2026 Municipal Election: The Blue Mountains Candidate Q + A

I grew up in Clarksburg, and now live in Craigleith, an area that has been underrepresented on Council. I want The Town of Blue Mountains to remain a place where people can build a life, raise a family and age and be cared for locally with dignity. My Mom Barb was a nurse at Errinrung and a tireless volunteer at the Beaver Valley Outreach.  My Dad Peter Moreau was a councillor who not only built his namesake Moreau Park, but was also a lead fundraiser for the Arena and The LE Shore Library. In word and deed they instilled in us a sense of duty to give back to this community.

As mayor, I would set a respectful, collaborative tone at Town Hall with Council Staff and Residents. I’m running because I care deeply about this town and its future, and I am uniquely positioned to create the team we need to protect our character and charm.

Hiring and retention is a crucial challenge for our Town right now as we are missing a Treasurer, Director of Planning and Director of Operations. I bring more than 25 years of experience leading teams and building business partnerships, at places like Rogers Sportsnet and CTV. My experience is bringing people together around a shared goal. It takes respectful listening, clear responsibilities and prompt follow-through. Those skills matter in municipal government, where Council, staff, residents and community partners must work together.

My lifelong connection to this area also gives me a personal understanding of why protecting our unique character and natural assets matters as we plan for the future.

Every member of Council deserves a voice, and I am a consensus builder. My role as mayor would be to help Council reach sound decisions, and to communicate clearly to residents. Then be diligent with our follow through. I am an expert at creating highly successful teams. Being an experienced business person and a Mother of four boys, I know there are times when you just need to say “no.” I also have a talent for bringing good people who’ve stopped talking to each other to the table. Council needs that right now.

I am the only candidate with extensive experience hiring, retaining and restructuring in the private sector.

I am the only candidate with experience as a student, a ski racing mom, a weekender, a business owner, a caregiver to a parent that has downsized and then in long-term care,right  here, in this municipality. The next council needs to make decisions that will affect our ability to attract younger people, families and the ability to age in place.

My opponents run small businesses in Vaughan and other than politics have not worked in this community. On the other hand, I have deep family roots in Clarksburg and Thornbury, I have worked over a dozen jobs here.  I  also have  long standing connections with the seasonal and ski communities in Craigleith.  The result is I usually know multiple experts on any issue locally.

A town can’t fix inflation, but it can influence some of your costs like your tax bill, your water bill and your cost and ability to get around.

My goal is to keep taxes as flat as possible. The Town’s 2026 levy is $24.6 million, and before I would add to it, I want the top finance job filled and the infrastructure asset forecasts updated to our current economy. In sum, we need to hire a Treasurer!

For the water bill I would prioritize hiring a Director of Operations and Planning immediately. Our projects and staff need the expertise to avoid overruns, continue to replace pipes and further reduce our 25% loss of water. This council has expressed interest in a Municipal Services Corporation and that will also need expertise to analyze.

The town can work toward addressing the missing middle of housing but that will take time. We need to hire a Director of Planning. Something that can make a difference immediately is better transportation, ideally point-to-point transportation. A ride that you can book on your phone would help workers, seniors and anyone without a car.

Again, my view is to keep taxes as flat as possible. Three things make that possible. First, fill the top finance job and the two other empty director chairs. Second, redo the forecasts: the ten-year plan was built during a building boom that has cooled, and building permit revenue is already under budget this year. Third, one budget per project, with checkpoints, and senior management and regular reports to council.

Because we have such expensive real estate we have significant tax revenues from property tax. Over time, room for light industry and home-based businesses would broaden the base and ease the load on homeowners.

The number one issue is whether Town Hall has enough senior skill to steer us well. Our Mayor has been often absent from Town while serving as Warden. Combine this with three of our most important roles that are vacant: Treasurer, Director of Operations and the Director of Planning. We need senior expertise and a team builder at the helm of council. I’d also draw on our long-time residents and retired executives, a deep bench of experience. A weekly video update on social media would improve communication to residents.

Solutions to our finance and infrastructure challenges can only be solved if those jobs are filled. I am the only candidate with a lengthy track record of recruiting, reorganizing and retaining staff in a large and complicated organization.

Transit should get people to work, the doctor, school and groceries. Grey County’s Highway 26 bus stopped on March 31, 2025, when provincial funding ended. I’d work with our neighbours to bring that link back and press Grey County to plan with Simcoe County.

In town, I’d push to test on-demand rides you book on your phone by spring 2027, including rides to medical appointments. A Beaver Valley Outreach survey found 26% of people who answered have no car, and 34% have missed or delayed work, school or medical visits.

Funding from the Town, the County, and provincial and federal dollars should keep fares low. It also needs a clear budget and regular public reports on cost and ridership.

Update the Asset Management Plan and forecasts to today’s economy, not the boom years. Then plan ahead with a full staff and spend carefully. Rank projects so that the most urgent pipes and roads get priority.

We have separate reserve funds for things like parks but without a Master Plan for Trails and Parks but we risk using all of our saved funds for Moreau Park leaving nothing for Craigleith or Lora Bay.

Put strong senior staff in place to watch every dollar, especially outside consulting. Keeping good people on Staff costs far less than paying for surprise overruns.

I would support a moratorium as other communities like Oakville and Sault St Marie have done. Residents deserve a voice early in the process. With no Director of Planning currently, we would be negotiating from a weak spot. That’s one more reason to fill that chair fast.

The Town should review its planning policies and infrastructure capacity before an application arrives. We would also work with Grey County, the Province and utility providers to understand the implications for data sovereignty, electricity, type of cooling, water, noise, emergency services, decommissioning cost and surrounding land.

We need homes for people who work here, accessible places for people downsizing, and more rental options. All of this starts with a Planning Department that is focussed. I would support establishing a Housing Navigator: one person to help builders understand requirements and move suitable projects forward. We should incentivize builders to build secondary suites, smaller homes, townhomes and apartments in appropriate locations, with the infrastructure to support them.

The first step towards any of this is hiring a strong Planning Director who can guide us to build the missing middle in housing.

Another tool that can be used is the Town’s new Community Improvement Plan, approved September 14, has seven housing programs, with applications set to open October 31.

Special agriculture lands, farmland, the Niagara Escarpment, Georgian Bay, wetlands and natural connections must be central to planning decisions.

Next we need to build a plan. New homes belong where water, sewer and roads can serve them, designed in advance to fit the neighbourhood.

The Town’s 2025 Asset Management Plan already counts natural assets like wetlands and forests. I’d plan and budget for them the same way we do for pipes and roads. I’d also push for cottage-lane road standards, no clear-cutting, and a time limit on development approvals. Castle Glen’s plan, approved decades ago, still allows up to 1,600 homes.

I’m a member of the Escarpment Corridor Alliance and I would encourage private-public partnerships. Our parks current and future in Craigleith and Lora Bay, should all be on a Master Trails and Parks Plan before funding goes primarily to Moreau Park.

The Town’s three-project sewer program jumped from $34.8 million to $53.8 million. An outside review by KPMG explains why. The projects were bundled, so no one could see which one was climbing. No set dollar limit sent a rising cost back to Council. A small staff team carried the work, and staff changed partway through.

My fix is to stop bundling projects, set an overrun limit that sends a project back to Council, add public checkpoints, and hire and keep an experienced Director of Operations, Director of Planning and Treasurer. Checkpoints don’t make a project cheaper. Then ensure the Council and the public are informed while there’s still a choice. Hiring and retaining strong staff and encouraging a collaborative atmosphere in Town Hall is where I excel.

To keep what we love about our Town, we need to change how our Town works. That’s why I’m running.
This place has been part of my life for more than 25 years. I met my wife, Jillaine, at Lora Bay, and our connection to this community is deeply personal.
For the past three years, I’ve worked with residents, attended Council meetings and examined Town budgets and major projects. I’ve pushed for people to have a stronger say in decisions that affect them.
I hear the frustration about affordability and growth, about rising infrastructure costs and whether Town Hall is listening. But I also see a community with extraordinary knowledge, generosity and determination.
I want to bring that strength into how we govern. Council needs clear priorities and must respect public money. We need to plan before we build, with residents involved while their voices can still shape the result.
Being Mayor is not just about sitting at the Council table. It means going out to people across the whole Town, listening and making sure decisions turn into results.
I’m running to lead practical change that preserves the community we love.

For 14 years, I’ve built and run Mindbridge Education. That means managing people, budgets and competing demands. Sometimes circumstances change and difficult decisions have to be made. I’ve learned to adapt and take responsibility for the result. Every dollar has a job, and every decision has a consequence.
I have an Honours BA and MA in History from the University of Toronto, pursued doctoral studies at the University of Chicago and taught at the University of Toronto from 2010 to 2017. That work taught me to examine evidence, question assumptions and explain difficult issues clearly.
Closer to home, I co-founded Community Matters and built its newsletter so residents could better understand Town decisions and take part. I’ve also served with the Blue Mountains Historical Society and the Thornbury–Beaver Valley Lions Club, including work on memorial banners and the Watershed Festival.
Between running a business, organizing in the community and digging into municipal files, I’ve learned something important: it’s one thing to challenge a proposal. It’s another to work with people and get something done.

I prepare, listen, decide—and take responsibility for the result.
Before Council commits to a major proposal, I want to know what problem we’re solving and what other choices are on the table. What will it cost—not just to build, but to borrow, operate and maintain? Who benefits? What could go wrong? And what else might have to wait?
I also know when to seek expertise. A mayor doesn’t have to be the engineer, planner or accountant. The job is to ask good questions, recognize what we don’t know and make sure Council has what it needs to decide.
I believe in persuasion and collaboration. Staff should bring the facts, choices, costs and risks. Residents should be involved before direction is settled. Council should debate and decide. For major decisions, I would seek reports at least two weeks before the vote.
The job doesn’t end with the vote. We need to track the work and bring changes back to Council while there’s still time to act.
Good decisions aren’t about always saying yes or getting your way. They’re about doing what the Town can afford and deliver, then explaining why.

