2026 Municipal Election: West Grey Candidate Q + A

I still have more to offer the Municipality as it continues to grow.

I have been Mayor for 16 years and the experience and knowledge that I have gained in those years is valuable. I still willing to use that for the betterment of my community.

The knowledge and history of the community that I have gained will be an asset going forward but even more is my understanding that I don’t know it all and my ability to listen and learn always.

Budget responsibly and continue to deliver our community services as needed and cost effectively.

I think we are where we should be. This last term has been difficult, but I believe we are back on track after the previous term was extremely chaotic.

Growth. Population, Residential, Industrial, Commercial.

As a local tier government, we already are doing our part in a transit system. We build and maintain the road system. Regional transit should be an income sharing which property tax is not, so Provincial dollars and or Federal dollars are necessary to fund any shortfalls in the system. I have rarely used any transit system and that is why I look forward to what professional are going to suggest.

Make the tough calls, we have built some extras wants into the community that are just that, wants not necessarily needs.

Make sure our provincial government has the energy to run them. Identify what we should supply and what the Centres are required to do for themselves. If they are free enterprise ventures, then the municipality should be free of cost burden.

Again, stay in our lane. We can deliver the social services, but we must make sure who is responsible for paying for it. Property tax is not the ones that should be holding the financial burden that is a provincial/Federal dollar issue.

Continue to work with our Provincial partners (ministry of Health) to understand the importance of rural health care and the need of these facilities to deliver their mandate of universal access to local health care.

The tax increases over the past four years are simply unsustainable. Furthermore, our community faces critical infrastructure needs that require immediate planning and action. West Grey needs strong fiscal management that delivers the concrete, reliable results our residents deserve. I possess a deep understanding of municipal budgets, a clear vision of how council decisions impact everyday households, and a proven commitment to representing West Grey’s unique needs. I have the perseverance and tenacity required to confront tough issues head-on. If elected, I will prioritize strategic budgeting and sound policies to maintain our rich local history while effectively preparing us for the future.

I served as a municipal councillor from 2016 to 2022 and hold a degree in Political Science. This background provides me with both the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary to navigate local government effectively. I have the strength and determination to ask the difficult questions, ensuring that all angles are thoroughly considered before tax dollars are spent. My focus remains entirely on putting our community before politics!!

An effective decision-maker must bridge the gap between residents and municipal operations. I actively seek public input and consistently engage with staff to fully understand the operational realities of our municipality. By keeping a steady eye on long-term goals and planning ahead, I ensure that I connect all the dots and review the full data picture before casting a vote.

The most impactful action a municipality can take is to keep property taxes affordable. This allows long-time residents, seniors, and families to securely remain in their own homes without being priced out by local government spending.

Over the last four years, West Grey property taxes have surged by 27.4 per cent, while Grey County taxes have increased by 17 per cent. In a climate where the cost of everything else is skyrocketing, these combined hikes are making homeownership unaffordable. We can no longer afford a “business as usual” mindset. Grey County’s 2026 budget discussions already highlight severe pressures from unrealized development growth. We must be incredibly strategic with our local investments. Parking taxpayer money in reserve funds that garner a mere 2.25 to 3.6 per cent return fails to keep pace with inflation (20:33). Every dollar spent must directly benefit the community’s core infrastructure and service needs.

The single most critical issue facing West Grey is the maintenance, rebuilding, and preservation of our bridges and roads. These core infrastructure assets are expensive undertakings, but our elders recognized them as necessary investments for a thriving community. As temporary stewards of this land, it is our responsibility to maintain and protect what is already here. While infrastructure maintenance may not offer flashy ribbon-cutting ceremonies, bridges and roads are the literal lifelines of our community. They provide the vital connections and linkages that keep West Grey united, accessible, and economically resilient.

A successful regional transit system must focus on practicality, regional connectivity, and equitable cost-sharing. It should feature coordinated, multi-county routes that seamlessly link smaller rural communities like West Grey to major regional hubs, employment centers, and medical services. Funding for this system should be built on a sustainable, multi-tiered model: Intergovernmental Partnerships: Heavily leveraging federal and provincial transit grants to shield local property taxpayers from bearing the brunt of the capital costs. Proportional Municipal Contributions: Funding from Grey county scaled to service usage and population density. Public-Private Alliances: Exploring partnerships with local employers or commercial hubs that benefit directly from increased transit access.

