If you elect me to be your City Councilor for Ward 1, I will work for the following goals:

Advocate for Slowing Down Property Tax

In recent years property taxes have consistently increased, putting more pressure on already pressured families. Now with interest rates going up and talks of a recession looming, property taxes are likely to keep rising.

I will advocate for slowing down the growth of the property tax.

I will fight for a liveable and affordable community.

Transportation Services

We have first-hand experience with Transportation Services here in Guelph. My wife and our son are taking Guelph Transit for their job across city. We can do more to improve the transportation services. I will support the current improvement of our city’s transit services and more cross town connections.

Community and Traffic Safety

Ward 1 is almost all residential neighborhoods. We all experience questions of safety for our children, our families, and our friends.  

Increasing Community Safety is also one of my top priorities. We need to make this community safer for our families and our children.

I support roadside safety in our neighborhood. 

I will advocate for more education, more enforcement and support better engineering about special zones and speed limits.

Advocate for another Grocery Store

The East end of Guelph has been growing but we still lack a another grocery store to meet the needs of our population. It’s time to be heard!

Mental health and wellness services

As of June 2022, the demand for child psychology services has increased 96%, the need for counselling and treatment services has increased 146%, and family support has increased 56% since the start of the pandemic.

The Overall, the demand for mental health and wellness services and support for all ages has increased.

I will support project like The Clyde Mental Health and Addictions Awareness Project and #GetReal campaign

I will advocate for more funding from three levels of government and funding bodies.

Affordable Housing

I will support the Affordable Housing projects. The cost of renting apartments and homes is very high in our city. I believe we can make affordable housing more accessible.

Supportive Housing

I will support organizations/programs like United Way, Guelph Community Foundation, Stepping Stone, Dwelling Place to provide resources like shelters homes and supportive housing project.

I will support more programs like Grace Gardens for the homeless, which restore hope, safety and grace for individuals who need it most.

Diversity and Inclusion

I will work with my team to develop and implement policies to support our community regardless of their ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender expression, and identity, to provide and promote equal opportunity for each to thrive and prosper. Examples: community involvement programs for seniors, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and the indigenous people.

Indigenous People

I am committed to doing my part in enacting Truth and Reconciliation here in the city of Guelph. I will support any project to expand or create space for Indigenous ceremonies, art and culture. I will work to expand the Indigenous relations plan with the surrounding Indigenous community and make Guelph outstanding in Truth and reconciliation going forward.

I will propose a Senior Space.

Ward 1 does not have a Senior Space, and I think this needs to be changed. We deserve to have a Senior Space in Ward 1. Until we have this, I will propose more transportation for seniors to the one senior center we currently have in Guelph.

On accessibility:

I will work toward making Guelph a more diverse and accessible city by working with all levels of goverment to improve infrastrucure and transportation. I am committed to removing barriers to accessibility in and across the city. Every citizen has the right to be able to enjoy Guelph free of barriers.

 
PARKS IMPROVEMENTS

Accessible Parks

We have lovely parks here in Ward 1, but most of them are not easily accessible. I want to make our parks MORE SAFE and MORE ACCESSIBLE for everyone. I’ll immediately propose making our main park more accessible.

Down the road we will add accessibility to more of our parks, as well as focus on increasing cultural diversity, senior accessibility, as well as programming and activities throughout our parks in Ward 1.

More Splash Pads in the Parks.

With so many families and children in our community here, I’ve always been puzzled by the LACK of splash pads. In the summer, there are few places for our children to play and enjoy these kinds of activities. I will advocate for more splash pads to our parks.

Dog Parks

As I walk around our neighborhoods, I see so many of you love dogs. But, we lack good resources for loving dog owners.  I want to improve current dog parks and explore more dog parks.

Winter Snow Removal in the Streets

One of the biggest problems during the winter has been the buildup of snow along our streets. I will {{make it a focus to}} have better snow removal for our residential communities during the winter.

Planting More Trees and Developing More Trails 

Planting trees in Ward 1 is about more than just natural beauty. They can help reduce the CO2 emissions and create cleaner air, provide more biodiversity, nourish us, and provide inspiration and a more natural home for our children.

As climate change is happening globally, I believe we need to do our part to support the natural health of our community. 

I will also advocate to develop and connect more trails in order to better connect us and the natural beauty surrounding us.