I’d start with the costs Town Hall can actually influence: housing, transportation, taxes and fees, and the cost of dealing with the municipality.
On housing, we can make additional residential units, smaller homes and rentals easier to build. If we offer incentives, they should secure affordable homes—not simply subsidize development.
On transportation, I support working with neighbouring municipalities so people don’t need to own a car just to get to work, shop or attend an appointment.
On municipal costs, I’d review spending and fees while protecting essential services. Before major commitments, residents should see what their taxes and water and wastewater charges will cost them together.
Local employers also deserve predictable approvals. Opening or expanding a business shouldn’t mean unnecessary delays or submitting the same information over and over.
I would work with Grey County and community organizations to help residents find housing and income-related supports already available.
There’s no single municipal fix for the cost of living. But we can stop adding costs that don’t need to be there and make it easier to live and work in this Town.

I want tax increases as low as possible—but not by hiding costs or putting off necessary maintenance.
The 2026 combined residential tax rate is about 1% of assessed value. That includes Town, County and education taxes. Town Council does not control all of it.
What concerns me is whether today’s tax rate, spending commitments and reserve contributions are part of a plan we can actually sustain. A modest increase this year means little if it leaves residents with a much bigger bill down the road.
I would insist on a five-year financial picture that puts taxes, utility rates, reserves, debt and the full cost of approved projects in one place.
Before asking residents for more, Council should look hard at consultant spending, contracts, duplicated work and discretionary costs. It should also be willing to say what can wait.
Residents deserve more than a debate about percentages. They deserve to know what they’re paying for, whether they’re getting value and what today’s decisions will cost them tomorrow.

The No. 1 issue is restoring the Town’s financial footing. It affects our ability to maintain infrastructure, support housing, deliver services and protect residents from unaffordable bills.
The Town reported $82.4 million in reserves and reserve funds in 2021. Its updated June 2026 capital-plan forecast projected a negative $39.1 million year-end position under its planning and funding assumptions.
We’re not going to grow ourselves out of this problem, and we’re not going to cut ourselves out of it.
We need a rolling five-year financial plan, clear definitions of core services, a debt and reserve strategy, and a short list of capital priorities.
Every major commitment should be tested for need, timing, full cost, funding and whether the Town can deliver. When Council adds a new priority, it should say what moves down or off the list.
I’d establish a Resident Financial Advisory Board to help test assumptions. Council would still answer for decisions.
The goal is being able to make tough choices before financial pressure makes them for us.

A regional transit system should follow people’s lives, not municipal boundaries.
We need one network that gets people to work, medical appointments, shopping and school. Fares should work across services, transfers should be reliable and schedules should fit shifts and appointments—not just offer a bus sometime during the day.
The Bruce, Grey, Dufferin and Wellington study is looking at connected routes and more on-demand service. I support both: regular routes where demand supports them, with accessible connections for smaller and rural communities.
For The Blue Mountains, routes toward Meaford, Owen Sound and Collingwood need to connect, including links beyond those four counties. People should be able to book by phone, not only online.
Participating municipalities should have a say in how the system runs. Service standards need to be clear, and funding should reflect service, usage and community benefit.
Affordable fares, fair municipal contributions and dependable provincial support should fund operations, with federal capital funding where available. We cannot expand on temporary grants without planning for when they end.
Start with practical connections. Measure ridership, reliability, access and cost, then adjust. We need better journeys, not another layer of administration.

Start by protecting essential services and looking after the infrastructure we already own.
I would use the Town’s Asset Management Plan to identify what needs work now, where failure would hurt most and what can safely wait. Good maintenance can keep roads and facilities working longer. We shouldn’t jump straight to replacing them or building new discretionary facilities.
Then look closely at the operating budget—staffing, consultants, contracts, software and purchasing—to find duplicated work and costs we can avoid. The point isn’t to cut indiscriminately. It’s to put money where residents need it most.
Major projects need to be planned in a sensible order and phased. We should also look at sharing services or infrastructure with neighbouring municipalities before assuming the Town has to do everything alone.
Borrowing can spread the cost of long-lasting infrastructure, but the principal and interest still have to be paid. Council needs to show what that means for taxes and utility bills.
Grants should only count when funding is confirmed. Growth should pay its eligible share, with a plan if development-charge revenues arrive later than expected.

Prepare the rules before a proposal arrives.
I would ask staff where AI data centres could go and what zoning, servicing and environmental rules should apply. That means working with Grey County, the Province and electricity utilities. A data centre isn’t just another warehouse.
Any proposal should spell out its electricity and water needs, cooling methods, noise, backup generation and required infrastructure, along with impacts on neighbouring properties and natural systems.
I would want to see permanent jobs and net municipal revenue after servicing and infrastructure costs—not just the headline construction investment.
Costs and financial risks specific to the project should not land on existing households and businesses. We need enforceable agreements. We should examine water-saving technology, realistic capacity commitments and what happens when the site eventually closes.
Ontario is developing a data-centre framework covering electricity costs, community benefits and environmental impacts. The Town should participate without giving up local planning priorities.
And residents need to hear about proposals early. A big investment shouldn’t get an automatic yes, and an unfamiliar project shouldn’t get an automatic no. It must show a lasting public benefit.

We need more housing choices, not simply more of the same.
I would update the comprehensive Zoning By-law to match the new Official Plan so smaller homes, townhouses, apartments and purpose-built rentals have a clearer path on serviced sites.
For homeowners, make additional residential units—like basement apartments or small second units—simpler and faster to approve. I would expand targeted financial help for qualifying projects.
For builders and housing providers, targeted incentives and partnerships can help deliver homes the market isn’t providing. Town land may have a role, but any discount or financial support must be disclosed and tied to enforceable commitments. We should know how many homes will be built, when they’ll be ready and how long they’ll stay affordable.
The Town already has a target of supporting 215 affordable homes by 2030. I want a delivery plan behind that number, with partners identified, milestones and public reports on progress.
I would also revise how we allocate limited water and wastewater servicing capacity, so viable projects have a predictable way forward.
Our job is to make good housing easier to build—not have the Town become a developer or make promises without a plan to pay for them.

Know what needs preserving before deciding what can be built around it.
I would complete secondary plans for priority growth areas and update the comprehensive Zoning By-law to match the new Official Plan. That means planning the community first—where housing and roads go, how drainage and servicing will work, and where parks and connections belong. We shouldn’t let one development application at a time decide the neighbourhood.
Before roads and lots are laid out, identify wetlands, watercourses, groundwater, significant trees and natural corridors. We need clear environmental planning and design standards. Natural assets are infrastructure too, and we should look for alternatives before accepting losses that cannot be undone.
Keep productive farmland working and direct growth to planned communities. New building should respect what makes Thornbury, Clarksburg, Craigleith, Lora Bay and our rural areas different.
Developers should bring residents and community groups in before major design decisions are settled, then explain how they responded to concerns.
Infrastructure has to match realistic growth, with a financing plan we can afford.
Growth will change this Town. The question is whether it creates housing, opportunity and complete communities without losing what makes this place worth living in.

KPMG found that changes in project scope, early estimates and weak controls—not market inflation alone—were central to the cost increase.
I would put its recommendations to work, not order another review of the same problem. In my first 90 days, I would seek a public report: what has been implemented, what remains, who is responsible and by when?
Every major project needs someone on the Town’s side responsible for it, and formal checkpoints as design advances. Before committing more money, Council should see the latest scope, costs, funding, risks and contingency.
Estimates should explain their assumptions, how reliable they are and what has changed from the original budget. Large or high-risk projects should get independent cost reviews. Don’t go to tender until scope, design, funding and market readiness have been checked.
Track each part of a bundled program separately so one project cannot quietly consume another’s funding. Set triggers that bring major cost, schedule or risk changes back to Council promptly.
During construction, track contractor performance, change orders and claims.
My commitment is to flag changes early, explain them publicly and act while Council still has choices.

I am a long-time resident of The Blue Mountains and a proud apple grower from Clarksburg. I have lived here for 45 years, and my husband’s family have been in the area for over 110 years. My agricultural heritage guides how I think about land use, environment protection, and responsible growth.

I have 29 years of municipal experience; I have the knowledge and leadership that can move our municipality forward. I have been on Grey County previously for two terms, also I currently serve on Ontario Small Urban Municipalities and Association of Municipalities of Ontario on the OSUM caucus.

With my long-term experience, I have the knowledge and expertise to help facilitate some of the tough questions we receive from the community. I make myself available to all, either, by an email or telephone call.

At the council table I speak about history, experience that I have had with previous decision that have been made and why.

Affordable housing is a huge priority to all in the community, but unless the developers are willing to build small more affordable housing, the municipality hands are tied. We do not build housing, but we can collaborate with developers in using new tools that the province began to roll out.

Our taxes are comparable to other municipalities surrounding our town, i.e.: Meaford and Collingwood even though Collingwood is in Simcoe County.

We have many issues, transportation for the community, economic development, affordable housing, environmental protection, and responsible growth.

Each municipality looks at transportation different, we need a different transit then most, as employees who work at Blue Mountain Resort need transit at various times and areas that they live in. One standard form does not suit these workers.

Using ride share or another form of transportation is needed then the regional transit system. This regional transit may help bring workers from Owen Sound to The Blue Mountains but does not serve the majority.

We need to go back to Core services and what are non-core. What do the residents want and what they would not like to have. There is the Mandatory (Must Do) Essential (Should Do) Traditional (Can Do) and Discretionary (Nice to Do) using this area to decide what the community really would like to see or lose.

The town has not had that discussion yet but may need to in the future.

The town will collaborate with developers who are truly sincere in wanting to build affordable housing. At this time will do have a developer who is building 112 units in the Craigleith area, and this will help, but solve the whole problem.

The town need environmental protections areas, no MZO’s to over- rule the town’s decision on where these developments occur. This is a way to protect lands that are not in our Secondary Plan or ready to develop.

One concrete action I will take to Council is to make natural asset management part of every major decision we make. In simple terms which means treating our wetlands, headwaters, forests, and shorelines as real infrastructure.

The new Council must establish a new working group on finance to start, then involve the other members of Council to ensure that staff are well aware that any issues must be communicated to Council before we have the situation happen again.

Cost, schedule, and risk controls are basic, but they need to be actively managed with forecasting, and cost/schedule reconciliation. Decisions are date-driven and risk-informed, with readiness, funding, and delivery strategy fully aligned.