We can secure our infrastructure without overburdening our taxpayers by implementing a strategic, three-pronged financial and operational plan: Dedicated Infrastructure Funding: We must allocate 100% of our Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) dollars exclusively toward the repair and replacement of bridges and roads. Maximizing Aggregate Fees: We should advocate for and direct all locally distributed fees collected by The Ontario Aggregate Resources Corporation (TOARC) – where local municipalities receive 61% and upper-tier receive 15% – straight into our local bridge and road infrastructure. Proactive Budgeting and Tendering: Council needs to give West Grey staff clear, forward-looking budget commitments for the upcoming fiscal year. By knowing Council’s long-term commitment to infrastructure, staff can prepare plans and issue tenders early. This avoids project delays and secures better pricing. For the past 20 years, West Grey has lacked a cohesive, long-term plan. We must commit to these foundational needs today to guarantee seamless connectivity for our emergency services. When minutes equate to lives lost, detour routes due to closed bridges are simply too dangerous.

Preparation must happen through a unified, county-wide regulatory framework. West Grey should champion and align with the upcoming Grey County Official Plan 2027, establishing clear policies and identifying appropriate zones for data center developments across the entire county. By taking a collaborative, regional approach, we ensure consistent rules for energy use, water consumption, and land zoning. This proactive planning prevents individual municipalities from lowering standards or compromising local resources, ensuring we don’t pit neighbor against neighbor, thus creating a high standard to do business.

Municipalities can increase housing supply by cutting administrative red tape and offering financial incentives for higher-density developments. Key actions include: Accelerating Permit Approvals: Issuing building permits in a timely fashion directly reduces carrying costs for builders, which helps lower the final cost of housing. Negotiating Development Charges: Municipalities can waive or reduce development charges for projects that exceed a specific density threshold (e.g., developments with more than 4 units), making affordable and multi-family projects more financially viable.By Leveraging Municipal Land to lease surplus municipal property to non-profit housing providers.

Protecting hospital services requires sustainable local funding, strategic advocacy, and professional, collaborative communication between council members and healthcare stakeholders. To de-escalate past tensions and protect care, the municipality can take several tangible steps: Maintain and Optimize Financial Support: West Grey currently allocates a specific portion of annual per-capita funding from its municipal budget to support local healthcare infrastructure. $1-2 per resident. Foster a Collaborative Council Culture: Moving past previous friction requires a fundamental culture shift at the council table. Council must approach healthcare discussions with a unified focus on long-term community wellness rather than short-term political friction. Deploy Critical Communication and De-escalation: Past frustrations have unfortunately escalated to threatening behavior. Council must actively use critical communication skills to de-escalate tensions, keeping meetings professional, objective, and focused strictly on actionable policy. Community above politics! Align Infrastructure with Demographics: Municipal leaders must continuously advocate to provincial authorities to ensure that hospital infrastructure scales with the changing needs of the community, particularly as West Grey’s population ages, vulnerable populations increased needs and population growth. Establish a Healthcare Liaison Taskforce: Creating a structured, regular dialogue between municipal staff, provincial officials, and hospital administration removes ambiguity and builds a reliable framework.

I bring 8 years of experience to the Council table and have a world of knowledge on the issues that we need to address in the next term and beyond. I have worked exceptionally well with our staff as well as stakeholders in our community. Understanding the priorities that our Municipality needs both short term and long term and how to achieve these goals is top of my list.

I bring 8 years experience as the Deputy Mayor as well as 8 years experience as a Grey County Council Member. I have sat on a variety of Boards over the past 8 years and have a deep understanding of each one of them. My current list is below:

Experience Matters!

Chair- SVCA
Chair- Elmwood Joint Fire Board
Vice Chair Grey County PEDAC
Vice Chair- Saugeen Municipal Airport
Chair- Committee of Adjustments-West Grey
Member of Long Term Care Redevelopment Task Force
Long Term Care Committee of Management

In addition to the list of Political knowledge, I bring over 40 years of business background with the past 20 years as President of my own Logistics Company.

