1) Why are you running?
I ran first and foremost because I am extremely passionate about my community. I take a great deal of pride in my hometown and am incredibly grateful to be raising my own son only a few blocks from where I grew up. I ran because I want to see more diversity at our council table and to ensure that the priorities of young families are better reflected. I also ran because I believe I can contribute to positive change and forward momentum for our community. I am committed to putting in the hard work to help bring our community together, build on our strengths and make the Municipality of Kincardine a better place to live, work and visit.
2) Are there any steps municipalities can take to help ease cost of living concerns?
One of the biggest expenses most residents face each month is the cost of housing, whether they are renters or homeowners. The Municipality must continue to move forward with a bold Housing Action Plan to address local housing affordability, increase the diversity of local housing options and work with the County to increase the number of subsidized housing units. Another area of concern for many younger families are rising daycare costs. The Municipality must work to expand county-operated day care spaces to ensure that more local families can benefit from the $10 a day daycare program, as many private providers have not or are not able to register for the program. I also believe the Municipality can explore subsidies for recreation to ensure that all residents can access programs and facilities that promote their physical and mental wellness. Most importantly, the Council must ensure that municipal resources (financial, natural and human resources) are managed in a responsible way to ensure that taxpayers are getting value from their tax dollars and that any increases in rates are reasonable.
3) What are your ideas for economic development in your municipality?
Our municipality is blessed to be home to many significant economic drivers, including the energy and tourism sectors. I want the Municipality to continue working closely with the Nuclear Innovation Institute and the Clean Energy Frontier program in particular to support the long-range growth and sustainability of the energy sector in our community. Our proximity to Lake Huron, our vibrant arts and cultural festivals and our downtown business area act as a magnet for tourists. I would like to see our tourism and recreation strategies expand to include more shoulder and winter season attractions. I would also like to see increased investment in youth through partnerships with local skilled trades, technology companies, service industries and post-secondary institutions. Looking at programs run through LaunchPad in Hanover as a model, the Municipality could invest in a strategy to promote youth entrepreneurship and skill development which would increase youth retention and address critical labour shortages in key industries.
4) Do you think the municipality has a role to play in the recruitment and retention of physicians and other healthcare workers?
Yes, I believe that Municipalities have a role to play in the recruitment and retention of health care providers. It is estimated that approximately 3000 local residents are without a family physician, a number that will surely grow as our population expands due to the MCR project. The closures of ER departments at area hospitals, including our own, shows the critical need for expanded efforts to recruit both family and ER physicians as well as specialists. The Kincardine & Brockton Family Health Team recently approached the Municipality with a request to contribute to the Nurse Practitioner clinic, which could reduce the strain on the ER and expand health care access to orphaned patients. The expanded scope of Nurse Practitioners make contributing to such a program an attractive choice for the Municipality and consider should be given to incentive packages that include these important front-line providers. Additionally, I believe that our community needs a revitalized and modernized hospital to continue to attract health care providers as well as ensure that residents are able to access necessary health care services close to home.
5) What would you like to see in Kincardine for growth-related development?
I believe that much of the Municipality is well-prepared for growth. Over the past four years, council has made significant investments in infrastructure upgrades and connected services to several key areas planned or available for future development. I believe the Municipality must take a more proactive approach to attracting developers – both residential and commercial – in order to meet the growth-related demands of the community. It is important to me that the Municipality prioritizes development that offers a range of housing types for all income levels and life stages. I also want to see development that promotes walkable communities with adequate park and green space. Growth that is focused on infill projects, gentle densification or is spread across the Municipality will help our communities avoid sprawl, protect critical farmland and reduce infrastructure costs. I also want to facilitate growth-related development that continues to enable small businesses to thrive while addressing the need for more affordable retail options. Many other communities across Ontario are struggling to revitalize their community cores, which are increasingly recognized as important collective community spaces and tourism attractions.
6) What would you like to see included in the Waterfront Master Plan?
Our Municipality has more than 30 km of shoreline, which is one of our greatest assets and the reason so many are drawn to our communities. The Waterfront Master Plan focuses on a small section of that shoreline within Ward 1, on both sides of the Kincardine harbour. The Plan remains in development and I highly encourage everyone to participate in the process by contributing to surveys or attending the upcoming engagement sessions in person. So far, I have heard from many residents that they are concerned about ‘overdevelopment’ or increased commercialization of our waterfront. Other considerations have highlighted the need to protect sensitive environmental areas and ensure that amenities such as the boardwalk / walking paths meet or exceed accessibility standards. On a personal level, I would like the plan to include proposals for year-round usage, including winter washroom capabilities. I am also interested in a revised layout at Station Beach that would enhance safety and better separate marina usage / traffic from beachfront usage. For example, moving boat parking closer to the launch ramp and fish cleaning station, with an expanded parking lot further from piers to naturally direct swimmers to safer sections of the beach.