1) Why are you running?
I had always thought that running for councillor was something I wouldn’t do until at least a decade down the road, once I have established myself better in West Grey. However, in light of some of the more pressing issues that surround West Grey, like affordable housing and community policing, I felt that there was no time like the present to engage in politics and help make West Grey a place for younger people to start their lives.
2) Are there any steps municipalities can take to help ease cost of living concerns?
I think affordable housing is the biggest barrier to people my age (mid-twenties to mid-thirties) and I believe the quickest and simplest way to relieve that is to adjust the building bylaw so that tiny homes can be legally built and occupied. We could permit multiple homes on a single property, and create affordable communities within walking distance of towns. If someone could live in a home for under 50,000 and not have to own a vehicle, that would open up tremendous opportunities for our young labor pool.
3) What are your ideas for economic development in your municipality?
I would like to work with existing organizations like the BIA and the Chamber of Commerce, to promote a Friday evening market in Neustadt and Durham. We have an incredible amount of tourist traffic that drives right through our towns every weekend in the summer, and we are missing out on those dollars. Getting beautiful art and temporary displays out on the sidewalks will draw people’s attention and give them the inclination to stop, pull over, and take a look at what our towns have to offer.
4) Do you think a municipality has a role to play in the recruitment and retention of physicians and other healthcare workers?
There are 250 unemployed healthcare workers in Grand River Hospital alone that are still unemployed in the medical field because of obsolete vaccine mandates. Firstly, I would advocate for our hospital to drop its vaccine mandates if it hasn’t already. Secondly, I would contact organizations like Canadian Frontline Nurses that has a huge directory of unemployed healthcare workers, and advertise West Grey as a place that is welcoming to all healthcare workers, regardless of vaccination status. This would tap into a labor pool that is currently sitting idle.
5) What is your vision for the future of police services in West Grey?
My vision is a local West Grey police service, with a functioning police services board that facilitates cooperation between the local police and the local government. We are community partners and I believe we can be critical of our police service while at the same time supporting it.
6) What issue do you believe is a top priority for West Grey to tackle during the next term?
Affordable housing is my number one priority. I would like to see a plot of land close to Durham, zoned specifically for the construction of under 900 sq ft homes. This will give a home to our next generation of workers, will fill jobs in our area, and stimulate economic growth.