The annual Mayor's State of the City luncheon, hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, attracted a large crowd Wednesday from businesses and community organizations.
Mayor Michelle Boileau said housing is a main priority and the city has plans to enlarge a couple of subdivisions.
“If we were to, I suppose, complete the two subdivisions that I mentioned -- Melrose Heights and Park Avenue -- just right there, we could see over 150 units if we managed to intensify enough,” Boileau said.
Chamber president Kraymr Grenke said he's especially pleased to know the city is investing more money into the community.
“When it comes to roads, when it comes to parks and obviously the larger things, when we’re talking about rec centres and how we’re going to move forward as a community, those are really high points to us at the chamber right now,” Grenke said.
“We’re hearing it from our membership that, how do we retain our employees? How do we attract employees? It is those services that the city offers.”
Other upgrades include $2 million to fix up the Mattagami boat launch area; adding 60 units to a seniors apartment building; working with the Timmins and District Hospital to create more medical offices; and, collaborating with Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board to establish modular transitional housing units.
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Boileau said community safety is still an important concern and she said more businesses applied for safety grants -- totalling more than $120,000 -- to make their workplaces more secure.