I’m running for Deputy Mayor because I believe The Blue Mountains is at a turning point. We have so much to be proud of, from our agricultural roots and thriving tourism economy to our small businesses, beautiful natural surroundings and the people who make this community what it is.
But we also have some serious challenges ahead. Our financial outlook, aging infrastructure, pressures from growth, changes in senior leadership and concerns about transparency and public trust. These are issues that need more than good intentions. They need experience, sound judgment and a willingness to make some tough decisions.
I’ve spent the past eight years serving in elected municipal office, and I know firsthand how important it is to get the fundamentals right. Good financial planning, accountability, strong relationships and knowing how to work with people to get things done.
I’m proud of my track record. I haven’t just talked about ideas. I’ve brought forward motions, challenged decisions when necessary, built relationships across all levels of government and worked to deliver meaningful results.
I want to bring that experience to The Blue Mountains. To help get our financial house in order, restore confidence in how decisions are made and make sure we’re protecting what matters to our community while planning responsibly for what’s next.

I bring eight years of elected municipal experience from Aurora, including service in the rotating Deputy Mayor role.
During that time, I served on numerous boards and committees including chairing fire services, economic development, policing, environmental stewardship and handling multi million dollar municipal budgets.
I’ve been fortunate to work alongside a Treasurer who came from the Region of York, and implemented best practices most small to mid-sized towns have not considered such as; long-term capital planning, in-term asset management, reserve investment strategies and fiscal sustainability.
I’ve also personally developed and submitted more than 40 motions and policy initiatives for Council consideration, addressing everything from financial accountability and transparency to environmental protection, economic development and community safety. I believe leadership is measured by actions and results, not simply words and good intentions.
As a local business owner, I understand the importance of managing costs, making difficult decisions and supporting a healthy local economy.
My experience also extends to working directly with federal and provincial leaders and bringing key decision-makers to the table. During the pandemic, I helped bring together tourism and business stakeholders with senior provincial officials, including the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture sectors and the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, to advocate for critical support during one of the industry’s most difficult periods.
These experiences reflect my ability to build relationships across all levels of government, bring people together and help turn advocacy into meaningful action and results.
Municipal government is complex, and I bring practical experience in how decisions are developed, funded, implemented and held accountable.

Effective decision-making requires more than good intentions. It requires understanding municipal processes, asking difficult questions, evaluating financial consequences and building consensus around practical solutions. That matters.
I’ve spent eight years doing exactly that.
I understand the difference between a good idea and a financially sustainable one. I also understand that Council’s role is to establish policy, set priorities, provide oversight and hold administration accountable for delivering results.
I’m comfortable challenging recommendations when necessary, but I also recognize that respectful relationships with colleagues, staff, residents and other levels of government are essential to getting things accomplished.
I believe decisions should be evidence-based, transparent and informed by their long-term consequences, rather than simply what appears affordable or convenient today.
Most importantly, I have a proven track record of bringing forward initiatives for Council consideration, working through the municipal process and advocating for meaningful results.

While municipalities cannot control inflation, interest rates or grocery prices, they can influence several significant costs affecting households.
First, we need disciplined municipal spending and predictable taxation. Keeping operating costs under control and avoiding preventable infrastructure overruns helps reduce pressure on residents.
Second, housing affordability requires more than simply approving additional development. We need a broader range of housing options, including additional residential units, smaller homes, attainable ownership opportunities and purpose-built rental housing. And a Council brave enough to vote in favour of good projects that fit.
Third, transportation is a major household expense, particularly in rural communities. Improving regional transit connections and exploring appropriately regulated rideshare options could help residents access employment, health care and essential services without relying entirely on personal vehicles.
We can also review development and permitting processes, eliminate unnecessary delays and consider targeted incentives that support attainable housing and local business investment.
The municipality cannot solve the affordability crisis alone, but it can make responsible decisions that avoid adding unnecessary costs to living and working here.

believe the discussion needs to focus not only on the tax rate, but also on the sustainability of the spending and financial decisions behind it.
The Town’s approved 2026 budget included a 4.34% increase in the municipal tax levy requirement under its recommended budget. That’s a meaningful increase at a time when residents and businesses are already facing rising costs.
My concern is not simply one year’s increase, but the cumulative impact of operating pressures, significant capital commitments, infrastructure needs and declining financial flexibility.
I would support a more disciplined approach to operating expenditures, stronger capital project oversight, multi-year financial forecasts and a clear strategy to rebuild and protect reserves.
We should also distinguish between costs required to maintain essential municipal services and discretionary spending that can be reconsidered, phased or deferred.
I won’t promise arbitrary tax freezes without understanding their consequences. What I will commit to is scrutinizing expenditures, challenging assumptions and working toward a sustainable, predictable tax burden that residents can reasonably afford.

Financial sustainability. It underpins almost every other challenge facing our municipality.
We need to maintain aging infrastructure, accommodate growth, protect our natural environment, deliver essential services and support our local economy. But none of those priorities can be achieved sustainably without a sound financial foundation.
I’m particularly concerned about the long-term implications of major capital commitments, pressure on reserves and the municipality’s ability to manage future operating costs.
We need to understand not only what projects cost to build, but what they will cost to operate, maintain and eventually replace.
My priority would be to strengthen capital planning, establish clear financial performance measures, review spending pressures and develop a credible long-term fiscal strategy.
Restoring financial stability also means restoring public confidence that municipal decisions are transparent, well researched and accountable.
We cannot afford to govern one budget year at a time.

I support a practical, coordinated regional transportation network that recognizes the unique needs of our rural communities. We don’t necessarily need large buses travelling everywhere. We need reliable, affordable connections to employment, health care, shopping and essential services.
A combination of scheduled intercommunity routes, smaller vehicles, accessible transportation and on-demand services would provide greater flexibility, particularly for seniors, youth, workers and residents without access to a vehicle.
The regional transit study involving Grey, Bruce, Dufferin and Wellington counties is an important step forward. The Province has committed up to $9.5 million toward a coordinated transit network, and the draft regional study explores fixed routes, on-demand services, shared resources and partnerships with existing transit providers.
Closer to home, Beaver Valley Outreach (BVO) presented its Community Transportation Survey findings to Council in August 2026, reinforcing the transportation challenges facing local residents. These findings deserve to be incorporated into regional planning so that The Blue Mountains’ specific needs are not overlooked.
I’ve already taken steps to advance this issue, including communicating directly with the TBM CAO to encourage the Town’s participation in regional transportation consultations and exploring opportunities through provincial rideshare frameworks and regional partnerships.
Funding should be shared appropriately among the Province, counties, municipalities and other partners, supplemented by reasonable fares.

We need to move beyond simply managing annual budgets and focus on long-term financial sustainability, stronger cost controls and getting better value from every tax dollar.
During my eight years, I gained valuable experience with financial strategies that strengthened reserves, improved capital planning and created greater predictability for taxpayers. I would bring that experience to The Blue Mountains.
One opportunity worth serious consideration is the Municipal Services Corporation (MSC) model, particularly for water and wastewater services. I believe it has potential, but the business case must clearly demonstrate the financial and operational benefits, identify which municipalities or partners could benefit, and ensure accountability, service quality and affordability remain protected. Shared expertise, infrastructure planning and economies of scale could provide meaningful long-term efficiencies.
I would also explore ONE Investment’s Joint Investment Board, which allows municipalities to pool investment expertise and pursue more diversified, professionally managed investment strategies. Understanding whether this model could improve returns on eligible long-term reserves, while managing risk and protecting liquidity, is worth examining.
Equally important are disciplined capital project oversight, preventative maintenance, reviewing operating costs, procurement efficiencies and prioritizing essential infrastructure over discretionary spending.
Council must understand not only what projects cost today, but their long-term impact on reserves, operating budgets and future tax increases.
The goal isn’t simply to spend less. It’s to manage our resources more strategically, explore partnerships that deliver measurable value, protect essential services and reduce unnecessary financial pressure on taxpayers.

My priority would be protecting The Blue Mountains from the potential environmental and infrastructure impacts of large-scale data centres, particularly given the pressures we already face with water, wastewater capacity and responsible growth.
These facilities can place significant demands on electricity, water resources and local infrastructure, while potentially generating noise and other environmental concerns. We need to be cautious about developments that could compete with the needs of our residents, businesses and agricultural community.
At the same time, I recognize that municipal staff resources are already stretched. I would not advocate for an extensive new study without a demonstrated need. Instead, I would support a focused review of our existing Official Plan and zoning provisions to identify any gaps, establish appropriate safeguards and ensure Council has the tools to respond should an application come forward.
We should also leverage provincial guidance, existing planning policies and expertise from neighbouring municipalities rather than reinventing the wheel.
The Blue Mountains should not be left vulnerable to developments that could compromise our water resources, agricultural lands, natural environment or infrastructure capacity. Being prepared doesn’t require excessive spending or staff time. It requires having the right protections in place before decisions are forced upon us.

Housing affordability requires creative solutions and strong partnerships because the needs of young families, seniors, workers and first-time buyers are very different.
Municipalities need to create the right conditions for housing investment, particularly within existing serviced areas, while protecting our environment, agricultural lands and infrastructure capacity.
Through my experience, I’ve worked with developers exploring innovative approaches to homeownership. One example is Hartman Square, where the developer is offering a shared-equity model to help first-time buyers overcome the financial barriers of purchasing a home. It’s the kind of creative, private-sector solution worth exploring.
I also believe we should explore opportunities to work with developers who are prepared to make meaningful commitments to attainable housing. Where modest adjustments to existing development permissions may be appropriate, they should deliver clear community benefits while respecting neighbourhood character, environmental protections and infrastructure capacity. The objective is not simply more development, but housing that meets the needs of our community.
We should also make better use of the tools we already have. The Blue Mountains’ updated Community Improvement Plan (CIP) provides an opportunity to encourage attainable housing through targeted financial incentives. I would like to see us maximize these programs, remove unnecessary barriers and work with developers and investors who can deliver meaningful results. Success should be measured by the number of genuinely attainable homes created, not simply the number of development approvals issued.