I show up at all meetings prepared and ready to work. I do the background work and research what is required when difficult decisions are made in Council. I am bound by Integrity, honesty, transparency and have the utmost respect for the democratic process we follow for making these decisions.

The Municipality continues to look for cost savings across all departments so we can pass these savings unto the ratepayers. Looking at all options for building attainable and affordable housing. We cannot change things that are out of our control (gas, insurance, groceries, hydro to list a few of a very long list)

West Grey taxes are amongst the lowest in Grey County. Out of the 9 Towns, Townships and Municipalities, West Grey is 3rd lowest on the list. We need more Industry and Commercial growth to offset the burden on our Residential levy.

The largest issue in West Grey is bridges. We have 114 structures, many of them are at the end of their lifespan. Replacing bridges with culverts where we can, utilizing prefabricated structures as they are generally much lower in price and if necessary replacing some structures that are closed from double lanes to single lanes.

Regional Transit should connect rural and urban communities and have the capability to connect to other routes that can connect to other services that may be required for further distances. The Province has OTIF that will cover a good portion of the start up, the balance will be collected through taxes and ridership fees. We will need more information from staff to provide us with a clearer picture of what the long term financial impact will be once the Provincial support ends.

Searching for all grant opportunities is one way to address this. The demand on services from our ratepayers is something we need and want to deliver. Growing our community with more Industry and Commercial will increase our tax base and will relieve some of the pressure on our Residential levy.

To stay ahead of the artificial intelligence starts with small controlled pilots and investing in training of our Staff and Council. We need to invest in cyber security and build policies to stay ahead of this next phase coming at us.

Affordable/Attainable housing needs Council to support our developers where we can and help connect them to the variety of grants that are available. Fast tracking the process of subdivision agreements is another method that we continue to modernize. Get the infrastructure they need in place so that the developments are shovel ready.

As Vice Chair of the Durham Hospital Foundation, we have a very healthy relationship with the SBGHC. Three years ago when we lost the inpatient beds, we remained neutral and advocated for other opportunities in the Health Care that our hospital could provide. The centralized services is the Provinces direction and we have been able to add these specialized services to our portfolio. The Foundation with the support of our community and other stakeholders is 85% of the way to our bricks and mortar new X-Ray Suite. This is a significant investment into our hospital that will enhance the services of our ER, provide our Doctors with updated equipment they need and of course support our new Rockwood Terrace that opens the summer of 2027.

I’m running because West Grey is more then a place to live, it home. I care deeply about the people, families.and communities that make it special. I want to give back, listen to residents and help build a string future for West Grey.

I’ve been on council for the current term. Appointed to Elmwood Community Centre board and the Library Board. 2018-2022 was on the Neustadt recreation committee and the Garden and Green spaces as chair on both. Have also been involved with the Neustadt Agricultural Society for 9 years. 4 years as president.

I’ve been on council for the current term. Appointed to Elmwood Community Centre board and the Library Board. 2018-2022 was on the Neustadt recreation committee and the Garden and Green spaces as chair on both. Have also been involved with the Neustadt Agricultural Society for 9 years. 4 years as president.

Work on providing more opportunities for lower cost hosing. Allowing more in farm business. And industrial to create more jobs right here in West Grey.

I believe tax rates should start moving closer to inflation and cost of living adjustments.

Road bridges and infrastructure.

From what I’ve seen routes aren’t in the West Grey area.

West Grey has a 10 year bridge plan. Where we add one percent from new growth in tax base to put towards our bridge budget Adding approximately $14000 a year to bridge budget.

Data centers use huge amounts of power and water for cooling and take jobs from.people. change zoning so that they wouldn’t be allowed in West Grey.

West just changed zoning bylaws allowing for smaller houses. Granny flats and second homes on properties.

West Grey joined a legal case trying to save our local hospital. We weren’t able to keep the bed. But have kept the er open 12 hours a day. Council continues to advocate for better health services in Durham when we attend Amo and Roma conferences.

West Grey is home. I’ve lived, worked, and volunteered here in Neustadt and around the municipality. I’m running because I want to give back to the place that’s given me a lot. What I keep hearing at the park, at the store, on the road is people just want to be listened to before Council decides. I want to be that person at the table who listens first.

