The 19 Pledges That Shaped Sudbury's Future

Mayor Paul Lefebvre's 2022 civic election campaign was marked by 19 specific pledges, each one a promise to the people of Sudbury. And, as Sudbury.com has counted, every single one of those pledges has been worked toward,with 17 either achieved or still being actively pursued.

The remaining two pledges, however, are a different story. While Lefebvre's target for the arena/event centre project was tentatively off by a wide margin, he remains committed to living within the budget maximum. And, as for the electric buses, the city's projected cost has soured on the idea, but Lefebvre remains hopeful that the technology will improve in the future.

A Familiar Pattern from the 2019 Crash

The arena/event centre project is a familiar story in Sudbury's history. In 2019, the city council cancelled the Kingsway Entertainment District municipal event centre due to rising costs. And, now, with the new downtown event centre and $135 million in new debt, it's clear that the city is taking a different approach. But, as Lefebvre said, 'we need to live within or below that budget maximum.'

The city's decision to proceed with a new build, despite exceeding the cost limit, is a testament to Lefebvre's commitment to listening to the experts and taking their advice seriously.. And, as he said, 'by doing it properly with a brand-new event centre, the city would create the stronger downtown hub council sought.'

The $135 Million Question

The $135 million in additional debt is still to be secured,and Lefebvre is hopeful that the city can bring this total down as much as possible. A staff report is expected to come forward during the June 23 city council meeting, which will outline an updated debt financing strategy.

The Unnamed Buyer

While the city's decision to proceed with the new event centre is a major step forward , there is still one question that remains unanswered : who is the unnamed buyer that will be securing the $135 million in additional debt? As Sudbury.com reported, the city's decision to approve the $200-million downtown event centre and $135 million in new debt was a unanimous one, but the details of the financing strategy remain unclear.