Below are a few of what I consider the most pressing needs and issues that I would be focusing on as the Mayor of our Township:
Low Taxes / Affordable Government
The cost of living is continuing to be a huge challenge for residents in our municipality as it is across the County, and in fact the world. I am most proud of having worked hard to keep our tax increases to their lowest levels in decades. From 2018-2022 I kept taxes to an annual average of 2.37% and from 2022-2026 to an average of 3%.
While other municipalities are facing 6-8% increases every year, we are committing to responsible long term planning and proactively pursuing Provincial support and other grant funding for critical projects in our community. While doing so, our Township has also invested more than $9 million dollars into our Asset Replacement Reserve to offset costs of projects in the future.
It isn't easy, but we need to ensure we get every once of value for every tax dollar we raise, and I promise to continue that focus and commitment.
A New Medical Centre
After 2 years of working to protect the future of the existing medical centre, it is time to start focusing on the new medical facility that we need to serve our community. It has become clear that Townships having success in recruiting physicians most often have a new facility for them to establish their practice.
If re-elected, I plan on continuing to annually fund our Medical Centre reserve, and using all of our influence, locally and with the higher levels of Provincial and Federal governments to find the funding necessary to build this critical facility.
Municipalities aren't supposed to have to get as involved in securing the health care our residents need, but there is no other way.
Regional Economic Development Leadership
Our Township has been leading the entire region in our planning for and pursuit of economic development. After years of sowing these seeds, we need to get ready for the harvest.
With hundreds of acres of employment lands in development within the Township, we need to continue promoting these opportunities to attract the commercial and industrial employers to the area. We have a unique opportunity to create the employment opportunities that our entire region needs.
Finally, after waiting years for Provincial approval, the County's Official Plan has been finalized and we are just beginning the extensive work on our own Official Plan. This document is a critical piece of the future chapters in our story. Over the last 4 years we have been working to lay the groundwork for Fraserville to become the next serviced settlement area in the Township.
There is more work to be done, but establishing servicing in this area will unlock hundreds of acres of employment potential and, in doing so, redirect the growth pressure from the historical village of Millbrook, and also protect the highest quality farmland in our Township. We have buy in from the private sector, from the County of Peterborough, and we've also had positive and supportive meetings with Provincial and Federal representatives. It can happen here.
More Housing Options for Seniors
While our seniors community continues to age and live healthy and independent lifestyles, we need to work with existing and find new partners to bring more seniors housing options in the Township.
I have met with several companies already and are continuing to tell the story about our community, showing the demand that exists for people in the Township and working with the development community to bring more seniors housing to our community.
This is not easy work, and the economy has really been against us, but this need is not going to solve itself without a continued dedicated effort to make it happen.
Provincial Facilitation Update
For those of you plugged into local politics, you are probably already aware about the Minister's letter the Township received in 2025, but while I have to respect the confidentiality of this process, here is what I can share:
The Minister's letter from 2025 requires our municipality, the County of Peterborough and the City of Peterborough to engage in a Provincially Facilitated conversation about regional growth - both housing and economic development.
The initial meetings have just started this spring and I expect there will be of many months if not years of discussions before a report from the Provincial Facilitator will come before Council. But this is a very serious negotiation, that requires a focused and comprehensive understanding of not just the Township's growth plans not for the next 10 years, but the next 100 years. The outcome of this facilitation has the potential to forever change not only the future of our Township, but of the region of Peterborough.
This facilitation is a direct order from the Provincial government, it is not optional to participate in these negotiations. The good news is we have a great story to share. Our Township has been leading our entire region in managing growth and creating opportunities for economic development and employment.
I know the change that growth can bring is not something everyone wants, change on the scale we are seeing certainly makes all of us uncomfortable. But by looking forward and investing in long term plans for our growth, we will continue to show the Province that we are more than capable of managing the future of our Township and being a key contributor to the future success of the region of Peterborough.