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Town Hall, public safety, Transparency & Integrity, Growth & Farmland
1) Town Hall & Financial Accountability
The proposed Town Hall is one of the defining issues in this election.
After attending numerous council meetings and reviewing the Town's financial reports, it is clear that Bradford West Gwillimbury is facing financial challenges. Growth has slowed, reserves have been drawn down, and departments are being asked to do more with less. In that environment, residents have every right to ask an important question:
Is now the right time for a $100 million Town Hall?
Do We Need a New Town Hall?
Yes.
Town staff are currently spread across multiple locations throughout the municipality. Bringing administrative services together under one roof would improve efficiency, enhance customer service, and provide a permanent home for council meetings and public services. I support moving forward with a new Town Hall.
The Real Question: Why $100 Million?
The issue is not whether we need a Town Hall—it is whether the proposed price tag is reasonable.
When we compare Bradford West Gwillimbury's proposal to neighbouring and similar-sized municipalities, significant questions arise.
Innisfil consolidated much of its municipal administration into its Civic Centre in 2007 at a cost of approximately $11 million. Adjusted for inflation, that would be roughly $30 million today. Innisfil serves a population similar to Bradford West Gwillimbury and includes administrative offices and council chambers.
Georgina recently completed (2026) its new Town Hall at a cost of approximately $54 million. The facility includes customer service areas, council chambers, meeting rooms, accessibility upgrades, modern technology, and public gathering spaces. Georgina has a similar population to Bradford BWG.
King Township's Municipal Centre provides an interesting benchmark. Completed in 2019, the 46,300 sq. ft. facility includes administration offices, council chambers, customer service areas, community meeting space, a police substation, and a public gymnasium/event space. While the original project cost approximately $15 million, that would be roughly $20–25 million in today's construction dollars. By comparison, BWG's proposed Civic Centre is approximately 110,000 sq. ft. and $100M. While Bradford is larger and growing rapidly, King demonstrates that municipalities can build an attractive, functional civic centre with community amenities at a substantially lower cost.
Chatham-Kent is currently constructing a large Community Hub that will combine municipal administration, a public library, and a museum into a single 119,000-square-foot facility for approximately $53 million. Chatham-Kent has a population double the size of Bradford BWG yet they are spending half and receiving a similar size building.
When neighbouring and comparable municipalities are building modern civic facilities in the $25–54 million range, residents deserve a clear explanation as to why Bradford West Gwillimbury's proposal is approaching $100 million.
My Position
I support building a new Town Hall, but I do not support spending $100 million on it.
My preference would be a more practical and cost-conscious facility in the range of $30-50 million, focused on the municipality's core needs:
Administrative offices
Council chambers/theatre space
Meeting rooms
Public service counters
Accessibility and modern technology
Affordable recreation facilities
Features such as a large gymnasium and oversized lobby may be desirable, but they should only proceed if they can be funded through grants, partnerships, private leasing arrangements, or other sources that significantly reduce the burden on taxpayers.
A more affordable Town Hall would:
Reduce debt and financial risk
Place less pressure on future tax increases
Allow the project to be paid off sooner
Preserve the ability to invest in other priorities, including recreation facilities and infrastructure
Conclusion
I support progress, but progress must be affordable.
Bradford West Gwillimbury needs a new Town Hall. However, during challenging economic times, we should be building a facility that reflects our needs and our financial realities. My goal is to deliver a functional, efficient Town Hall at a cost that is more consistent with what comparable municipalities are spending and what local taxpayers can reasonably afford. Other municipalities have proven this can be done at a cost around $25-$50 million.
2) Public Safety
Public safety is one of the most important responsibilities of local government and will be a key priority for me as your Ward 6 Councillor.
Public safety extends beyond policing. It includes ensuring adequate police, fire, and paramedic services, maintaining safe roads and intersections, and creating a community where residents feel secure in their homes and neighbourhoods.
The current Council has made traffic safety a priority, and I believe meaningful progress has been made. However, traffic safety must remain an ongoing focus as our community continues to grow.
Police Staffing and Retention
One of the most significant public safety challenges facing Bradford West Gwillimbury is the ability of the South Simcoe Police Service to attract and retain experienced officers.
Over the past several years, South Simcoe Police has experienced substantial turnover through resignations, retirements, and other departures. As our community grows, demands on policing continue to increase, making staff retention more important than ever.
While compensation is only one factor, South Simcoe competes for officers with larger neighbouring services such as York Regional Police, Barrie Police Service, and the Ontario Provincial Police. Officers may also be attracted by opportunities for specialized assignments, career advancement, and larger organizational resources.
The loss of experienced officers affects more than staffing numbers. It can result in the loss of valuable local knowledge, increased training costs, and additional pressure on the officers who remain.
Community Concerns
Many residents have expressed concerns about increasing incidents of theft, property crime, and break-ins. Whether crime statistics ultimately show significant increases or not, residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and confident that public safety remains a priority.
As Councillor, I will support ongoing communication between residents, Council, and South Simcoe Police to ensure concerns are heard and addressed.
My Position
I support making public safety a top municipal priority.
This means:
Supporting adequate police, fire, and emergency service staffing.
Working to ensure South Simcoe Police remains competitive in attracting and retaining experienced officers.