I believe responsible growth and environmental protection must go hand in hand. The Blue Mountains’ natural heritage, agricultural lands, and Georgian Bay shoreline are among our greatest assets. Protecting them needs to be at the forefront of our planning decisions.
My background in landscape design and architecture, along with eight years of municipal experience and involvement in environmental initiatives, has given me a strong understanding of how land-use decisions affect our natural systems, established neighbourhoods and community character.
One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is helping champion a Stable Neighbourhoods policy. We moved beyond simply talking about protecting established neighbourhoods and put meaningful planning tools in place, including zoning protections and neighbourhood-specific urban design guidelines. These helped ensure that new construction and additions respect the existing character, scale and design of surrounding homes. It’s a practical example of protecting community character while allowing appropriate change.
I would bring that same approach to The Blue Mountains. Our Official Plan must be more than an aspirational document. It needs to guide decisions consistently, with clear planning policies, environmental protections and appropriate servicing requirements.
Growth should be directed toward suitable existing settlement areas where infrastructure can support it, rather than unnecessarily expanding into agricultural or environmentally sensitive lands.
I also believe we should move beyond simply identifying natural assets and begin incorporating their protection, valuation and long-term stewardship into municipal asset management and financial planning. Protecting farmland, strengthening heritage conservation and preserving the walkable, distinctive character of Thornbury, Clarksburg and our other communities must remain priorities.

Growth will happen, but how we manage it is a choice.

The approximately $19 million in budget increases associated with the Craigleith Main Lift Station, Mill Street Sewage Pumping Station and Bay-Grey Street reconstruction projects raises serious concerns about capital project planning, oversight and financial accountability.
In my experience, effective project oversight begins long before construction. Council needs realistic cost estimates, sufficiently developed engineering designs, appropriate contingencies and a clear understanding of potential risks before approving major financial commitments.
Drawing on my eight years of municipal experience, I recognize the value of strong, independent project management expertise protecting the municipality’s interests throughout construction.
Equally important is a rigorous change-order process. Not every additional cost submitted by a contractor necessarily represents a legitimate change in scope. Proposed changes must be thoroughly reviewed, justified and supported by alternatives before taxpayers are expected to absorb additional costs. Clear dispute-resolution procedures and proactive purchasing strategies can also help manage financial exposure.
I would advocate for standardized capital project reporting to Council, identifying original budgets, revised forecasts, emerging risks, schedule changes and potential impacts on reserves. Significant cost pressures should be brought forward early, not after financial commitments have escalated.
I gained valuable experience working within financial governance structures that emphasized long-term capital planning, dedicated financial oversight and reserve management. These are practices I would bring to The Blue Mountains.
We must also recognize that some cost increases are unavoidable, particularly with unforeseen site conditions and market volatility. However, Council must be able to distinguish legitimate additional costs from shortcomings in project planning, estimating or oversight.
My approach is to establish realistic budgets, challenge costs when warranted, identify risks early and ensure accountability at every stage. Taxpayers deserve confidence that every reasonable effort is being made to protect their investment, and they should never be left questioning how major cost overruns occurred or why they weren’t identified sooner.

I am running for Deputy Mayor because I believe the Town of The Blue Mountains needs strong financial leadership, better project stewardship, and clear, unified direction.

I am not a politician; I am a business leader with experience in financial management, strategic planning, and delivering results. Throughout my career, I have focused on accountability, responsible spending, and solving complex challenges. I will bring that same approach to municipal government. Professionally, I have held senior leadership positions in the technology sector and built a successful career in commercial real estate.

I will be an effective decision maker because I take a practical, balanced approach. I will support responsible growth while protecting community priorities through strong financial oversight,
accountable project stewardship, and a clear, unified vision for the future of the Town of The Blue Mountains.

I would focus on managing current and future expenses, prioritizing capital projects, and reducing operating costs wherever possible. I would also streamline approvals and work with other levels of government and developers to build attainable housing for families, workers, seniors, and the next generation.

Everyone wants lower taxes, but operating costs continue to rise. I will work to manage our budgets carefully and identify new revenue opportunities, so tax increases are kept to a minimum. Grey County accounts for a significant portion of our property taxes, and as Deputy Mayor, I will work with the County to control costs and identify capital projects that Grey County can deliver in The Blue Mountains.

I believe the number one issue is managing growth without losing the special character and charm of our community.

I recognize that transportation is a real challenge for many residents, especially seniors and youth. However, I do not believe the first answer should be an expensive municipal transit system. I would first pursue lower-cost options such as ride-sharing partnerships, volunteer driver programs, employer-supported transportation, and safer active transportation routes. I want to solve rural transportation challenges with practical rural solutions before asking taxpayers to fund a big-city transit system.

I would prioritize projects and plan well into the future, so we clearly understand our infrastructure needs. Capital projects are funded through reserves supported by taxes and development charges. As development-charge revenue declines, I believe we must explore alternative funding models, keep shovel-ready projects in place to take advantage of provincial and federal programs, and consider shared services with neighbouring municipalities, including the use of municipal service corporations where appropriate.

I do not believe The Blue Mountains is a likely target market for data centers. However, as with any development proposal, I would carefully assess the potential benefits and impacts before making a decision.

I support housing choices for every stage of life, including home ownership, rentals, secondary suites, seniors’ housing, and long-term care. I will work with developers, employers, Grey County, the Province, health-care providers, and community organizations to deliver practical and attainable housing solutions. By removing unnecessary barriers and creating clearer approval processes, I believe we can support responsible growth while connecting housing to workforce needs, seniors’ care, transportation, and community services. At the same time, I will protect our farmland and natural environment by directing growth to appropriate locations and preserving the natural features that define The Blue Mountains.

I believe Council must make decisions with a long-term perspective, balancing economic opportunity with environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. I will support growth that strengthens local businesses, recreational amenities, and quality of life while preserving the small-town charm that attracts people here.
My goal is simple: grow thoughtfully, protect what matters, and ensure The Blue Mountains remains a place where future generations can live, work, and thrive.

My career experience has prepared me to bring stronger discipline and oversight to major municipal projects. To prevent costly surprises, I would require clear objectives, realistic budgets, firm timelines, and regular reporting on costs, schedules, risks, and milestones. I would also support early intervention when problems arise, the use of outside expertise for complex projects, and post-project reviews so lessons learned improve future planning and delivery.

As I seek your support for a third term as Councillor for the Town of the Blue Mountains, I remain committed to my original reason for running and that is protecting what makes our community special while building a strong and sustainable future.

As a dedicated, well-prepared and thoughtful member of Council with excellent in-person attendance, a very strong business background at the executive and ownership level, with a post-graduate degree and many professional certifications, a lifelong learner and world citizen, who was supported by a 75% vote mandate from the 2022 election, I have been a very active leader as the Council liaison For Planning and Development Services for the last 4 years, as the alternate delegate to Grey County Council as well as the chair of Council when the mayor and deputy mayor were not available.

I have enjoyed representing the TBM community on Council and am very proud of my accomplishments during both terms, with many thanks for the support and assistance of the TBM residents.

I have an excellent track record as a very effective decision-maker as an executive, business owner, leader of many non-profit organizations and an accomplished Councillor with the Town of the Blue Mountains.

Some of those accomplishments include shepherding the Town’s Official Plan with extensive public engagement, and its 3-storey height limit, to its successful adoption by the province, maintenance of the planning department function at the Town and not as a County function in Meaford, as proposed, and leadership that led to the implementation of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) as well as the Accountability and Transparency Committee, one of the few committees of its type in the province.

I believe that a municipality can help considerably with cost-of-living concerns and it is my commitment to ensure that these strategies become reality during the next Council term. The first strategy would be to contain costs at Town Hall to ensure that there are minimal municipal tax increases. The second strategy would be to request the Town’s representatives to Grey County Council to share the same message of pecuniary diligence with their County colleagues and minimize the total tax burden on TBM’s taxpayers.

A municipality can also offer its programs at the lowest prices possible. For example, the Blue Mountains Public Library, which the Town funds with $1 million yearly, provides over 600 programs at little or no cost to residents and their children. The Town can also develop programs such as it has with the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) in which the Town offers 19 programs that assist private businesses and individuals with cost-sharing solutions that address many cost-of-living challenges such as attainable housing and economic and employment opportunity.

The current TBM tax rate of .995% compares well with that of other similar municipalities in size whose average tax rate is higher. Examples include Collingwood/Wasaga Beach at 1 – 1.2 % and Meaford at 1.1 -1.3 %. TBM enjoys this lower tax rate due to its higher property assessment amounts and historical performance with its hearty development record.

The No. 1 issue facing the Town of the Blue Mountains is managing its capital project needs with available funding. Over the next decade, TBM must plan carefully to grow wisely with an organized infrastructure investment plan that does not create an inappropriate tax burden on its taxpayers.

The No. 2 issue is building back public trust. The Town will need to step up its communication volume and depth, and elected officials must be dedicated to sharing this goal with one another.

Yes, the regional transit study is very exciting. It is my hope that the transit plan will assist workers who cannot afford to live in TBM to comfortably and conveniently access a system that they can afford. It is my understanding that the only transit system in the world that pays for itself is in Singapore. This statement suggests that funding will need to come from the province, the municipality as well as the users. Since the system will take travellers to certain limited meeting points, a ride share program will be needed to bring residents to their homes. Some have suggested that a partnership with Uber would be helpful. TBM employers may want to contribute to this section of the plan.

My No.1 goal is to address the need to maintain municipal services and infrastructure without higher tax increases for residents. The first step is to develop a bullet-proof plan for the Town’s investment in infrastructure, based on an updated Asset Management Plan, for the next 10 years. The Town can then develop its 2027 budget accordingly.

The second option is to establish a Municipal Services Corporation (MSC), starting with water and wastewater requirements. An MSC will allow for more understanding re-payment time periods and a separate entity from the Town’s financial picture. The goal would be to bring in other local municipalities to share costs and responsibilities.

The province has developed a set of criteria for the establishment of artificial intelligence data centres which will provide guidance for municipalities. Once this information becomes available, I will ask for a staff report from the Planning Department on these measures and the applicability for TBM, if any.

A small municipality, such as TBM, has few options for increasing its affordable housing spectrum. To its credit, TBM has pursued these limited options for a solution to this vexing problem since 2014. Since the Town should not be in the development business, the route most recommended by experts and the Provincial Planning Association is to establish a Community Improvement Plan, known as a CIP. This fund, realized by Town land sale contributions which will total $2.5 million, provides 19 different programs by which attainable housing solutions can be achieved. This program has just been launched by the Town. The Strategic Initiatives department has hired an officer to administer this program.