I’m not a career politician. I’ve served on a few boards locally and nationally, and most of that work is pretty unglamorous. I was successful because I showed up, did the reading, worked with different personalities, balanced a budget, and followed through on what you said you’d do. Between that, our small business and volunteering here, I’ve learned how to manage money, be part of a team, and respect different viewpoints. That’s most of municipal work.

I’ll ask the questions other people might not. I’ll listen, I’ll look at what something costs and what it means for the community in 10 years, and I’ll make a decision I can explain to my neighbour. Fair, consistent, and focused on West Grey as a whole.

We can’t control inflation at the municipal office, but we can control waste. Keeping services close saves families time and money. Real affordability is having predictable tax increases. We need to show support for local community groups, our local shops and keep our arenas, libraries, and halls open.

The line I hear every day is “we’re paying more and getting less.” I get it. My approach is simple: needs before wants. Fix and maintain what we already have – roads, bridges, equipment – find the efficiencies, and be straight with people about what things cost and why.

Trying to do three big things at once – fix our aging roads and buildings, handle some growth, and keep it affordable without losing what makes West Grey rural. Durham is not Ayton, Elmwood is not Neustadt. We need to maintain what we have, plan properly for what we need, and not dump it all on the taxpayer.

It has to be practical. Nobody here needs a big-city bus system. We need something reliable for work, school, and medical appointments. Start small, build it with Grey and Bruce County, get the province and feds to help pay for it, and don’t fund it all off local taxes.

You do it the boring way. Prioritize. Have a long-term asset plan and actually stick to it. Maintain things so they last longer. Go after every grant we can. Make sure growth pays for growth. And communicate better: less waste, more planning, less surprise.

That’s what the Official Plan and zoning are for. Clear rules that protect good farmland, our water, and the character of our villages. If a big development comes, we need to ask hard questions up front: can our roads, water, and wastewater handle it, and what does it do to the environment?

Municipally we can move faster on approvals and allow different types of homes that actually fit here… not just big single homes, but semis, duplexes, homes with suites that make sense in Durham and our villages. For truly attainable housing, we have to work with the County and the Province. We can’t do it alone.

We don’t run the hospital, but we can fight for it. That means advocating loudly for our Hospital and our clinics, and doing what we can locally to help recruit and keep doctors, nurses, and paramedics here.

Are you frustrated by watching the world go sideways? Take control of the wheel! It’s a small wheel. And you have six other sets of hands on it. And there’s a back seat full of staff who have ideas about which way is the short-cut – and there’s bylaw-bumps in the road no matter which way you steer – but come on – it’s lovely to get to put on the gas, right?

As an artist (performer/painter) I’ll be a creative member of the team, coming up with fresh ideas, outside of the box, maybe presented inside a metaphor (about driving) – AND – as a supply teacher with both Bluewater and the Catholic Boards – I’ll serve up some class management skills – good for council meetings/town halls/ and answering questions from strangers at the grocery store.

I have lived here for twenty years – ten on a gravel road – the next decade on a highway in an urban setting. The people know me, I know them. I am a very good driver.

1) Freeze taxes. 2) Lower the water/sewer bill. 3) Both

With an almost 30% tax hike over the last four years, it may be that we’re paying for the new police station? Maybe we save up for the next thing instead of paying for it later? It hurts less.

Infrastructure: closed bridges and roads make a bus ride to school three times longer for some kids, and harder for our fi re and policing services to get to us in a timely manner.

Funded by the county/province/federal partnership under a green umbrella with a nominal user fee to ensure respect for the driver.

Use the sale of our land to Hanover to pay for the maintenance schedule already drawn up by our fine staff.

I believe it is now called “Super” Intelligence. Nothing fake about it. It’s an opportunity to have Data Centre Operators contribute to our communities in meaningful and generous ways – meaning, lower or NO taxes!

Drive harder deals with developers – mixed use, mixed income. Mix it up!

Keep bringing in new equipment, which brings in experts, which may bring back the beds. It’s a trickle UP theory!

I want use my business and prior Council experience to make a difference in my community and I believe that Council is the best place to do that.

