I'm passionate about public policy and how communities can find smart solutions for complex problems.
Here are eleven topics I'm eager to explore as a council member:
Don't have a Cow
My Social Media Pledge
Grey Highlands is home to tradespeople, scientists, farmers, planners, and organizers whose deep local expertise goes untapped during municipal decision-making.
We should create citizen-led expert panels on key issues—from rural housing to climate resilience—to advise Council directly and pitch innovative policy solutions. Cities across Canada already use task forces and advisory roundtables to put community experience front and center. It’s time to give residents real power to shape the future of our town.
This could also save million of tax dollars, by replacing expensive outside consultant reports with local talent and knowledge.
Open Data
Direct Democracy
Resident-Led Expert Advisory Panels
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The information collected by Grey Highlands—from budget line items to municipal infrastructure maps—belongs to the public, but accessing it is often slow, complicated, or restricted. An Open Data policy would make non-sensitive municipal datasets freely available online in easy-to-use digital formats.
This isn’t just about transparency; it’s about unlocking community potential. Municipalities across Canada have shown that opening up public data empowers residents, local businesses, and tech-savvy students to build useful community apps, create clear visual charts, and bring fresh analytical solutions to local challenges at no extra cost to taxpayers.
In 2026, social media serves a Town Hall. I think elected officials have a responsibility to meet voters where they are, yet council members are almost entirely absent in the local Facebook groups. If I’m elected, I commit to continuing my daily presence on Facebook and Instagram. I'll share updates, respond to your questions and listen to your ideas.
"Committee of the Whole" (Cow) is a bit of municipal jargon that obscures how local government works. Essentially CoW is a full Council meeting, with a different name. Council members debate complex topics at CoW and then make important decisions that go back to "Council" for final approval.
Many reasons are given for having a CoW, but none of them hold water. The main reason I strongly dislike CoW is that it puts public input at the end of the process, instead of the beginning. In other words, if you attend a Council meeting, and ask to speak during Open Forum about an important topic, it's likely that Council has already made their decsion BEFORE the Council meeting.
We should scrap this confusing layer and replace it with straightforward Special Meetings called only when deep dives are needed.
For decades, Ontario municipalities routinely used referendums to let residents decide on important questions. Somewhere along the way, that direct say faded.
I believe that we should bring back direct democracy for key crossroads—like massive capital projects, major facility choices, or community-wide policy shifts. Municipalities across Western Canada, the US and Europe rely on targeted referendums and binding surveys to ensure major decisions match the public's actual priorities.
Because Grey Highlands already uses secure online voting, asking the community directly on major issues is easier and cheaper than ever. Let’s trust residents with the final say on the choices that shape our town’s future.
"Mixed use" means neighbourhoods that have residential buildings AND commercial buildings nearby.
"Mixed Income" means neighbourhoods that have a wide range of housing prices, including purpose-built rentals.
"Mixed Density" means neighbourhoods that have a healthy assortment of building types - not just acres and acres of single detached homes.
With these three kinds of "mixes", we can build Complete Communities: Subdivisions that feel like an actual village, rather than sterile sprawl.
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Ironically, some new Chain-Store 'Smart Centres' have been adding FAKE residential units above their stores, to make it FEEL like an actual neighbourhood. 😹 So my question is: Why not do it for real?
Mixing it up
Modern commercial malls have no character. They all have the exact same chain stores and Big Box outlets. Towns across Ontario all begin to look and feel the same, losing their unique charm and history.
Some people see Big Box commercial developments as inevitable in a growing community. But that's simply not true. Municipalities have lots of tools to help shape growth, protect small business and slowly expand our villages in a way that preserves our small town character.
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Grey Highlands is growing. Every year, new residents are moving here and new homes are being built. The question is this: Do we allow developers to replace good farmland with low density cookie-cutter sprawl and Big Box stores? Or are we prepared to adopt bold and innovative policies that require developers to build healthy and livable communities?
I believe that large developments should be focused almost entirely in the Markdale area. I do not support further development projects in the Beaver Valley. As much as possible, we should be making a strong effort to protect farmland, wildlife habitat, wetlands, and the Valley.
Here are a few ideas that could put Grey Highlands at the forefront of community-driven smart growth:
Chains + Big Box.
Mixed Use Buildings
In addition to Mixed-Use neighbourhoods, there is another important component of smart growth: Mixed-Use buildings!
I'd like to explore the possibility of requiring new commercial developments to include some residential units, in the same building.
