1) Why are you running?
I love Hanover! I am proud to call our community home.
Our world is changing and I want to ensure Hanover remains a progressive and forward-thinking community that attracts and retains residents of all ages. Having served as a Councillor since 2018, I am approaching this election with my eyes open to the challenges and opportunities we face. I am prepared to work collaboratively with all members of Council to find creative solutions to issues including housing affordability, doctor recruitment, Hanover’s projected land shortage, and the Town’s over-reliance on OLG (casino) revenue for capital projects like our roads, parks, buildings, sports facilities, etc. I am keen to learn and am aware of the numerous hours required to do this job well. I fundamentally believe in being responsive to resident inquiries. I enjoy helping residents
navigate town processes and finding answers to resident questions. As a 30-year-old I think I bring a different perspective to the Council table. I consider the short and long-term implications of decisions, am able to think creatively while being realistic, and focus on the needs of all residents.
2) Are there any steps municipalities can take to help ease cost of living concerns?
As your Councillor, I am always cognizant of how decisions at the Council table impact each resident’s bottom line. While I will not commit to 0% tax increases (as costs for the municipality will increase and I also believe in maintaining our infrastructure), I am committed to ensuring that municipal spending is fiscally responsible, well-managed and forward-thinking.
Council must consider its non-tax-dollar revenue sources to ensure these are maintained or enhanced. We must continue to pursue provincial and federal grants to help offset infrastructure upgrades, and advocate for the Province to increase the Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding provided to municipalities in light of the higher-
than-normal inflationary costs we are experiencing. Hanover received $1.93 million in OMPF funding for 2022 which is a significant portion of the Town’s operating budget. While balancing the impact on household taxes, I believe services must be provided to users at an affordable rate. We must ensure that ice skating, pool admission, and general programs are accessible to all residents. Further, I will continue to support the development of an outdoor skating rink and a splash pad – both of which have no pay- per-use fee, and minimal tax requirement once constructed.
3) What are your ideas for economic development in your municipality?
I see a few key items to focus on:
1. Develop a new industrial park. Our industrial park on the south end of Hanover has limited vacant land remaining. The large “cannabis” building has been sold and is being turned into 26 light-industrial units. If we want additional industrial activities in Hanover we must have serviced land ready for development.
2. Focus on building affordable and attainable housing. Expensive housing is a barrier for employees looking to put down roots. We must work with developers to identify what can be done to construct additional housing units (of various configurations – semis, townhouses, rental apartments, smaller-footprint homes, etc.) at a more attainable price point while also pursuing partnerships and funding to construct geared-to-income housing units.
3. Promote Hanover’s Community Improvement Program. There are grants available for increasing Hanover’s attainable housing stock, facade and building improvements, business start up space improvements, and vacant building conversions to name a few.
4. Continue to support Launch Pad. Launch Pad is now highly focused on youth skill development, with expanded programs in welding, culinary arts, automotive and technology. Launch Pad will be working with Hanover’s HIPP Apprentice program to build links between programming offered and employment opportunities in our region.
4) Do you think the municipality has a role to play in the recruitment and retention of physicians and other healthcare workers?
While physician and healthcare worker recruitment is not directly a municipal responsibility, I see healthcare as an essential service for residents. We are so fortunate to have a dedicated team of doctors, nurses and support staff working at Hanover & District Hospital who have ensured that our Emergency Room remains open despite the
ongoing staffing challenges they are faced with. The repeated closures at neighbouring hospitals have stretched things even further.
We also require family medicine physicians. I have spoken with several individuals over the past few months who described the difficulties they have faced without a family doctor. Some are long-time residents who were “orphaned” due to physician retirements. Simple things like prescription refills are not so simple. We cannot sit idly
by. The Town of Hanover currently donates $85,000 per year to the Hospital Foundation for physician recruitment. I firmly believe that we must continue with this donation while also taking a more active role in the recruitment process.
Hanover & District Hospital is re-launching a local physician recruitment committee with representatives of HDH, the Hospital Foundation and the Town. The mandate is clear – to develop a focused strategy to attract physicians to Hanover.
5) Do you feel Hanover needs to acquire more land in order to grow?
It is no longer a question of “will” Hanover require land. Rather, it is a question of “how soon” Hanover will require land.
According to Grey County’s 2021 Growth Forecast, Hanover’s population is expected to reach nearly 12,000 people by 2046 (the third largest growth area in the County). This population growth is projected to require an additional 1700 dwellings, while employment forecasts show the creation of an additional 1470 jobs. This growth will not
be able to happen without additional land. In 2020, the Town initiated a Growth Management Strategy which assessed all undeveloped lands within the Town’s current boundary to determine which areas were suitable for particular forms of development, while also considering the servicing requirements for these lands and any barriers based on environmental conditions and designated hazard lands. The final report showed that Hanover will require an additional 109 hectares (~ 270 acres) of land to accommodate projected growth within the next 25
years. The next Council must make Hanover’s land shortage a top priority and engage our neighbours in Brockton and West Grey in meaningful discussions to find a “win-win” solution. Many other communities have developed amicable agreements which include things such as property tax sharing.