Alan Kasperski

For politics to work for all the people of Stratford, it must include all the people of Stratford; they will decide the kind of city they want Stratford to be. I was born in Barrie, Ontario, Canada into a military family. I have lived in Calgary, England, Ottawa, Calgary (again), Barrie (again), England (again), Lethbridge, Jackson Hole, and North York … while I have lived in many places, I chose Stratford as my forever home. I chose Stratford after considering many other genuinely nice communities across Ontario. You feel the weight of the world lift from your shoulders as you travel along Highway 7/8 into Perth County. There is a certain feel to the city; whether it is the red and yellow brick Century homes, the Ontario cottages, the historic City Hall, the many fine shops and restaurants, there is a sense that this a community where anyone would be happy to live, work, and thrive in.

Stratford has the services you would expect - an excellent hospital, good schools, a university campus, places to play all sorts of sports, superb restaurants for all tastes, great places to stay in, and there is a swan-patrolled river running through it. It has the world-renowned Stratford Festival; special events are just as vibrant as the city itself; every year, drawing visitors from all over the world to discover art, music, and cultural experiences.

From washing glasses in an English pub to working in a Prime Minister’s Office, I sold the very first Dell PC in Canada, trained as a systems analyst, I am the executive producer of the City In Sight podcast, wrote for a Rugby magazine, produced market intelligence reports for European companies considering the market in North America, and I helped organise an academic conference – Constitutional Space for Cities - in 2021 at Massey College. After two years of no sports, I coached the Stratford District Secondary School Junior Boys rugby team to the Huron-Perth Championship in 2022.

I have campaigned for candidates I believed in and have worked as a supervising deputy returning officer in almost every election for more than 30 years. Stratford is our home. I hope to serve you, the people of Stratford, as your full-time City Councillor.

On October 24th, 2022, please vote for Alan Kasperski

1. What will be your unique contribution to council?

I will bring more than 40 years of experience in and around elections and political campaigns to Stratford City Council if I am elected on October 24, 2022. I bring a recognition that our 19 th -century representative democracy is not representative at all. In the 21 st -century, for local politics to work for all of us, it must include all of us. I bring an appreciation for best practices from other municipalities as most of the challenges facing our community are being faced elsewhere. I bring an ability to bring people together to make wise decisions.

2. How will you tackle urban sprawl and protect prime agricultural land?

A 15-minute city is a residential urban concept in which most daily necessities can be accomplished by either walking or bicycling from residents' homes. The concept was popularized by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. I would build that concept into the Official Plan for Stratford, currently under review. I would encourage a freeze on such sprawl until such time as all the vacant and underutilised land within the city limits was fully developed while maintaining the character and charm of our city.I would encourage the Perth County Federation of Agricultural to look at options for vertical farming as we in Stratford...[]

3. How will you encourage businesses and individuals to respond to climate change?

The evidence of climate change is that it is now a climate emergency with many spin-off effects that we are beginning to better understand. We do not have to determine the best solutions to this emergency alone. There are many things that can be done here that are being done elsewhere. We do not have to wait for the upper orders of government to legislate what we know we must do to build climate resilience in Stratford. We will deal with the climate emergency best if we do it together. People respond better and more favourably when they are educated...[]

4. What is your idea(s) to attract new industry to Stratford?

Economic development is important to every community needing to broaden its’ tax base. We continue to attract similar types of industries and expanding the ones that are here now. We determine what it is that we do well in this region and aim to become a leader in that area. Perth County is a leader in the agricultural sector – might we become a leader in new related technologies and (digital and physical) innovation? As with all things, this must be a conversation that involves everyone involved or interested in diverse economic development in Stratford and area.

5. How will you address wealth inequality, homelessness and poverty in Stratford?

In the first 90 days, I will introduce the idea of a program called imagine STRATFORD... which will develop Stratford's long-range urban sustainability plan. Together with the whole community, we will create a shared vision for our city and a detailed roadmap on how to get there. Through a focus on goals and targets in five interrelated systems, the imagine STRATFORD plan will put us all on a shared path towards urban sustainability and shared prosperity. Ontario plans to build 1,500,000 new homes over the next ten years (2,600-2,700 in Stratford). We need to ensure that our Official Plan is...[]

6. How will you engage and inform the public about current issues and legislation?

I will hold monthly town hall meetings in each of the five “unofficial” wards of Stratford, along with, hopefully, other City Councillors, to discuss what is top of mind with the community. I will encourage Community councils be established in the five wards. I will have the city’s website redesigned and rebuilt to make it user friendly and much more informative. I would add an Open Data Portal to the website. I would make a senior staff person specifically responsible for building real engagement across all departments and on all appropriate matters. I will begin a discussion about Participatory Budgeting...[]

7. Would you support term limits? Why/why not?

I do not support term limits. I understand the intent is to ensure that new, fresh ideas and approaches are brought to a legislature. The hope is a city council that resembles the community. While an admirable goal, that is rarely the result. Research shows that term limits increase legislative polarization, reduce the legislative skills and productivity of politicians, and reduce voter turnout. Term limits have not reduced campaign spending, they have not reduced the gender gap in political representation, they have not increased the diversity of those elected, nor have they increased the amount of constituent service activities of...[]

8. What is your plan to better engage youth in Stratford?

I would establish a Stratford Youth Cabinet that would mirror City Council. They would be a funded advisory board to City Council to recommend how the youth of Stratford be better involved in their community and its’s decision-making. The SYC would determine its’ own agenda and areas of interest. It would be elected, annually, by students at the Intermediate and High School level. I would ask the Provincial and Federal governments to experiment with lowering the voting age to 16 in Stratford and in Perth-Wellington for all elections held here. I would set up a programme like Calgary’s City...[] www.calgary.ca/social-services/youth/city-hall-school.html