Think of our old downtowns. From Markdale to Maxwell, Flesherton to Feversham, it's completely normal to see rental units above a hardware store, general store, restaurant or bakery.
Why can't we do that now? Adding apartments on top of new commercial developments would create much-needed rental housing and would add a village-like character to new malls.
If I'm elected to town council, I'll watch your hard-earned dollars the same way I watch my own. The annual budget process should be participatory, transparent and thorough.
As a Councillor, I'll have your back and ask the hard questions that could lead to savings.
• Benchmarking: Council needs accurate comparative data to make good decisions. For example, someone might ask "Are we spending too much on our vehicle fleet?" One way to answer that question is to look at other comparable municipalities and see if they are spending more or less, on average. This is called "Benchmarking" and it's a fundamental tool for responsible budgeting. This data is greatly lacking right now in Grey Highlands.
• Data Visualisation: Raw numbers are hard to understand, until they're turned into graphs and charts! This is crucial for council members - but also members of the public. Everyone has a right to see where their money is going.
• Online tools for Public Participation. Charts and Graphs are great... but not if they're buried in a staff report! Citizens deserve an easy-to-understand web portal that explains the Grey Highlands budget. (Local resident Mike Barcz has made his own website -TrackMyTax.ca - which is a great example of what the municipality should be doing.
• Curbing Consultant Contracts. A large chunk of your tax dollars are spend on outside consultants. In my opinion, some of these reports are unnecessary and some are redundant. The reports are so long that no one even reads them. The end result is that many reports simply gather dust, and the recommendations are ignored. That's not a good use of your hard-earned dollars.
• Asking tough questions, on big-ticket items. The easiest way to save tax dollars is to look at the most expensive projects, and ask: "Do we really need to do this?" For example, I do not support the proposed $3 million water system rebuild for Kimberley, nor the proposed $3 million bridge reconstructions on Sideroad 7A.
• Tapping into citizen expertise: Some municipalities in Ontario have a Budget Advisory Committee comprised of local residents who have a background in fiscal management. If we have local expertise in our community, why not put it to work? Appointing an advisory committee would assist Council with budget deliberations and help guide the decisions that affect each and every one of us.
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Preventing Big Box chains
Improved Cell Coverage
It's not unusual for a rural area to have patchy cell service. But our towns and villages should have good mobile coverage. Many businesses depend on this for customer relations, for purchasing, and marketing.
(This is also a safety issue, ensuring access to 911 at all times).
Promoting our Main Streets
Supporting and Respecting our Entrepreneurs
Local Procurement
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Starting and running a business in Grey Highlands should be welcomed, not burdened with barriers, fees and red tape.
We also need to establish a direct line of communication between town staff and local business owners so problems get solved quickly.
Repaving roads 10 and 12 at the same time is an example of poor communication as well as an unnecessary burden on local businesses.
We can do better.
I'd rather have Stevens than a Dennys.
I'd rather have Marilynne than The Keg.
I'd rather have Justin's than a Pizzaville.
I'd rather have Susan's than a Starbucks.
I'd rather have Mylar & Loreta's than a Kelcey's.
And I'd rather have Jolly's than a Dairy Queen.
If we want to maintain our unique businesses and local character, we need to put measures in place that discourage national chain-brands from moving in.
Our Main Streets need more love, care, and investment. For tourists, local shoppers, business owners, and suppliers, we all depend on having healthy, vibrant "downtown" areas.
We can boost local commerce with practical investments like adding dedicated parking spaces, introducing targeted facade improvement grants, and hosting shop-local campaigns. Main Street initiatives across Ontario show that when you make downtowns accessible, attractive, and easy to park near, local businesses thrive.
I've repeatedly seen municipal contracts awarded to distant tradespeople, despite the fact that we have the skills right here in Grey Highlands. I believe we can improve our procurement policies and our tender practices, to keep more money right here in our community. This is especially true for smaller contracts that do not require large specialized firms.
4-Way Stop Signs
Speed limits alone don't slow cars down—street design does. In Grey Highlands, we too often rely on police enforcement or endless studies to deal with speeding, when basic physical adjustments like seasonal bollards, speed humps, raised intersections, curb extensions, and painted bump-outs cost little and work immediately.
I'm not talking about Highway 10, or our main County Roads. I'm talking about the smaller residential roads in our towns and villages. Municipalities across Ontario are shifting toward these quick-build physical measures to narrow wide roads visually and force drivers to naturally tap the brakes. Grey Highlands should roll out targeted, traffic calming pilots in high-risk residential zones—delivering instant safety without breaking the budget.
