2025 is not off to a great start as City Hall has lost another planner.
Janielle Duffus, who has been with the city for less than a year, has decided to leave.
Another planner taking off for greener pastures will not come as a surprise to many. As the eighth-fastest growing municipality in Canada, the Thorold planning department faces considerable amounts of pressure.
"The Planning Division continues to face challenges as staff struggle to maintain a healthy work/life balance due to the high demands of development coupled with frequent legislative changes," City Hall wrote, in an email in October to ThoroldToday. "Management is reviewing opportunities to improve the work environment and support recruitment and retention.”
Back in January, a City Hall report stated that 50% of positions within the Planning Division were vacant as a result of the exodus of employees.
That’s why City Hall decided to contract a third party to handle planning applications, “in efforts to mitigate interruptions to service delivery.”
Duffus’ departure will still be felt by the city’s Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity Committee, of which she was the staff liaison.
The situation was briefly discussed during a committee meeting on Friday morning.
“Unfortunately we need to announce again that the city’s latest staff liaison Janielle Duffus has left the city,” said Committee Chair Mark Freeman. “Do you have any updates in regards to filling this position for the liaison?”
“At this time we won’t be having one right now as the planning department needs to get some more staff for that,” answered city clerk Justin Letourneau.
Any planners looking for a job, should keep an eye on the city’s website.