Continuing investments in traffic safety initiatives.
Encouraging proactive crime prevention and community engagement programs.
Making responsible financial decisions that protect our ability to fund essential public safety services.
Public safety is not an area where we can afford to fall behind. As Bradford West Gwillimbury grows, we must ensure that our police, fire, and emergency services grow with it. Residents deserve a safe community, responsive emergency services, and a Council that recognizes public safety as a core responsibility of local government.
3) Transparency, Integrity, & Public Trust
One of the most common concerns I hear from residents is:
"I didn't know anything about that until after the decision was made."
Residents cannot provide meaningful input on important issues if they are unaware that those issues are being discussed. While Council meetings and agendas are publicly available, many residents do not have the time to review lengthy reports or attend meetings. As a result, important decisions can sometimes move forward without sufficient public awareness or engagement.
Public trust in government is under pressure at all levels. Federal controversies such as the SNC-Lavalin affair, the Sponsorship (AdScam) scandal, and the WE Charity controversy, along with provincial concerns surrounding the Greenbelt decision and access to government information, have caused many Canadians to question whether governments are being sufficiently transparent and accountable.
At the municipal level, Bradford West Gwillimbury has also experienced Integrity Commissioner complaints and findings involving members of Council. While these matters are handled through established municipal processes, they highlight the importance of ethical conduct, respectful communication, and maintaining public confidence in local government.
I believe transparency and integrity are among the most important responsibilities of elected officials. Residents deserve to know what issues are being discussed, what decisions are being considered, and how those decisions may affect their families, businesses, and neighbourhoods.
My Commitment
As your Ward 6 Councillor, I will:
Provide regular updates on important issues before Council.
Support clear and timely communication on major decisions before votes take place.
Encourage meaningful public participation in municipal decision-making.
Remain accessible through meetings, email, phone calls, and social media.
Support a respectful and accountable Council culture.
Maintain an appropriate separation between Council's policy role and staff's operational responsibilities.
Advocate for greater transparency and public engagement across municipal government.
My goal is simple: residents should know what their municipal government is doing, why decisions are being made, and how those decisions will affect the community.
Public trust is earned through transparency, accountability, and respect for the people we serve. That will be my standard in every decision I make.
4) Controlled Growth & Protecting Farmland
Growth is coming to Bradford West Gwillimbury whether we like it or not. The question is not whether we grow, but whether we grow responsibly.
Recent Council discussions have focused on urban boundary expansions, new housing areas, and employment lands intended to support long-term growth. These decisions will shape our community for generations and require careful balance between development, infrastructure capacity, and the protection of agricultural land.
I support growth—but only the right growth in the right place.
Protecting Farmland & the Holland Marsh
Protecting Farmland & the Holland Marsh
BWG is home to some of the most productive farmland in Canada, including the Holland Marsh, often referred to as “Ontario’s Salad Bowl.”
This unique agricultural region produces a significant share of Ontario’s fresh vegetables, including carrots, onions, and leafy greens that supply families across the province. It is not just farmland—it is a nationally significant food-producing system built on rare, highly fertile soil that cannot be replaced once lost.
Recent planning discussions in the Holland Marsh have highlighted the importance of protecting agricultural land while carefully managing pressure for additional residential uses and development.
Protecting farmland like the Holland Marsh is about more than preserving heritage—it is about long-term food security and maintaining one of Canada’s most important agricultural regions.
Growth Must Be in the Right Location
Growth Must Be in the Right Location
As BWG expands, we must make sure development happens in the right areas and in the right form.
Council has also been working to attract employment lands and industrial growth along the Highway 400 corridor to strengthen the local tax base and create jobs.
I support job creation and economic development, but it must be done in a way that respects the character of our community.
Recent concerns raised by residents about large warehouse-style developments in prominent commercial areas highlight an important issue: growth is not just about what we build, but where and how we build it.
When large industrial-style buildings are proposed in visible commercial locations, Council should ensure that:
The design fits the surrounding area
Landscaping and aesthetics are properly considered
The building enhances—not detracts from—the community
The location is appropriate for the scale and function of the development
If a building belongs in an industrial area, it should be located in an industrial area—not placed in a way that negatively impacts the look and feel of the town.
Growth Must Pay for Growth
Growth Must Pay for Growth
New development brings opportunity, but it also creates demands on roads, schools, emergency services, parks, and water and sewer infrastructure.
As BWG continues to grow, development must contribute fairly toward the cost of the infrastructure it requires so that existing taxpayers are not unfairly burdened.
Recent growth planning efforts, including housing targets and development tracking systems, reflect the scale of expansion underway and the need for careful long-term planning.
My Position
My Position
As your Ward 6 Councillor, I will support:
Responsible, planned growth backed by infrastructure
Protecting prime agricultural land, including the Holland Marsh
Ensuring growth pays for growth
Better design standards for major developments
Job creation and economic development in appropriate locations
Preserving the character and quality of life in BWG
Conclusion
Conclusion
Growth is not optional—but how we manage it is.
Bradford West Gwillimbury has a rare opportunity to grow in a way that protects farmland, strengthens our economy, and maintains the community we all value. My goal is simple: build the right growth in the right place, for the long term benefit of residents.
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