I served a term as Councillor in Southgate (2010-2014), and I have worked as a business analyst (professional problem-solver) and project manager in my business career.

My past experience as a business analyst and project manager, and my prior term as Councillor reinforced my ability to make sound decisions. When previously on Council, prior to meetings I read staff reports, did independent research, then at the meeting I listened to the information presented, asked questions, considered what the constituents had expressed, and made decisions based on information, not on my own feeling, or my own pet project. If elected, I will leverage this experience to make sound decisions for West Grey. I may not agree with all decisions that Council makes, but I will respect them because they are decided democratically.

Cost of living has increased across the board and affects everyone: citizens, businesses, and governments. The municipality can help to address cost of living concerns by supporting local initiatives such as the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force, Durham and District Food Bank, and Grey Bruce Good Food Box Program, as well as the service clubs that aid citizens with food insecurities or lack of stable housing.

The blended residential tax rate increase in 2026 is 3.17%. This is pretty much in line with the cost of living increase (Consumer Price Index) of 3.0% in August 2026. The municipality cannot drop the tax rate below the cost of living increase, and still maintain the essential services that they provide. Tax increases could be mitigated if the municipality increased the industrial / commercial tax base which would relieve the burden on the residential taxes.

Roads and bridges are the biggest issue facing WG. We have 700 km of roads (575 km of which are gravel), and 140 bridges and structures (a number of which are currently closed, and many more that are quickly approaching end of life). The costs associated with road maintenance (grading, patching, snow removal) and replacement / repair of bridges are the largest portion of the operating budget (25.8%). As we all know, gas prices have increased significantly recently, as have material costs such as gravel, which makes maintenance even more costly.

A regional transit system should be scaled based on usage and need (size of vehicle, number of routes, operating hours and frequency of runs). Specialized bussing for those with accessibility needs would also need to be continued (e.g., Saugeen Mobility service). Funding for such a program should be a combination of user-pay, as well as municipality, county and provincial funding.

Increasing the industrial / commercial tax base would relieve the burden on residential taxes. The municipality should look into establishing an industrial park, and attracting manufacturing businesses to locate in West Grey. This would increase our industrial tax base and ease the burden on the residential tax base. The municipality should also hire an Economic Development Officer (EDO) who can assist with this.

Council should request that the Municipal Planner review the zoning bylaw and present a report to Council regarding data centres and whether they are currently allowed in any zone. The language of the zoning bylaw should be strengthened to ensure it is not allowed without a zoning amendment which would require Council approval. The municipality should do a risk/impact analysis of data centres including contacting other municipalities who have gone through this process. In addition, they should do a survey and/or hold town halls to allow the public to express their opinions about having an AI data centre development in WG.

The municipality recently updated their Zoning Bylaw to allow Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) / accessory apartments on all residential properties (the number of ADUs allowed differs depending on the property zoning), and they reduced the minimum building size to allow for tiny homes. Also, farm properties can potentially sever a portion of land (depending on the property size, prior severances, and MDS set backs) to allow a small or tiny home to be located on it for a younger family member to assist them in getting into the real estate market. These are all currently on the books. What the municipality can do further is to perhaps provide tax incentives or lower the cost for municipal fees / permits for a property owner who builds an ADU (affordable housing).

The municipality could provide incentives to build a wellness centre in West Grey which could be used to attract primary health practitioners, nurses, mental health workers, dieticians, dentists / dental hygienists, alternative medicines, etc to locate here. The increase in usage locally would indicate to Ontario Health that there is a need for a fully functioning hospital in West Grey. An EDO could help with this process and with attracting health practitioners.

I am seeking re-election to West Grey Council to preserve our valued community traditions while actively responding to our municipality’s evolving challenges. I’ve lived in West Grey for over 35-years, and I care deeply about the future of our urban centres and rural areas alike. With several councillors retiring, we can expect to see some new faces around the table. I look forward to their enthusiasm and to hearing fresh ideas. At the same time, I believe my experience is vital to ensuring continuity, identifying local economic opportunities, avoiding costly pitfalls, and keeping a firm, responsible handle on our budget.

