The
People's

Platform

Shaped by the People of OUR Community

I believe we cannot afford to make a mistake this October

This platform isn’t about one person’s vision for Bradford West Gwillimbury. It’s about ours. It reflects what I’ve heard from longtime and newer residents, families, seniors, youth, businesses and community leaders who share one goal: to Love Where We Live and see Bradford succeed without losing what makes it special.

Smarter & More Responsible Growth (1)

Growth is coming, but where and how we grow matters. My vision is to protect the Holland Marsh and our highlands while planning the next 30+ years of Bradford around smart, connected growth across Highway 88 toward Bond Head. We should use infrastructure wisely, strengthen the community we already have and grow from the inside out, not the outside in.

Smarter & More Responsible Growth (2)

Responsible growth must also strengthen our tax base. We need more industrial, commercial, office and retail investment that creates local jobs and helps reduce the pressure on residential taxpayers. I want to bring back neighbourhood commercial plazas near larger subdivisions and create more commercial and industrial condo-style spaces that local entrepreneurs and businesses can afford to lease or own. More places to work, shop, invest and build a business right here in Bradford.

Smarter & More Responsible Growth (3)

On Council, I’ve backed that vision with action. I’ve supported protecting lands south of the 5th outside our industrial corridor, opposed additional ADU rules over-and-above the provincial guidelines that could turn established neighbourhoods into rental-income hubs without proper planning, and advocated for better parking standards in new and infill developments. I also pushed and supported clearer downtown development guidelines to encourage ground-floor shops and restaurants, offices above and residential on upper floors while making good projects easier to approve.

Safer & Better Communities by Design (1)

Safety needs to be a priority again, and it starts with how we design our streets and neighbourhoods. I believe in looking at safety holistically, not waiting for an incident and fixing one problem at a time. On Summerlyn Trail, Miller Park Avenue and other key streets, you can now see active trails, raised crosswalks, improved crossings and traffic-calming measures that I championed. The goal is safer neighbourhoods from end to end, not just isolated spot corrections.

Safer & Better Communities by Design (2)

Community safety also means ensuring our fire, police and emergency services have the resources, facilities and tools they need as Bradford grows. Population growth brings increased demand, and our investment in emergency response must keep pace. Protecting residents means planning ahead, improving response capabilities and making public safety a core part of every major growth decision.

Safer & Better Communities by Design (3)

Most importantly, we need to build safety in from day one instead of asking taxpayers to fix problems later. I will continue pushing new developers to incorporate traffic calming, pedestrian connections, safer crossings and other proven safety measures directly into subdivision plans. As new development moves forward, I also believe developers should help fund long-overdue safety improvements in the legacy neighbourhoods their growth impacts. Plan it right. Build it safely. Don’t leave taxpayers with the bill to fix it later.

MORE BUSINESS.
LESS PRESSURE ON TAXPAYERS (1)

Bradford needs more places to do business, not just more places to live. I want to attract new ICI developments with smaller condo-style units that businesses can purchase or lease, along with larger standalone opportunities where they make sense. That opens the door to business hubs, restaurants, import/export companies, professional services, manufacturing and privately operated recreation such as pools, skating and sports training facilities. Create the space, attract the investment and keep more jobs, services and spending right here in Bradford.

MORE BUSINESS.
LESS PRESSURE ON TAXPAYERS (2)

Our tax base is still far too dependent on residential taxpayers. We need to move toward a healthier balance by aggressively growing our commercial and industrial assessment instead of continually adding more costs for homeowners to carry. But location matters too. Prime retail and commercial areas should be protected for businesses that generate activity, services and destinations, rather than filling those valuable locations with industrial-style buildings that belong in employment areas. The right development, in the right place, strengthens the entire community.

MORE BUSINESS.
LESS PRESSURE ON TAXPAYERS (3)

A stronger ICI base also helps our existing businesses succeed. Bradford needs more white-collar and blue-collar jobs during the day, bringing employees who buy lunch, shop locally, use professional services and support our restaurants and businesses beyond evenings and weekends. That means attracting offices, advanced manufacturing, entertainment, recreation and growing local companies, not relying primarily on massive warehouses, trucking and storage facilities. More jobs. More customers. More investment. A stronger Bradford economy and a broader tax base.