Other options, also pursued by the Town, include creating partnerships with a developer who is willing to assist with affordable housing solutions, such as the partnership created with the Town and MacPherson, providing rental housing for employees of the peoplecare long term care home.

Grey County has created its own CIP as an upper tier. It is TBM’s hope to be included in their plans for affordable housing solutions.

This question is central to TBM and to my reason for running which is “protecting what makes our community special while building a strong and sustainable future.”

Given the current state of the economy and the impact on the developer community, growth has slowed down and will not reach its past levels for the next 5-10 years. This “blessing in disguise” will assist with TBM’s ability to “catch up” with its infrastructure requirements and its preservation efforts to protect its natural beauty and the character of the Town. The Catch-22 to this situation, however, is that the Town will not be receiving any monies in the form of Development Charges (DC’s) from developers, for 2 reasons. The first is that there will not be many major projects and, secondly, due to leadership from the province, the Town no longer has access to the DC budgets that have funded important infrastructure projects in the past.

It is a grim reality which faces all municipalities now. Some solutions include partnerships with neighbouring municipalities on large ticket projects, creation of Municipal Service Corporations and various smaller programs such as the CIP programs.

In the past, as the Council liaison with the planning department, I have worked with staff to create policies such as the water allocation policy with a community benefit scoring system. Other efforts to contain growth to align with the Town’s character with which I was active include the 3-storey limit and low-density levels which are designed to protect the Town’s small-town feel.

Council and Town staff moved quickly to ensure that the $19 million overage would not happen again. On December 15^th, when the news was shared publicly, Council passed an extensive motion that required answers, accountability and action. One of the actions was to hire KPMG to do a project delivery review for a mid-April time frame. As part of my campaign goal to share accurate information, I created a single-pager overview of the KPMG report from which I will be quoting in my answer.

The 47-page report laid out well the reasons for this debacle. KPMG’s core conclusion, found on page 27 of the report, was that the “project complexity increased faster than the maturity of staff management governance, controls and the internal delivery capability”.

In order to ensure that such an unfortunate event will not occur again, my commitments to taxpayers include:

ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND DISCIPLINE
• Require formal stage-gate reviews before major projects advance.
• Report emerging cost, schedule, contingency and risk pressures earlier.
• Use public dashboards showing approved budget, forecast final cost, schedule, risks and next decisions.
• Support independent cost validation or peer review for large and high-risk projects.
• Clarify Town-side responsibilities and track implementation of KPMG’s recommendations.

For more than 20 years, I’ve been building my life in The Blue Mountains. I’ve raised my family here, built businesses, coached athletes, volunteered, and worked alongside community organizations to create opportunities for people of all ages.

Through these experiences, I’ve seen how closely our challenges are connected. Housing affects our workforce. Transportation affects independence and opportunity. Infrastructure shapes growth. And a healthy economy depends on protecting the environment and community character that brought us here.

I’m running because I believe our community deserves thoughtful, collaborative leadership that recognizes these connections.

I want to help build a community where young people can imagine a future, families can afford to stay, seniors can age with dignity, and local businesses can thrive.

The decisions we make today will shape The Blue Mountains for generations. I want to bring people together, listen to different perspectives, ask meaningful questions, and help make decisions that strengthen our whole community.

My experience brings together community development, business ownership, public service, education, recreation, and volunteer leadership.

As Youth Engagement Coordinator with Beaver Valley Outreach, I collaborate with schools, municipalities, service providers, volunteers, and community organizations to identify needs and develop practical solutions.

I’m also a co-founder of Mixed Movements, a local youth sport and recreation business, where I understand firsthand the challenges of delivering programs, managing resources, navigating facilities, and building partnerships.

My experience includes serving as a volunteer firefighter with The Blue Mountains, coaching and developing athletes at provincial and national levels, and facilitating leadership and training programs.

Through Georgian Bay Youth Roots, Climate Action Now Network, and other community initiatives, I’ve helped connect residents and organizations around shared priorities, including youth engagement, environmental stewardship, transportation, and community well-being.

Municipal governance requires collaboration, financial responsibility, informed decisions, and an understanding of how policies affect people. These are skills I’ve developed through years of working directly within our community.

I believe effective decision-making begins with listening, understanding the evidence, and recognizing that municipal decisions rarely affect just one group or one issue.

My professional and volunteer experiences have taught me to bring different perspectives together, ask questions, evaluate available resources, and work toward practical outcomes.

I’m comfortable working with people who have different opinions. In fact, I believe those conversations often lead to stronger decisions.

I also recognize the importance of understanding municipal responsibilities, financial limitations, and the long-term consequences of today’s choices.

I won’t pretend to have every answer. I will commit to doing the homework, seeking expertise, listening to residents and staff, and being transparent about how decisions are made.

Council needs people who can balance immediate community needs with long-term planning, while remaining accountable to the people they represent.

I would bring curiosity, preparation, independence of thought, and a strong commitment to collaboration to the council table.

Municipalities cannot control inflation, interest rates, or the broader housing market, but they can influence many of the everyday costs that affect residents.

Housing, transportation, property taxes, recreation, and access to local services all contribute to affordability.

We need to encourage a broader range of housing options, including smaller homes, rental units, secondary suites, and housing that meets the needs of workers, young families, and seniors.

Reliable regional transportation can also reduce the financial burden of vehicle ownership and help residents access employment, education, healthcare, and essential services.

Municipalities should examine user fees, support accessible recreation, and work with community organizations that provide valuable services without duplicating existing resources.

Supporting local businesses and creating opportunities for year-round employment are equally important.

Above all, affordability needs to be considered across municipal decisions. A community is only truly successful when the people who contribute to its economy and community life can afford to remain part of it.

I recognize that property taxes are a growing concern for many residents, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, young families, and households already managing increasing living expenses.

Residents deserve confidence that their tax dollars are being managed responsibly and that municipal spending reflects clear community priorities.

At the same time, our municipality has significant responsibilities, including maintaining roads, water and wastewater infrastructure, emergency services, public spaces, and facilities.

Simply promising lower taxes without identifying the consequences would not be responsible leadership.

I believe council must carefully examine operating costs, capital commitments, reserve levels, debt obligations, and opportunities for shared services before determining future tax increases.

We also need to understand how growth affects both revenues and long-term servicing costs.

My priority would be sustainable taxation, transparent budgeting, and ensuring residents receive meaningful value for their contributions.

Financial responsibility isn’t simply about spending less. It’s about spending wisely, planning ahead, and avoiding decisions today that create greater financial pressures tomorrow.

I believe our greatest challenge is managing growth while maintaining a community where people can afford to live, work, raise families, and age with dignity.

This issue connects nearly every major decision facing council.

We need housing that reflects the needs of our workforce and residents, infrastructure that can responsibly support development, transportation that connects communities, and an economy that remains strong beyond seasonal tourism.

At the same time, we must protect our agricultural lands, natural environment, water resources, and the distinct character of our communities.

Growth is not simply about the number of homes we build. It’s about whether we have the services, infrastructure, employment opportunities, and community connections to support the people who live here.

The question I keep returning to is: Are we building a community where the next generation can imagine a future?

I believe that should be central to our planning and decision-making.

Before focusing on major future transportation projects, we need to ensure residents can travel reliably between the communities where they already live, work, study, and access services.

For The Blue Mountains, that means meaningful connections between Thornbury, Meaford, Collingwood, and Owen Sound, with access to the broader regional network.

Through my community work, I’ve heard from young people, families, and seniors who face real transportation barriers. Our local transportation survey reinforced that not everyone has reliable access to a vehicle.

A regional system should combine scheduled routes between population centres with flexible, accessible, on-demand services for rural areas. Coordinated fares, practical schedules, and connections to healthcare, employment, and education are essential.

Funding should be shared among participating municipalities and counties, supported by provincial and federal investment, with reasonable fares and clear performance measures.

The current four-county study presents an opportunity to coordinate existing resources rather than build disconnected systems.

Transportation is more than infrastructure. It’s independence, dignity, economic opportunity, and community connection.

We need to shift our focus from reacting to infrastructure problems toward anticipating and planning for them.

That begins with accurate asset management, realistic long-term capital forecasts, preventative maintenance, and disciplined financial oversight.

Deferring necessary maintenance may appear to save money today, but often results in significantly greater costs later.

I would support reviewing capital priorities against available funding, examining lifecycle costs before approving projects, and ensuring adequate reserves are maintained for future infrastructure replacement.

We should also actively pursue appropriate provincial and federal funding, explore shared services with neighbouring municipalities, and assess whether existing facilities and resources can be used more effectively.

Growth-related infrastructure costs should be assigned fairly, using available planning and development financing tools rather than automatically shifting costs onto existing taxpayers.

Importantly, residents deserve clear explanations of what projects cost, why they are necessary, and how they will be funded.

Responsible financial management means protecting essential services while making careful, transparent choices about what we can afford and when.

Artificial intelligence and data infrastructure present potential economic opportunities, but municipalities must carefully understand the demands these developments place on local resources.

Large data centres can require significant electricity, water, land, and supporting infrastructure. Their long-term employment benefits may not always match the scale of those requirements.

Before considering proposals, I would want the municipality to establish clear expectations around land use, environmental impacts, water consumption, energy demand, noise, emergency planning, and infrastructure costs.

We should also work closely with provincial agencies, utilities, and neighbouring municipalities to understand regional capacity and regulatory responsibilities.

Public consultation and transparent evaluation would be essential, particularly where developments could affect agricultural lands, natural resources, or nearby residential communities.

I support economic diversification and responsible innovation, but development must demonstrate meaningful long-term value to our community.

We should welcome opportunities that align with our economic and environmental goals while ensuring residents are not left carrying disproportionate infrastructure or environmental costs.

Housing solutions must reflect the different stages of life and income levels within our community.

We need more than one type of housing. That includes attainable ownership opportunities, long-term rentals, secondary suites, smaller homes, accessible housing for seniors, and purpose-built affordable housing.

Municipalities can help by reviewing zoning, reducing unnecessary approval delays, identifying appropriate opportunities for gentle density, and supporting housing near existing infrastructure and services.

