John Gray and Oshawa: A Record Worth Remembering

By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton, Former Mayor of Clarington There is an old saying in municipal politics that people have short memories. I was reminded of that this week when I came across a social media advertisement questioning the record of former Oshawa Mayor John Gray, particularly the investments made in recreational facilities during his time in office. Now, John Gray is a friend of mine. I make no secret of that. But more importantly, I had a frontrow seat to some of the most significant economic decisions affecting Oshawa and Durham Region during his years as mayor. As the former Mayor of Clarington and Chair of Finance for Durham Region, I worked alongside John on matters involving industrial taxation, economic development, infrastructure and the future of our largest employers. And I believe that history deserves a closer examination. The General Motors Centre One of the projects now being criticized is the General Motors Centre, today known as the Tribute Communities Centre. Opened in 2006, this facility represented a significant investment in Oshawa’s recreational and entertainment infrastructure. It provided a modern home for the Oshawa Generals, community ice facilities, and a venue capable of hosting concerts, sporting events and other major gatherings. Was it expensive? Certainly. Were there legitimate debates about financing, operating costs and the responsibilities of municipal taxpayers? Absolutely. But a serious examination of the project should consider both the costs and the public facilities that were created. The same applies to the Legends Centre and other recreation investments made during that era. Municipal infrastructure is not simply an expense recorded in the year it is built. It is an asset intended to serve residents for decades. Protecting General Motors and Manufacturing Jobs This is where my own involvement becomes particularly relevant. During my time as Durham Region’s Chair of Finance, one of the major challenges we faced was the competitiveness of our large industrial employers.General Motors was the economic backbone of Oshawa. Its operations supported thousands of direct jobs and an enormous network of suppliers, contractors and service businesses. John Gray understood the importance of maintaining a competitive environment for manufacturing. Working at the regional level, we advanced changes to the large industrial property tax structure to help keep Durham competitive with other Ontario jurisdictions. This was not simply political rhetoric. On November 22, 2006, John appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and spoke directly about the manufacturing economy and Durham’s decision to eliminate the large industrial tax class effective in 2007. He understood that municipal taxation, economic development and job retention were connected. That work involved multiple municipal and regional leaders, but I can personally attest to John’s involvement and his commitment to Oshawa’s industrial economy. Bringing the Durham Courthouse to Downtown Oshawa Another important chapter in Oshawa’s development was the decision to locate the new Durham Region Courthouse in downtown Oshawa. In December 2005, the Ontario government announced that the consolidated courthouse would be built in the city’s downtown. The project brought together court services previously spread across the region and ultimately delivered a modern facility with 33 courtrooms. The provincial government identified the courthouse as a major opportunity to stimulate downtown redevelopment, attract legal and professional services, and generate additional economic activity for surrounding businesses. John Gray was mayor when the location was announced, when construction began and when the completed facility was unveiled. He publicly recognized the importance of the investment to Oshawa’s downtown. Of course, this was a provincial project involving many participants. No mayor can claim sole credit for such an undertaking. But municipal leadership matters when provincial institutions are deciding where to invest, and the courthouse remains a substantial part of downtown Oshawa’s civic infrastructure. Building Relationships With Ontario Power Generation - There is another part of this history that I remember personally. During John’s time as mayor, he was already reaching out to Ontario Power Generation to develop stronger relationships and explore opportunities for an expanded office presence in Oshawa. I participated in discussions concerning those opportunities through my involvement in the nuclear sector. John recognized the importance of OPG as a major employer and economic institution in Durham Region. This was long before OPG’s much later announcement concerning its new corporate headquarters in Oshawa. It would be inaccurate to suggest that one individual or one administration secured that later decision. But the earlier outreach illustrates something important about economic development: relationships between municipalities and major employers are often built over many years. A municipality cannot wait until an investment opportunity is announced before beginning those conversations. Looking Beyond a Single Project The broader record also includes downtown revitalization planning, brownfield redevelopment initiatives and efforts to diversify Oshawa’s economic base. In his 2006 parliamentary testimony, John discussed the downtown Oshawa action plan, brownfield redevelopment and other economic development initiatives. Those were important subjects for a city whose identity and prosperity had long been closely tied to automobile manufacturing. Not every initiative produces its intended results. Not every municipal investment achieves its original financial projections. And no mayor makes every decision correctly. John Gray’s administration, like every administration, should be examined with that reality in mind. But judging an entire period of municipal leadership by attaching a price tag to one recreational facility tells only part of the story. The Value of Institutional Memory I have served in municipal government long enough to know that one of the most valuable resources a community possesses is the experience of people who have already dealt with major challenges. They remember why decisions were made, which options were considered, which relationships were established and what lessons were learned. That experience can be useful to the next generation of municipal leaders, whether those former officials hold elected office or not. John Gray was involved in an important period of Oshawa’s development, from recreation infrastructure and downtown investment to industrial competitiveness and relationships with major employers.His record includes decisions that deserve scrutiny, as well as projects and initiatives that deserve recognition. For Oshawa’s next mayor, the lessons of that period are worth understanding. History should not be rewritten to suit an election campaign. Nor should it be reduced to a single dollar figure on a social media advertisement. It should be examined in its entirety. And when we do that, we give residents something far more valuable than another political argument. We give them the facts needed to understand how their city was built. John Mutton, known as “Mr. X,” is the former Mayor of Clarington, former Chair of Finance for Durham Region, and Chair of the Ontario Nuclear New Build Council.