1) Why are you running?
If not me, then who? If not now, then when? I have been heavily involved in volunteering efforts my whole life because I believe that it is my responsibility to work towards making my community better rather than offloading that responsibility to others. I also believe that my career and experiences in community building and economic development put me in perfect position to be a useful contributor to the efforts of council.
2) Are there any steps municipalities can take to help ease cost of living concerns?
I have heard about 3 major issues that affect cost of living. 1) Housing and taxes. Meaford and other municipalities can ease this cost by adopting strategies that call for mixed-used developments with a higher degree of intensity in their downtown core. By increasing housing option supply, market prices will go down. Increasing the number of dwellings will also reduce the tax burden on individuals. 2) Higher density planning. If more people live in a small space, that means that businesses can be strategically located to benefit from the people living nearby. If these businesses are sufficiently mixed, that means that the community will be more walkable, thus reducing costs. 3) Childcare. This is a huge problem for young families. In Meaford, families are paying up to $60/day per child! Municipalities should be working to make it easy to start additional childcare businesses and applying for funding from higher levels of government. There are plenty of programs to apply to.
3) What are your ideas for economic development in your municipality?
In Meaford, I really hope to see vertical integration that enables the processing of products from our large agricultural sector in the urban areas. Also, with increased density downtown, where density belongs, we can foster a larger customer base for existing and new businesses to benefit from, while providing workers close by.
4) Do you think a municipality has a role to play in the recruitment and retention of physicians and other healthcare workers?
Yes. Although they are not necessarily responsible for managing the staffing of the healthcare system, our municipalities should be doing everything they can to reduce the barriers to entry for these businesses and workers. Business incentives and advertising are examples of steps that can be taken.
5) Should the municipality pursue more shared services with neighbouring municipalities?
Absolutely. The Municipality of Meaford has large areas that are physically isolated from downtown Meaford. This combined with the amalgamation history means that some areas are very disconnected from the services the municipality provides. Given how much these things cost and the staffing required, it makes sense to collaborate with neighbours on the other of the townlines to ensure sufficient coverage. Siloing of service efforts helps councils maintain control within their regions, but it doesn’t necessarily provide the best outcomes from their ratepayers.
6) What issue do you believe is a top priority for Meaford to tackle during the next term?
There are 2 that go together; housing and the attraction and retention of young adults. The solutions for these 2 issues need to be done in concert to ensure that we are appropriately marketing our community for people in this age group. Meaford is currently a retirement town that does not have enough working people to keep things running smoothly. This needs to be fixed, and it can’t be fixed without a housing strategy.