We should work collaboratively with Grey County, housing providers, developers, employers, and community organizations to identify opportunities for partnerships and funding.

I also believe we need to distinguish between simply increasing housing supply and delivering housing that is genuinely attainable for local residents.

Transportation, infrastructure capacity, and access to services must be part of the conversation.

Housing is closely tied to economic stability. When workers, young families, and seniors cannot find suitable homes, our businesses, schools, volunteer organizations, and community life all feel the impact.

The natural environment and distinct character of The Blue Mountains are among our greatest strengths. They are also fundamental to our local economy, identity, and quality of life.

Managing growth responsibly means making decisions based on sound planning, environmental evidence, infrastructure capacity, and meaningful community engagement.

I believe we should prioritize development in appropriate settlement areas, make efficient use of existing infrastructure, and protect agricultural lands, natural heritage systems, waterways, and sensitive ecosystems.

We must also consider how development affects traffic, stormwater, public spaces, local businesses, and the character of our established communities.

My involvement in environmental stewardship initiatives has reinforced the importance of thinking beyond individual projects and considering cumulative impacts.

I don’t believe economic development and environmental protection need to be competing priorities.

The goal should be thoughtful, responsible growth that supports a strong local economy while preserving the natural and community assets that make The Blue Mountains such a special place to call home.

The approximately $19 million increase in projected infrastructure costs raises serious questions about project planning, estimating, oversight, and communication.

Residents deserve to understand how these increases occurred, what lessons have been learned, and what safeguards will prevent similar situations.

I would support stronger project governance, including realistic cost estimates, appropriate contingencies, independent technical review where warranted, and clearly defined reporting requirements.

Council should receive regular updates on project budgets, schedules, emerging risks, and significant changes in scope, particularly before costs escalate beyond approved thresholds.

We also need to distinguish between unexpected market conditions, necessary changes to project scope, and weaknesses in planning or oversight.

While essential infrastructure investments cannot always be delayed, they must be managed with transparency and accountability.

I would want to review the corrective measures already proposed by staff, evaluate their effectiveness, and ensure council has the information needed to act before problems become financial emergencies.

The public should never be surprised by major cost increases that could have been identified and communicated earlier.

I’ve always had a keen interest in municipal politics, I’d like to work with the citizen’s to move our community forward while developing responsibly and to manage tourism in the best interest of the residents. We are also heading into turbulent economic times and we will collectively need to work together to get through this.

2) What current or past experience do you have that you believe applies to municipal governance? I served on Thornbury council prior to amalgamation and am currently on council. I’ve been involved in several not-for-profits serving community needs. I currently sit on the Grey Sauble Conservation authority. I have a historic and current understanding of the agricultural and small business sector.

I served on Thornbury council prior to amalgamation and am currently on council. I’ve been involved in several not-for-profits serving community needs. I currently sit on the Grey Sauble Conservation authority. I have a historic and current understanding of the agricultural and small business sector.

I have participated at the council table and Grey Sauble as part of the restructuring process. Over the last four years I have been an active decision maker from financial to social to environmental issues. On my own, I’ve served several Notices of Motions and I’ve participated in Provincial delegations. I’ve worked with members of the community to advance their concerns at the council table.

Our municipality needs to assist in the development of reliable affordable food sources. We need to explore public transportation to suit the needs of both the user and the taxpayer, we need to work with upper tier governments AND developers for the delivery of affordable housing reflective of the economic realities of the town.

Economic uncertainty.

A regional transit system should take in the geographic realities of the area and how to connect the various interests such as agriculture, tourism and residents. Our own municipality would have to create its own transportation network to feed into a regional hub. Use efficiencies that exist already within service such as Uber and Lyft and private sector mini busses. A combination of MAT tax, upper tier funding and reasonable user fees could fund the system.

We have to explore the use of a municipal service corporation, identify and prioritize infrastructure projects based on both the greatest amount of financial gain and with a limited amount of risk. Projects have to be prioritized in keeping with provincial mandated core services followed by needs then wants.

We need to look at energy availability and environmental impacts and both the positive and negative impacts. We need to have public engagement and consultation to identify areas that may/may not be suitable, so that we are in front of the issue.

We have municipal lands that could be made available, we can reduce the planning and permitting process, we can possibly access the Community Improvement plan. We can earmark a portion of the Municipal Accommodation tax to help with costs and we have to find developers that are willing to build affordable housing. We also can work with upper tier governments to advance our needs. We also need to continue to encourage and straighten the ARU(additional residential unit) program and multi-residential housing.

We need to encourage and support our local not-for-profits who are promoting the protection and preservation of our environment. We need to work with the conservation authorities and upper tier government to make sure we have good political representation for the preservation of our natural environment and don’t put policies we already have in place on the back shelf.

First, when we initiate a project, it has to come to council earlier in order to further identify any potential financial risks. Second, the finance department needs to report to council any variances to costs on a regular basis throughout the project. Third, at the tendering process, we need to coordinate with surrounding municipalities to determine availability of contractors because we have a limited supply of contractors in this area to work on big projects, which can create significant delays and cost overruns. Fourth, eliminate single source tendering-only use it in extreme circumstances.

I have been proud to serve my first term from 2022 to 2026. I have a deep connection being 5th Generation in this town. I have learned a tremendous amount in this term and humbly request to continue to serve and to apply what I’ve learned.

As an incumbent I have had the opportunity to observe the inner workings of the departments and I also have the greatest respect for Process and Order. So I am able to apply my knowledge and skills to navigate process.

I am always ready and willing to sit down and listen to concerns for residents and their needs. I am able to then weigh the overall outcome of a decision and it benefits as it applies to the town as a whole.

Reduce red tape where applicable, work collaboratively with the rest of the region and Upper Tiers of Government. Create a plan and see it all the way to fruition.

It is based on the services that are provided.

There is a lot of work yet to do with managing Assets, Capital Works and Re supply of reserves. It can all be accomplished as long as we work together.

It should be open and accessible for all that require the service. There should be careful thought and consideration given to the route, its stops and there should be even more collaboration to meet the affordability aspect of ridership.

A deep dive into what the wants and needs are. What is left of “service life” in specific infrastructure and then a careful plan in how to phase, replace or put on hold certain projects.

Those particular projects require Industrial Lands and Service of said lands. This Municipality lacks these areas. Although it is not impossible there will need to be extremely careful consideration go into any such project.

Reduce red tape where applicable, work collaboratively with the rest of the region and Upper Tiers of Government. Create a plan and see it all the way to fruition.

With careful consideration for each proposal and by adhering to the several bold action plans that have been outlined in the Future Story

With the steps that have been taken by this council there is now an appropriate reporting process and guardrails in place The objective is not to promise that no infrastructure project will ever exceed its budget. It is to prevent avoidable overruns, identify unavoidable increases early, and ensure no major financial surprise reaches council or taxpayers without timely explanation, scrutiny, and accountability.
I would also caution that although three projects were bundled, it was only the Mill street Sewage pumpumg station that was underestimated.

We should ban them.

I had a client who faced challenges working with the Town and I discovered that other developers and builders are alos facing challenges when engaged with council and other stakeholders. That lead me to see other areas of opportunities that I had concerns about. I am not one to complain without trying to fix it or engage in conversation with better outcomes. With my current company I now have the time to serve my community and be of service to my fellow rate payers. I decided to run at that point to create opportunities in the building community and create a welcome and open for business council that can confidently turn ideas into projects.

I have served on a # of boards, including that past 10 years with the Canadian Mental Health Association, I served as chair of the board of directors for 7 of those years that created a welcoming board with strong governance oversight, balancing tight budgets, making hard decisions and delivering positive outcomes to the most vulnerable in our community.

I understand how the municipal act impacts decision making, we need a strong council that can weigh the decisions for the majority of the community, we cant be afraid to upset the few when the many will benefit. I listen to understand which and use the data to make decisions, removing emotion from this to allow for clear and productive meetings.

Municipalities can meaningfully ease cost-of-living pressure on residents by practicing strict fiscal discipline and leveraging regional partnership.

First, local government must distinguish between essential “must-have” core services and discretionary “nice-to-have” projects. By prioritizing taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars on core infrastructure and services, we can keep municipal tax increases tied strictly to inflation—preventing unnecessary tax burdens on households already facing rising living costs.

Second, we must be proactive and creative about economic growth. By partnering regionally across Grey, Bruce, and Simcoe, we can market our area as a unified hub to attract new business in key sectors like Agriculture, Technology, and Tourism, expanding our commercial tax base and creating local jobs.

Finally, we need to maximize our purchasing power through regional collaboration:

Joint Procurement: Rather than competing, neighboring municipalities can go to market as a single group purchasing network. Aggregating our demand for shared assets—such as fleet vehicles, equipment, and contracted services—gives us stronger negotiating power and lowers unit costs.

Coordinated Capital Planning: By aligning our capital works schedules with adjacent municipalities, we avoid competing for the same limited pool of engineering firms and construction contractors. Providing a predictable, stable pipeline of regional work attracts better bids, stabilizes the local labor force, and ultimately reduces project costs.

When evaluating our municipal tax structure, context is everything. On a service-for-dollar basis, The Town of the Blue Mountains delivers exceptional efficiency and value for our residents compared to surrounding municipalities in Grey and Simcoe Counties.

My perspective rests on four key pillars:

Competitive Tax Rates:

TBM maintains one of the lowest effective residential tax rates in Grey County (around 0.77%).

By comparison, neighboring municipalities carry higher rates—Collingwood sits around 1.03%, Meaford near 1.15%, and Owen Sound historically ranges between 1.3% and 1.5%+.

A lower-value home in neighboring jurisdictions like Owen Sound or Meaford often results in a significantly higher annual tax bill than a higher-assessed home in TBM.

Comprehensive Essential Services Included:

Waste Management: TBM provides weekly curbside garbage collection and maintains its own operational municipal landfill on 10th Line.

No Hidden Waste Fees: Unlike several neighboring municipalities that require residents to purchase individual bag tags or pay out-of-pocket fees at regional transfer stations, these core waste services are fully integrated into our municipal tax base.

High-Quality Recreational & Community Infrastructure:

For a municipality with a permanent population of under 10,000, TBM offers an impressive suite of local amenities funded through our tax base.