My experience includes serving on council for the past two terms (and one term back in 2003-2006) including extensive leadership across key local and regional committees. As an incumbent councillor, I have a proven track record of answering constituent calls, meeting residents on-site, and collaborating respectfully with colleagues to find solutions. My collaborative experience includes serving on: Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, West Grey Accessibility Committee, Library Board, Police Board. I volunteered with: Durham Hospital Foundation, Save the Hospital Campaign, Grey-Bruce Poverty Reduction Task Force, Provincial Waste/Recycling Task Force.

I have proven that being open-minded and engaging in direct dialogue produces the best real-world results for our residents. An effective decision maker does not just sit in council chambers; they take action. I have demonstrated this effectiveness by standing up for community voices regarding gravel pits in a delegation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and by stepping in to renew municipal support for the Durham Fitness Centre when they felt their 27-year relationship with the town was in jeopardy. I was instrumental in kick-starting community gardens in Durham and managing crucial resident files like the Durham Creek remediation and Allan Park traffic calming.

Municipalities must act as a bridge to ensure citizens can easily access relief programs that already exist but are often difficult to navigate. For example, a senior citizen on the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) may be eligible to have their property taxes reduced. While this is a county program, it is managed by lower-tier municipalities like West Grey. As a councillor, I view proactive constituent outreach – helping residents find and unlock these cost-saving municipal and county services – as a top priority.

Our council must maintain fair, predictable, and responsible budgets and taxes. Tax increases must be strictly managed, especially as we adapt to the provincial shift toward “Strong Mayor Powers,” where the mayor drafts the budget and council requires a 2/3 majority to demand changes. I believe budgeting and balancing priorities should be done in the full light of day, to ensure our tax rates are defendable to the taxpayer while matching the service priorities important to our citizens.

We must heavily protect and invest in our industrial, commercial, agricultural, and tourism sectors – noting that West Grey is currently one of the only municipalities in Grey County without a dedicated economic development staff member.

The number one issue is balancing responsible fiscal management (taxes) with critical infrastructure renewal(bridges)!

A regional transit system spanning Bruce, Grey, Dufferin, and Wellington must prioritize connecting our smaller urban centres to major regional hubs, employment areas, and medical services. Funding should rely heavily on provincial transit infrastructure grants so the burden doesn’t fall squarely on property taxpayers. Locally, we must maximize strategic municipal and county partnerships and look at creative revenue pooling to support integrated regional infrastructure.

We must stop relying solely on property taxes and start driving proactive revenue generation and targeted funding. The province boasts that it is holding down income and sales tax, while also advertising that they are reducing municipal fees like development charges on new houses. This ties our hands and forces municipalities to lean even harder on property taxes.

We can take advantage of rare opportunities, such as the 20 years of funding we will receive from the Hanover boundary adjustment and invest in economic development to boost our urban centres like Neustadt, Durham and Ayton and grow our industrial and commercial tax base.

AI data centre developments are a significant hot button issue across Ontario, presenting severe pressures on local energy grids, immense water usage, and community disruptions. Preparation starts with smart zoning, robust economic development planning, and infrastructure readiness. West Grey must approach these possibilities not with blind enthusiasm, but with diligence, oversight, and clear boundaries. Any potential development must explicitly benefit our citizens, not strain them. We must ensure that massive commercial energy demands never lead to increased utility costs for local households.

West Grey can continue to stimulate housing growth by speeding up permits, encouraging higher density or multi-unit builds that can support rentals, and exploring the commercial and residential balance in our urban centres. The introduction of Accessory Dwelling Units allows homeowners to construct up to two additional residences on their property, such as “granny-flats.” This can facilitate inter-generational transfers of agricultural properties and create more housing generally. Of course, the county is responsible for building supported housing (including rent geared to income) but we encourage them wherever we can by waiving permit and development fees.

The protection of hospital services requires relentless municipal advocacy and active local support. I have put this into practice by volunteering with the Durham Hospital Foundation to personally meet and host potential doctors to bring them to our area. Municipalities must keep continuous pressure on the province, which is ultimately responsible for healthcare. I speak to Ministers whenever I can about our need to reinstate hospital beds and 24-hour ER services. My work with the Save the Hospital Campaign shows that I will always stand with residents to keep our local healthcare services secure and fully operational.

