Owen Sound Mayor Deb Haswell feels she got a good hearing in Toronto on the issue of arbitration awards.
Haswell met with Ontario Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey on Monday as part of the Ontario Good Roads Association convention in Toronto.
Along with the mayor were Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker, Grey County Warden Duncan McKinley, Grey County Councillor and City Councillor Arlene Wright , and Councillor Jan Chamberlain at the session.
The Owen Sound Mayor wants arbitrators to consider what smaller municipalities can afford to pay, when making recommendations for union contract settlements.
Haswell says Owen Sound and other centre like it, cannot afford to pay Toronto wages.
The issue came to light following a recent contract settlement covering firefighters in the Scenic City.
Haswell says the Labour Minister listened to her concerns, asked for a few clarification points and agreed to look at those concerns.
The Mayor of Owen Sound did not take part in a walkout by more than 100 politicians during the Premier’s speech at the conference.
Dalton McGuinty did say in his speech that he’s willing to give local governments more of a say over wind and solar energy projects.
But he stopped short of saying municipalities would be given veto power to block any new wind farms.
The Good Roads conference continues Tuesday and Wednesday in Toronto.
