftikhar Ahmad (15 per cent)
Ward 1: Raj Sandhu (61 per cent), David Wood (19 per cent), David Lontini (15 per cent), Aftab Hussain (5 per cent)
Ward 2: Gary Baynes (65 per cent), Brian Carruthers (35 per cent)
Ward 3: Gary Lamb (64 per cent), Bruce Davis (27 per cent), Marion Fischer (6 per cent), Shah Malik (2 per cent)
Ward 4: Ron Orr (41 per cent), Rick Turner (35 per cent), Carl Hordyk (24 per cent)
Ward 5: Peter Ferragine (71 per cent), Munawar Chudary (29 per cent)
Ward 6: Mark Contois (58 per cent), Lisa Hawkins (42 per cent)
Ward 7: Peter Dykie Jr. (57 per cent), Dave Minnema (43 per cent)
School board trustees:
English public: Debbie Connors (55 per cent), Donna Da Silva (45 per cent)
English separate: Jeanny Salmon (acclaimed)
French public: Guy Belcourt (35 per cent), Saveria Caruso (35 per cent), Eric Lapointe (29 per cent)
French separate: Claire Thibideau (77 per cent), Ryan Malenfant (23 per cent)
