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Sudbury mayor reflects on city council's first 100 days in office

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On Wednesday, newly elected mayor Paul Lefebvre held an address to talk about Greater Sudbury city council's first 100 days in office.

About 120 members of the community were on hand at Tom Davies Square to hear the mayoral address, with hundreds more streaming it online.

Lefebvre also spoke about his motion to scale back the Junction East Cultural Hub to better align with current economic challenges faced by the city. The motion was unanimously passed by council on Tuesday.

He said the price tag for Junction East needs to reflect the competing needs of municipal infrastructure.

"A lot of infrastructure now is dating and the capital requirements needs to replace them is significant,” Lefebvre said.

“That's why it's important that we address this be honest with the citizens of what we need to do and how we go about ensuring the next five, 10, 15 years that this is addressed now."

The mayor has asked city staff for an additional analysis to modify the $98 million project down to $65 million.

"I still believe in the project. I believe in Junction East. Totally supporting the library and an art gallery and supporting the Multicultural Folk Arts Association now with the funding that we have how can we best manage that?” he said.

“That is my goal it's important that we are appropriately ambitious with the means that we have."

After 100 days in office the Lefebvre outlined the activities and accomplishments of council so far and their priorities for the next 1,000 days.

The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce said getting through the municipal budget in the first 100 days was an accomplishment and applauds a recent motion to cut red tape at city hall.

Ward 5 councillor Mike Parent supported the motion.

“We put the motion through, it was unanimously supported and this really isn't attacking staff,” he said.

“It really is about an opportunity for staff to meet with the chamber's representatives and discuss some of the pain points.”

Parent said the city and the chamber of commerce have to work together to find solutions.

"If these are the businesses that are creating opportunities in our city, that are investing in the city that are creating jobs in the city,” said Debbi Nicholson, president & CEO of the chamber of commerce.

“Anything that we can do to help them overcome those roadblocks I think is in everyone's best interest."

The mayor said another big focus in the days ahead will be on the green economy.

Lefebvre said he's met with several provincial and federal ministers to highlight the Sudbury's potential in the transition to electric vehicles and to tell them the city can be a leader in accessing critical minerals and processing them.

The mayor's full speech can be watched here.

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