Long-standing calls for the widening of Highway 40, pot shops, and infrastructure needs are among the many issues Sarnia councillors will raise with provincial officials this week.
Councillors have a total of 10 virtual Zoom meetings with 10 ministries as part of this year's Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference.
Mike Stark and Brian White will ask Transportation Minister Carolyn Mulroney to approve the widening of Highway 40 to four lanes through Sarnia to improve safety, enhance the movement of goods, and support development growth.
Councillor White will also ask Attorney General Doug Downey for more local control over the number and location of retail cannabis outlets, arguing that clusters of pot shops can negatively impact neighbourhoods.
Other issues to be raised Monday and Tuesday include increased funding to address Sarnia's $300 million plus infrastructure deficit, new methods of calculating property taxes, downtown development, and local climate change initiatives.