Smiling Speed Signs
Traffic Calming
Grey Gables Crosswalk
85th Percentile
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I fully support the campaign to get a cross walk at Grey Gables, so senior residents can get across the street safely.
This one is a no-brainer, and I'll do everything I can do get this approved, designed and built. Grey Highlands should take an age-friendly approach to ALL decision making.
For decades, road safety decisions have relied on the "85th percentile rule"—a policy that sets speed limits based on how fast 85% of people are driving. It completely ignores the most important data point: the fastest, highest-risk drivers who make our streets unsafe for everyone else. It deems dangerous roads as "safe".
Cities across North America are abandoning this outdated standard, choosing to design streets based on human safety and common sense.
Getting a 4-way stop sign installed in a residential neighborhood usually requires proving that a high volume of traffic passes through, or waiting until a series of bad collisions occur. It’s a reactive approach that forces families to wait for a tragedy before our streets get safer.
We need to make it easier for neighborhoods to slow down local traffic. Municipalities across Ontario and North America are shifting toward proactive traffic calming, giving residents a direct voice in requesting all-way stops to protect kids, pedestrians, and seniors. Grey Highlands should lower the technical hurdles and adopt a neighborhood-first approach to safe intersections.
Digital speed displays are great, but there is one particular type being used in communities across Canada and Europe: radar signs that display a simple green "happy face" when you’re driving safely, and a red "sad face" if you're over the limit.
It sounds simple, but it relies on basic psychology. Giving drivers instant feedback through positive reinforcement—a little dose of gamification—actually works better at slowing people down than threat of a ticket. It's a low-cost, high-impact fix that turns local streets into safer spaces.
Responsible Aggregate Extraction
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Wildlife Culverts
Boosting our Solar Power
Data Centres
Protecting Farmlamd
Roadside Brushing
Data Centres
Tree Lines
Fire Prevention
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Supporting our Arenas and Community Halls
We're so lucky to have a small army of dedicated volunteers who invest enormous amounts of time into community-building in each of our towns and villages. Whether it's Rotary, Ag Society, Kinsmen, Legion, Rec Committee, "Friends of" groups, or Community Improvement Associations, these folks are the heartbeat of Grey Highlands and they breathe energy and life into each of our neighbourhoods.
Our Town Council should support these groups in any way possible, including direct funding (both capital and operating), waiving of fees, grant-writing and administrative support.
Respecting our History
Supporting our Volunteers
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Grey Highlands has four hockey rinks and seven Community Halls. These buildings serve as the physical heart of our villages.
I believe our Halls should be funded by the municipality, but managed by the local community. These building are treasures and deserve investment.
The hockey rinks are much more expensive to maintain, and it's no secret that a consultant report in 2022 recommended the permanent removal of the ice from two of our arenas.
My priority as a Councillor would be trying to find a way to keep all four skating rinks operating. It may not be possible, but we shouldn't blindly accept a recommendation from a consulting firm in Alberta. Yes, we need to have a honest and perhaps difficult discussion about this, but the starting point should be "How can we keep our four rinks open"... rather than "which ones should we shut down?".
The Rocklyn community in particular has invested time, money and innovative thinking in an effort to keep their ice surface open. I believe that Council's response to Rocklyn should be positive, constructive and collaborative.
Grey Highlands is a large region that covers 20+ unique communities. Yet, somehow, our Strategic Plan doesn't mention the words "village", "town" or "hamlet" at all.
We can be proud to live in Grey Highlands, without letting the municipal brand swallow up the identities of our historic villages and towns.
Our signage, names and landmarks should primarily reflect the deep history of this area, not the arbitrary municipal brand forced upon the region by Queen's Park in 2021.
"Established" signage
Strategic Plan...
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Responsible Taxation
Building Rental Housing
Community Gardens
Another grocery store (see FB message from Colleen)
Regional Transportation
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Supportive Housing
As recently as last year, there was a convenient regional bus route that ran between Owen Sound and Orangeville, with local stops in both Markdale and Flesherton. The route connected seamlessly with the GO Bus that runs from Orangeville to the GTA.
Sadly, the route was cancelled earlier this year. This was the ONLY public transit route through Grey Highlands - and it's gone.
We need reliable regional connections in all directions. Most urgent is a north/south route that connects with Orangeville in the south and Owen Sound in the north (which would also link up with the FlixBus route that goes from Owen Sound to Barrie).
The good news is that there is already a Regional Transit Study underway, for Bruce, Dufferin, Grey & Wellington counties. But we all know that "studies" lead to "reports" which often lead to... nothing. And we've also seen that recent transit planning in Grey County completely ignored every single town in Grey Highlands.