Residents enjoy direct access to the Beaver Valley Community Centre & Arena, the L.E. Shore Memorial Library, a municipal golf course (Tomahawk), public tennis and pickleball courts, baseball diamonds, and extensive trail networks.

Strategic Assessment & Revenue Advantage:

TBM benefits from a strong assessment base driven by local waterfront and resort properties, alongside commercial revenues generated by Blue Mountain Resort and tourism infrastructure.

Without question, the number-one issue facing The Town of the Blue Mountains is attainable workforce housing.

Our local economy relies heavily on the agriculture, tourism, retail, and hospitality sectors. Right now, many of the workers who keep these businesses operating cannot afford to live, raise families, or participate directly in the community where they work. If we do not act, we risk losing these vital workers permanently to neighboring communities like Wasaga Beach, Meaford, and Owen Sound, which are actively expanding their housing options.

To protect our local economy and build a complete community, we must address this head-on through three key pillars:

Evolve Our Density & Zoning Policies: We need to align our local planning framework to support practical, mixed-use, and medium-density development. Embracing gentle density allows us to build modern options that suit working families without compromising the character of our towns and villages.

Intergovernmental Collaboration: Municipalities cannot solve this in isolation. We must work proactively with Grey County, the Province, and the Federal Government to secure funding, land opportunities, and policy support to get projects out of planning and onto the ground.

Protect Our Competitive Edge: Our agricultural and tourism operators need a dependable labor force. Ensuring workers can live locally creates a stable workforce, reduces long-distance commuting, and strengthens our civic tax base.”

While I am eager to review the final findings of the multi-county transit study involving Bruce, Grey, Dufferin, and Wellington, my stance on regional transit is grounded in a simple principle: transportation is essential economic infrastructure that must connect our workforce to jobs.

In The Town of the Blue Mountains, our tourism, hospitality, agriculture, and retail sectors depend heavily on employees commuting from surrounding communities. To build an effective system without overburdening our local property taxpayers, a regional transit framework should focus on four core priorities:

Workforce-Driven Routes: The network must prioritize high-demand commuter corridors—linking workforce housing hubs in places like Meaford, Owen Sound, Wasaga Beach, and Collingwood directly to employment and resort centers in TBM.

Leveraging the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT): TBM has a unique funding advantage through our MAT revenue, which is paid by overnight visitors—not local property ratepayers. Reinvesting a portion of the town’s MAT share into workforce transit makes complete sense: it uses visitor-generated funds to support the front-line hospitality workers who power our resort economy, while reducing tourism-related traffic congestion on local roads.

A Balanced Multi-Partner Funding Model: Local property taxpayers should not shoulder this cost alone. Funding must be a shared effort combining provincial infrastructure grants (such as the Ontario Transit Investment Fund), user fares, upper-tier county coordination, MAT contributions, and private-sector partnerships with major employers who benefit directly from workforce mobility.

Regional Efficiency: Just as neighboring municipalities can collaborate on joint procurement and capital planning to lower costs, transit should be operated as a coordinated regional partnership across counties to eliminate administrative duplication and maximize every tax dollar spent.

Regional transit is the crucial link between workforce housing, labor retention, and local economic growth—and using tools like the MAT allows us to fund it responsibly while protecting our residential tax rate

Maintaining high-quality municipal services and core infrastructure without pushing heavy tax increases onto residents requires a relentless focus on fiscal discipline, proactive council leadership, and regional collaboration.

My approach rests on four key operational strategies:

Distinguishing “Must-Haves” from “Nice-to-Haves”:

Council must be disciplined in prioritizing core services—such as roads, water/wastewater infrastructure, emergency services, and waste management—over discretionary, capital-intensive projects.

Keeping tax increases tied strictly to inflationary adjustments ensures municipal operations remain sustainable without burdening households already facing a higher cost of living.

Proactive Oversight and Preventing Cost Overruns:

Council needs to maintain active, continuous engagement throughout the lifecycle of major capital projects rather than simply receiving updates when budgets are already breached.

By establishing strong, transparent working relationships with the CAO, senior staff, and project leads, council can insist on early-warning reporting—ensuring potential cost overruns are identified, flagged, and mitigated before checks are written and funds are spent.

Strengthening Regional Buying Power:

As outlined in our regional procurement strategy, partnering with neighboring municipalities across Grey, Bruce, and Simcoe allows us to form a unified buying group.

Aggregating demand for heavy equipment, fleet vehicles, contracted services, and engineering consultant work lowers unit costs, increases vendor competition, and stretches every local tax dollar further.

Coordinated Capital Project Scheduling:

Aligning our capital construction schedules with adjacent towns prevents regional municipalities from competing against one another for a limited pool of specialized engineering firms and contractors.

When we talk about Artificial Intelligence in local government, we have to distinguish between using AI as an operational tool and physically building AI infrastructure in our backyard.

1. Modernizing Municipal Operations (Internal AI Use):

AI represents a major evolutionary shift in how organizations operate—much like the industrial revolution or the rise of the internet before it. Today, municipal staff spend countless hours on routine, manual administrative tasks. By deploying smart technology, we can automate those simple processes, empowering our employees to focus on high-value service delivery. This isn’t about replacing our workforce; it’s about giving our staff better tools so they can deliver faster, higher-quality results for residents while keeping municipal overhead down.

2. Land Use and Physical Data Centres:

While data centres are critical to the broader global economy, large-scale data centre developments are not compatible with the charm, heritage, and character of The Town of the Blue Mountains.

Alignment with Our Official Plan: Our Official Plan and Strategic Plan are intentionally designed to protect our agricultural land, natural heritage, and scenic resort aesthetic. Heavy industrial data centres require massive energy footprints, high water usage for cooling, and large building footprints that do not fit our agricultural and tourism-based vision.

Focusing on Our Core Strengths: As part of our regional economic development strategy across Grey, Bruce, and Simcoe, we should support technology and innovation, but in ways that align with our local landscape—such as agri-tech, remote work innovation, and smart municipal services—rather than land-heavy industrial processing hubs.

Artificial Intelligence will transform how TBM serves its citizens internally, but our physical land and official plan must remain dedicated to preserving our community’s unique character.

Increasing housing supply across the affordability spectrum—specifically attainable housing for our workforce—is the single most urgent issue facing The Town of the Blue Mountains.

Our local economy relies heavily on front-line workers in tourism, hospitality, retail, and agriculture. When these workers are priced out, local businesses face staffing shortages, reduced operating hours, and higher turnover. Meanwhile, neighboring communities like Wasaga Beach, Meaford, and Owen Sound are aggressively expanding housing options and risk drawing our talent pool away.

To deliver real results across the entire housing continuum, a municipality should act on three key fronts:

Align Land Use for Smart Density: We must update our local planning framework to support gentle, medium-density options, such as multi-unit rentals, mixed-use buildings with residential spaces above retail, and accessory dwelling units. Modernizing density rules allows working families to live here without changing the character of our towns and villages.

Partner Across All Tiers of Government: Municipalities cannot build or finance housing in isolation. We must work actively with Grey County, the Province, and the Federal Government to tap into infrastructure grants, surplus land programs, and specialized housing funds.

Incentivize Attainable & Rental Housing: Through targeted tools like Community Improvement Plans (CIPs), we can offer financial incentives, development charge offsets, and streamlined approvals for developers building dedicated workforce and rental housing rather than exclusive luxury stock.

Attainable housing is an economic imperative. By planning smart and collaborating regionally, we can build a complete community where people can work, live, and raise their families.”

Managing growth isn’t about choosing between development and preservation—it’s about directing growth to the right places while strictly protecting what makes The Town of the Blue Mountains special.

Standing still is not an option. If we freeze all development, we will fail to build the workforce housing our local businesses desperately need to survive. However, growth must be intentional, balanced, and governed by our Official Plan and Strategic Plan through three main principles:

• Smart Density in the Right Locations: Rather than spreading outward, we must focus gentle, medium-density growth—like townhomes, low-rise apartments, and mixed-use buildings—within our existing settlement areas and designated commercial corridors. This creates workforce housing where infrastructure already exists while respecting neighborhood scale and local sightlines.
• Strict Protection of Agricultural Land: Prime agricultural land is the backbone of our local heritage and economy. We must draw a hard line against converting high-yield farmland into residential subdivisions. Growth must be directed away from prime agricultural acreage and onto underutilized or infill properties better suited for development.
• Architectural Character & Design Guidelines: Any new development must fit the visual character, heritage aesthetic, and natural charm of our towns and villages. Building heights, design standards, and landscaping must complement—not disrupt—our local landscape and scenic views.

By enforcing our Official Plan, protecting our farmland, and building smart density in designated areas, we can protect our town’s natural beauty while creating a thriving, complete community

As someone who runs and operates a project management business, my entire career is built on delivering projects on time and on budget. In my industry, if you don’t put strict guardrails in place, budget blowouts are exactly what happens.

A $19 million collective cost overrun is more than just a planning misstep—it signals a breakdown in financial controls and procurement oversight. For unapproved money to be committed before Council is even made aware is completely unacceptable in either the private or public sector.

To protect taxpayers and bring real project discipline to Town Hall, I will insist on four non-negotiable guardrails:

• Enforce Mandatory Approval Thresholds: Establish strict procurement guardrails where any cost variance or scope change over a set percentage requires an immediate halt and explicit Council approval before a single extra dollar is spent.
• Proactive Milestone Checkpoints: Implement mandatory, real-time financial reporting at key project phases. In business, you track variances daily and weekly—not after the contract is already paid. Council must receive early-warning reports while there is still time to adjust scopes or mitigate costs.
• Rigor in Initial Scoping & Risk Assessment: Large overruns often stem from rushed upfront planning. We need higher engineering and risk-assessment standards during the design phase, prioritizing fixed-price or capped-cost contracts to lock in vendor accountability early.
• Active Council Accountability: Council cannot be a passive audience. By drawing on real-world project management standards and working constructively with the CAO and senior staff, Council must actively monitor capital portfolios to ensure transparency and hold project leads accountable.

I am seeking re-election because I have the experience, accountability, and evidence based decision-making matter, particularly as The Blue Mountains faces growing financial pressures, significant infrastructure demands, and important choices about housing and growth.