I’m running again for councilor because I feel there is a gap in representation of rural landowners. I also feel that when it comes to decision making, there is a pervasive authority at the provincial level that directs staff’s recommendations, which in turns influences council’s decision. I’m looking to reassert the authority of the people in a bottom-up style of governance.

I did fall into politics in university as the President of the Image Arts student union. I’ve worked in team-based environments my whole life, either on a film set, in the trades, or in the military. As president of the Saugeen Regional Landowners Association, we have done delegations to council and participated in public consultations on proposed legislation. Combing carefully through legislation is a big part of what our association does on a regular basis.

I’m pretty good about challenging points of view and asking critical questions – a skill I developed in documentary filmmaking. I have a habit of going against the grain and challenging perceived consensus, even if it means going against the pressures of the establishment. I tend to look at the side that is not being represented as much, and ensure that it gets a fair argument at the table.

Four years ago I said we should lower the minimum square footage for a new home build in West Grey. That was just proposed by the planning department this year, as part of a provincial directive. I think we should encourage small severances off of rural land, so young families can start their own life and get a mortgage on a new build.

We’re at 1.53% for residential, which has us as the lower taxed half of the Grey County municipalities. I’m happy to keep us in that lower half bracket. Ideally, we keep the tax rate at the minimum level we can manage while still maintaining our municipal commitments. Higher tax rates is gentrification in my opinion, so I think we need to keep our financial commitments modest to help tax affordability.

Infrastructure is always the main issue in rural areas, but at this time I think a big issue is our aggregate resource and how we manage it. There is a lot of interest in commercial extraction of our aggregate, and if we don’t have a plan to manage it, it will be a corporate gravel rush that pockmarks our landscape without a sensible zoning strategy. The province has ultimate veto power, so we have to work with big aggregate to ensure provincial projections are met, while protecting out natural features that make West Grey the desirable home and destination it is.

That’s a big question. I completed the transit survey earlier this year. It is very challenging to have transit options in a rural area. Ideally, it would be funded by the province, but I don’t see long term continuity without consistent subsidization. The Guelph to Owen Sound line is a good option, to extend the limits of GO transit. I took that bus once from Guelph and got off at Dornoch with my suitcase, then hitchhiked to Mulock Road. I do believe that picking up hitchhikers is a component of transit. If someone needs a ride, I don’t mind giving it if its on the way.

As everything gets more expensive whether we like it or not, we have to raise taxes a little bit each year just to keep the same services. Raising the taxes a little bit each year is how we prevent large tax hikes in one year, trying to play catch up.
In terms of cost savings, we need to explore using culverts as an alternative to traditional bridge replacement. The cost can be half as much, which gets twice as many bridges done. Or we fix the same rate of bridges and keep taxes down.

I think we need to do some research on AI data centres and the ramifications of developments on resources, jobs, environment and energy use. They seem to be big energy and water hogs, without providing many jobs after the construction period.

We can approve and encourage small severances off of rural land, so new homeowners can build a small home on a modest piece of land. I also support multi-level apartments that densifies downtown.

That one is out of our hands to some degree, as our health system is a private not-for-profit corporation that seems to play outside the requirements of the Ontario Health Act. I went to the meetings, town halls, rallies, even to Queens Park, but to no avail. The most unfortunate thing is that we have nurses who want to work but are forbidden because of a well out-dated Covid-19 vaccination policy. I am so disappointed in how the SBGHC has managed our hospital, and if I could change policies and get full time service back, I would.

I’m very disappointed in some of Council’s decisions this term, especially in significant areas – Durham Hospital Closure, Aggregate Zoning, Tax Assessment to name 3 big ones. They had information to make the right decision but chose either not to use it, or ignored it. Another area of huge concern is Financial Management. The Tax Increases during this term were unreasonable. Look to my response to Question 5, where I outline my concern(s) in more detail in.

I have municipal governance experience as a West Grey Councillor 2018 – 22. Having this experience means I can be effective immediately should I be elected as a Councillor.