As a councillor, one of my top priorities will be ensuring that we see real change - not just reports. And I'll push hard to make sure that any new regional transit planning includes Grey Highlands.
Extending GO- Route 37
Regional inter-county Shuttle
GO Bus Route 37 currently goes from the Brampton Train Station to Orangeville. I believe it's time for the province to consider extended the route northward!
Perhaps in phases, it could be extended first to Shelburne then further north, eventually extending all the way to Owen Sound.
This would be the most convenient way to connect Grey County with the GTA.
GO routes already extend all the way north to Barrie, west to Stratford and east to Peterborough. It's time put Grey County on the map!
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Council exercising their oversight role more firmly and confidently.
Enforcing speaking time limits for council members.
Reducing administrative backlog by asking staff for concise "Information Memos" or "Briefing Notes" rather than labour-intensive "staff reports", where appropriate.
Live-tracking of all requests to staff, sorted by priority and wait length.
Council should be able to triage, shifting the priority ranking of the list.
Automatic recorded votes for all council meetings.
Clearer seating placement, physically distinguishing council from staff.
Get rid of the Committee of the Whole, replacing it with Special Council Meetings, when needed (see Citizen Power section).
Slow down for complex issues. Use the "Defer" tool unapologetically.
Seek and embrace informal advice from local exerts and organisations.
Scheduling some Council meetings in the evening, to improve citizen access (especially for hot topics).
There is always a reason NOT to do something. But the strongest organisations are the ones who learn how to say YES to new ideas and innovative practices. Risk-aversion and Cut & Paste policymaking leads to policy stagnation and lousy outcomes. I strongly believe that our municipality cannot and will not achieve its stated strategic objectives without shifting our No culture to YES.
Areas to explore:
Good governance is about how decisions get made.
Building a YES Culture
A council member, staff member, or local resident might have a great idea for Grey Highlands.... but great ideas can be thwarted by a broken governance structure.
Good policies are hindered by an unhealthy corporate culture, poor pathways of communication, centralised power, rushed timelines, and/or an imbalance of power. Modern common-sense innovations can be buried by bureaucracy, risk aversion and administrative inertia.
Simply put, when a decisions are made in an unhealthy environment, bad policies are bound to follow. I believe we need to explore governance reforms so good ideas can thrive, innovation is embraced, and common sense can prevail.
Our lack of doctors has reached a crisis point. The waiting list is so long, they've stopped adding new names. There has been a lot of talk about the problem, but very little action.
In 2023, the issue was discussed by our town council. At the time, residents were told that the municipality has begun the process to re-establish a doctor recruitment committee, and the possibility of a full-scale Task Force was floated as well. Three years later, there has been no action at all.
We can't keep dragging our feet. Rather than trying to solve this from Council chambers alone, I believe we must urgently form a Physician Recruitment Task Force —bringing together local doctors, clinic managers, hospital representatives, and residents. The Taskforce would have a clear mandate to propose targeted tactics that are already working across Ontario, including direct incentives, overhead relief, spousal integration and efforts to host and retain medical student & residents.
Having a local family doctor isn't just a health issue; it's an economic driver and a basic quality-of-life issue for Grey Highlands. When residents lack primary care, local emergency rooms get overloaded, chronic conditions go unmanaged, and young families or retirees think twice about moving here.
By coordinating our community efforts and showcasing our rural lifestyle, we can build a sustained recruitment pipeline that keeps our families healthy and our towns thriving.
Walkable Towns
Attracting Doctors
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As Grey Highlands grows, the way we lay out new subdivisions will determine how safe and livable our neighborhoods will be for decades. Kids should be able to safely ride their bikes to a friend's house, and seniors should feel comfortable walking to the park or main street without having to navigate unsafe road design in their own neighbourhood.
Instead of approving sprawling, disconnected dead-ends, our planning standards should ensure new developments are built with small-town connectivity in mind:
Shorter Blocks & Footpaths: Designing shorter streets and dedicated neighborhood trail connections so walking to a neighbor's house or school doesn't require a massive detour.
Built-In Traffic Calming: Designing residential streets with narrower lanes, street trees, and natural curves right from the start, so drivers naturally slow down without needing extra signs later.
Trail & Sidewalk Connections: Linking new residential streets directly into our existing town sidewalks and rural trail networks.
Small towns across Ontario are showing that thoughtful design doesn't cost developers extra—it simply builds safer, stronger and friendlier neighborhoods.