Over the past four years, I have worked to strengthen accountability and transparency, advance housing initiatives, improve governance practices, and ask the difficult questions that residents expect their elected representatives to ask before committing taxpayer dollars.

I am proud of the progress that has been made, but there is still important work ahead. We must maintain momentum on housing initiatives, improve infrastructure delivery, carefully manage future growth, and ensure municipal government remains affordable and financially sustainable.

I am running because I believe residents deserve decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions, long-term thinking rather than short-term politics, and that deliverable measurable results rather than promises.

My professional background includes decades of executive leadership experience managing complex organizations, large budgets, strategic planning initiatives, governance responsibilities, and organizational change. Holding a Master’s in Nursing and an MBA, I built a progressive international career grounded in evidence-based decision-making, accountability, financial stewardship, and risk management.

My current governance experience includes serving on Council and chairing both the Accountability and Transparency Advisory Committee—where we advanced the Accountability and Transparency Policy, the Lobbyist Registry framework, and key public reporting improvements—and the Family Physician Recruitment Working Group, which successfully supported the arrival of two new physicians this past year, benefiting approximately 1,600 residents.

Additionally, I serve as a Board Member for North East Grey Health Clinics Inc. and the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. My past board service includes the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario and the Niagara Health System Board as a non-voting member.

My approach to effective decision-making is simple: gather the facts, understand the options, examine the risks, and consider the long-term risks and implications before making a decision.

Throughout my career, I have been accountable for significant budgets, strategic decisions, and measurable outcomes. During my time on Council, I have consistently focused on evidence-based decision-making, asking thoughtful questions, and ensuring decisions are supported by sound information rather than assumptions.

Residents expect us to ask the right questions, understand the impacts of our decisions, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

My record demonstrates a commitment to accountability, transparency and measurable results. I believe that combination of experience, preparation, and independent critical thinking allows me to be an effective decision maker on behalf of residents.

While municipalities cannot control inflation, interest rates, or the cost of groceries, we can control how responsibly we spend taxpayers’ money and the value residents receive in return.

Residents face increased pressure from rising living costs, and many are rightly concerned about property taxes and affordability. One of Council’s most important responsibilities is ensuring that municipal spending is disciplined, transparent, and focused on community priorities.

As your Councillor, I have consistently supported measures that protect taxpayers while maintaining essential services. That includes challenging spending assumptions, applying zero-based budgeting principles, initiating and maintaining the 2% staff vacancy factor adopted during this term, and looking for new ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

As the town continues to grow, we must carefully consider the long-term operating costs associated with new roads, parks, facilities, and infrastructure. Growth should help strengthen our tax base and improve services, not create future affordability pressures for residents.

I also believe taxpayers deserve clear reporting on results. Residents must see where their money is being spent, what outcomes are expected, and whether those outcomes are being achieved.

Keeping municipal government affordable starts with strong financial management, accountability, and a commitment to delivering value for every taxpayer dollar.

Residents are feeling significant financial pressure, and Council must be mindful that property tax increases affect families, seniors, farmers, and businesses alike.

My view is that the municipal tax rate must deliver value. Residents should be confident that the services they receive, the infrastructure being maintained, and the investments being made justify the taxes they pay.

During this term, I supported keeping tax increases to approximately 2.5% while continuing to invest in roads, bridges, parks, recreation, and other essential municipal services. However, maintaining affordability will require more than limiting tax increases. Council and staff must be willing to challenge spending assumptions, explore innovative ways of delivering services, and identify real, measurable efficiencies that improve the bottom line.

As our community continues to grow, we must carefully manage both capital investments and the long-term operating costs that come with them. Every new project should be supported by a clear business case, measurable outcomes, and an understanding of its future financial impact.

Taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and value for money. My focus will continue to be on disciplined budgeting, operational efficiency, and ensuring every tax dollar delivers meaningful benefits to residents while keeping The Blue Mountains financially sustainable and affordable for future generations.

No.1 issue facing The Blue Mountains is ensuring the Town’s long-term financial health.

As our community continues to grow, the challenge is not simply funding new infrastructure. We must also manage the ongoing operating costs associated with roads, parks, recreation facilities, wastewater systems, transit, staffing, and other municipal services. Residents are increasingly concerned about rising property taxes and whether municipal spending is delivering measurable value.

Council’s most important responsibility is the stewardship of taxpayer dollars. That means focusing first on core municipal services and infrastructure that residents depend on every day, while carefully evaluating discretionary projects and “nice-to-have” initiatives against competing priorities and long-term financial capacity.

Maintain the current 2% staff vacancy factor in the budget as a practical measure that recognizes recruitment realities while helping protect taxpayers from unnecessary cost increases. I also believe additional staffing requests should be supported by clear business cases and measurable outcomes.

To strengthen financial discipline, the Town should expand the use of zero-based budgeting principles, requiring departments to justify expenditures from the ground up rather than relying on automatic increases. Combined with clear performance measures and continuous improvement, to ensure services remain efficient, transparent, affordable, and sustainable for residents, businesses, and property owners.

A successful regional transit system for Bruce, Grey, Dufferin, and Wellington Counties must be practical, scalable, and reflect the realities of a large rural and small urban geography. The priority should be connecting communities commonly traveled for employment, healthcare, education, and essential services.

For The Blue Mountains, a connection to Collingwood is particularly important, as many employees cross municipal boundaries daily as they live in work in another community. Regional transit should focus on high-volume corridors where there is demonstrated demand, schedules coordinated around start and end times of major employers, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. This would help create a reliable service that supports workforce mobility while maximizing ridership.

Transit is an essential economic infrastructure that supports housing affordability, labour participation, healthcare access, and regional prosperity. Improved mobility benefits all ages and stages of life.

Funding must be a shared responsibility. A regional transit network will never be fully self-funding, nor should local taxpayers be expected to bear the entire cost. Federal, Provincial, municipal funding, and reasonable user fees all form part of the funding model. The goal being a financially sustainable system that mobilizes, strengthens the regional economy, and ensures opportunities across county boundaries can be accessed.

Maintaining municipal services and infrastructure without placing excessive pressure on taxpayers starts with better planning, stronger project management, and disciplined financial oversight.

Investment decisions must be based on risk, service levels, long-term community benefit, and affordability. Not every project carries the same urgency, and Council must be prepared to prioritize those that protect critical infrastructure, maintain service standards, and deliver the greatest value for residents.

I support a strong asset management approach that plans for the full lifecycle cost of roads, bridges, water systems, facilities, and other municipal assets. We must maximize grants and external funding opportunities, strengthen business cases before major investments are approved, and explore public-private partnerships where appropriate.

We need to continually improve how we deliver services. During this term, Council directed staff to explore a Municipal Services Corporation and implementing improvements arising from the KPMG capital project review. Both initiatives are intended to improve efficiency, accountability, project delivery, and long-term financial sustainability.

Growth must contribute its fair share toward the infrastructure it requires.

Residents expect reliable services, but they also expect Council to challenge the status quo and find smarter, more cost-effective ways to deliver them.

Artificial intelligence and data centres are creating both opportunities and challenges for communities.

Municipalities need to ensure they understand the infrastructure requirements, particularly related to electricity, water use, environmental impacts, land use compatibility, and transportation needs.

Preparation should begin with planning policies, servicing capacity assessments, and discussions with the Province, utilities, and regional partners.

If opportunities arise which I prefer not to happen, we should evaluate them carefully through the lens of economic benefit, environmental impact, municipal costs, and long-term community interests.

Municipalities play an important role in increasing housing supply by moving viable projects from concept to construction.

My priority would be to advance housing opportunities already in progress, including the McPherson Builders proposal, the Home Opportunities partnership, the Grey Road 19 lands, and the future of 171 King Street. I believe we need to focus on reducing delays, providing certainty, and moving these viable projects forward.

As a volunteer member of the Regional Social Financing and Housing Committee for 6 years, where creative financing tools and partnerships to support the delivery of attainable and affordable housing have been explored. That experience has assisted with the bringing together municipalities, non-profit organizations, developers, and other stakeholders to create practical housing solutions.

A broad mix of housing options includes attainable ownership, purpose-built rental housing, secondary suites, ARUs, workforce housing, and opportunities for seniors. A community depends on housing choices for healthcare professionals, teachers, tradespeople, first responders, service-sector workers, young families, and seniors.

Housing is an economic development, workforce, and community sustainability issue. Our goal should be to create complete communities where people can live, work, and thrive locally while ensuring growth is supported by sustainable infrastructure and responsible financial planning.

Protecting our natural environment and community character is not incompatible with growth. The challenge is ensuring growth occurs in the right places and in the right way.

We already have strong policy tools through the Town’s Strategic Plan and Official Plan. The focus must be on implementing those policies thoughtfully and consistently.

Growth should be directed toward serviced areas where infrastructure already exists or can be efficiently expanded. We must continue protecting environmentally sensitive lands, maintaining our agricultural heritage, preserving our scenic landscapes, and ensuring development complements the character of established neighbourhoods.

Thoughtful planning is about looking beyond today’s development application and considering what we want The Blue Mountains to look like twenty and thirty years from now.

The goal is not to stop growth. The goal is to manage it responsibly.

Council and residents expect infrastructure projects to have the project governance, financial oversight, and transparent reporting to maximize value for taxpayers while delivering the infrastructure our community needs.

In April, Council commissioned KPMG to deliver a comprehensive review of capital project. The review identified opportunities to strengthen project oversight through enhanced stage-gate governance, improved risk management, independent cost assurance, stronger contingency planning, and clearer reporting to Council and the public.

Through a motion I brought forward and Council approved; the key KPMG recommendations being embedded into the governance and oversight framework for the Craigleith Wastewater Treatment Plant project. This ensures stronger project controls, enhanced risk management, independent scrutiny of project costs, and more transparent reporting as the project advances. It also allows Council to review the scope based on actual need.

Major projects will continue to include formal risk registers, estimate confidence levels, independent cost reviews, regular reassessment at key milestones, and clear escalation thresholds when costs change materially. The goal being identify risks early, make informed evidence-based decisions, and adjust course when needed.

Success is not simply delivering infrastructure it is delivering infrastructure that is properly scoped, governed, financially affordable, and transparently reported to the public.