First, I have the skills and experience to do the job! I’m a past West Grey Councillor. In my pre-retirement career, I either directly managed, or had a strong affiliation with, a vast majority of the same or similar West Grey Operational areas, such as Facilities, Asset Management, Finance, Legal, Purchasing, IT, etc., which I also did as a past Councillor. West Grey also is challenged providing equitable service and support to its multiple settlement areas in West Grey. In my past career I successfully managed my areas of responsibility in 3 offices (Toronto, Montreal, Halifax), in 3 provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia), all having significantly different ways, laws and outlooks, so I’m very familiar with having to deal with such situations!

The Municipality can look for ways to minimize their Tax Levy in times like now!! With COVID just ending at the beginning of their term, and the instability in the world since, plus the Tariffs and threats from the US now, everyone is already stretched thin – financially. As part of the regular Budgeting and Operational processes I expect the Municipality to look at the state of the general economy and take it into account as part of their processes. I’m very disappointed Council has approved budget increases totaling over 27% in their 4 year term, especially when the Mayor ran for election last term saying he couldn’t see any reason for Property Tax increases over 3%!

I believe the Budget increases over the last 4 years are unsustainable. As noted earlier, the average for the first 3 years is approximately 8%, with the election year increase being 3.2%, an over 27% increase over 4 years, in addition to the high increases residents are already facing in higher costs for basic, everyday necessities caused by the instability in the world! Also, I encountered many residents complaining about the condition of West Grey roads and bridges, along with receiving poor service from West Grey in many cases, so were wondering how their taxes were being spent. Collectively, very disappointing to say the least!

Financial Management! When all is said and done, the budgets and financial decisions made by Council must provide stability and meet the needs of West Grey Residents, Businesses, and Farmers. This Council’s Property Tax Increases do exactly the opposite. In addition, in the past, West Grey has not been able to raise sufficient funds from their Tax Levy to cover the costs of Operations. Therefore, additional funding comes from an unrestricted (could be used for anything) Provincial Grant which could otherwise be used to address the shortfalls in funding in other areas, like roads, bridges, etc.
Translated, this means if the Province stopped providing the unrestricted grant, West Grey would be in a deficit position! Given all the changes occurring at the Province, this is my huge concern !!

Respectfully this question cannot reasonably be answered in the limitations of this document. However, at a high level, any Regional transit system must ensure it meets the agreed upon needs of all involved parties, and be funded equitably, based on the level of service being provided to each party.

First, I’d suggest setting a goal of moving towards bringing the Expenses and Revenue in line, so there is no longer a gap between the two – meaning, no chance of a deficit. Once the Goal is established, I’d further suggest a total, detailed review of the Municipality’s Financial position, processes, services, funding formulas and/or sources, to determine where the changes can be made to meet the Goal. These 2 steps would be followed by implementing the identified changes, to complete the review.

Frankly, this will not be an immediate issue for West Grey given the lack of hydro in the area, which we were told in 2022 was not planned to change in the near future! However, if West Grey is looking for more sources of Revenue, they should continue discussions with Hydro as it takes quite a few years (minimum of 6 elapsed) to go through the entire process, which I learned by sitting through the meetings during my last term on Council. Should you not be accepted during the process you can re-apply for the next round, but that’s another up to 6 year elapsed process.

There are options, such as dropping Development Charges to make it less costly for the developer, but can West Grey, or other small Municipalities afford to offer that? I doubt it, In my opinion, given West Grey’s financial situation, I can’t see West Grey being able to offer subsidies to developers, first because it wouldn’t have the funds, secondly as Grey County has that responsibility in support of all the municipalities in Grey County. West Grey should approach Grey County for assistance.

This is a sore point with me!! West Grey Council had what I believe was the opportunity to win its Judicial Review court case, but chose not to use the solid evidence I gave them to win it! And, sorry, I still don’t know why! So instead of possibly still having a full operational Hospital, Durham Hospital (if it really can be called that!) now has limited services, with more change in the future?? My fear is many local residents who used Durham Hospital will transition to other area hospitals, since that’s where they will be taken in many of their emergency situations, because Durham Hospital either is closed, or no longer offers the needed services. Should this happen, I suspect Durham Hospital will become a Clinic of sorts, or close entirely. The question then becomes what happens to the local Medical Clinic (Family Doctors) and Pharmacy!! This was my biggest disappointment with the current Council! Is the new Council willing to look at this again – we’ll have to wait and see!