BETTER SERVICE. MORE VALUE. (1)

Take better care of what taxpayers already own. Our busiest public spaces, including the Leisure Centre, Library, parks and community facilities, need higher and more consistent standards for cleanliness and maintenance. I want stronger operational routines, clearer ownership and more frequent cleaning and inspection cycles, especially in high-use areas. We also need to address misuse quickly so our public spaces remain clean, safe, welcoming and something residents can be proud of.

BETTER SERVICE. MORE VALUE. (2)

Better service also means a better experience when you deal with the Town. Whether you’re a family registering for a program, a resident looking for an answer, a business navigating an approval or someone investing in Bradford, our processes should be responsive, helpful and easy to understand. I want to improve communication, accountability and workflows across every public touchpoint so residents aren’t bounced around looking for answers. Good customer service should be the standard, not the exception.

BETTER SERVICE. MORE VALUE. (3)

Finally, taxpayers need to see and feel the value they’re receiving for their money. Bradford is a growing community, but we don’t need to replicate every program or service offered by a major city. We need to focus our resources on what matters most here: great facilities, reliable core services, recreation, community spaces and better opportunities for youth, seniors and busy working families. Our first responsibility is to deliver for the people who live here now, while planning responsibly for those who will call Bradford home tomorrow.

FAMILIES, YOUTH & RECREATION IN TOWN (1)

We don’t always have to build alone to create more recreation. I have championed the integration of turf fields at our local Catholic high school and look forward to seeing that long-overdue partnership move forward. Schools already have land, facilities and infrastructure that can be better utilized through partnerships with the Town. It’s a more economical and practical model that can expand sports and programming while getting more value from facilities already within our community.

FAMILIES, YOUTH & RECREATION IN TOWN (2)

Our youth and teens need more things to do right here in Bradford. I championed the Town Square with the vision of it becoming more than an event space, but a place where people can gather, connect and spend time. I also pushed for the Town Hall auditorium and fought for proper audio and video capabilities so it can host movies, comedy, dance, music, performances and major-event watch parties like the World Cup and other sporting events. If we’re building community spaces, let’s make them work for the community every week, not just for Council meetings.

FAMILIES, YOUTH & RECREATION IN TOWN (3)

Looking ahead, we need to work strategically with developers and community partners to build recreation into Bradford’s growth. That means identifying opportunities for new sports, training, arts and entertainment facilities, including spaces capable of attracting tournaments and events that bring outside visitors and spending into our community. Families shouldn’t always have to drive somewhere else for practices, tournaments, entertainment and activities. Let’s create more reasons to stay, play and spend right here in Bradford.

OPEN, ENGAGED & INFORMED BRADFORD (1)

Transparency means sharing more than good-news stories and photo opportunities. Throughout my entire term, I’ve made it a priority to inform residents about the issues, the debates and the outcomes, even when the information wasn’t popular and regardless of how I voted. I’ve taken criticism for doing it and, at times, been discouraged from communicating so openly. But I believe residents deserve to know what’s happening at Town Hall before an election, not just when someone is asking for their vote.

OPEN, ENGAGED & INFORMED BRADFORD (2)

We need better ways to hear from Bradford. Too many important decisions are influenced by surveys and consultations with participation numbers far too small to properly represent the people affected. I have a plan to dramatically improve how we communicate, gather feedback and reach residents who don’t normally participate in traditional Town engagement. Better information in. Better information out. And a meaningful opportunity for residents to be heard before decisions are made, not after.

OPEN, ENGAGED & INFORMED BRADFORD

Finally, I believe local government should be of the people, for the people and accountable to the people. Leadership shouldn’t be about hand-picked voices, insiders or simply hearing from the loudest people in the room. We need to continue attracting and electing well-intentioned, capable people with proven records of integrity, consistency and honesty, while finding better ways to hear from Bradford’s quiet majority. I started pushing that change. Now I want to take it further.

A BETTER DEAL FOR BRADFORD (1)

Bradford needs to get better value from the regional system our taxpayers help fund. As one of Simcoe County’s fastest-growing communities, our share of infrastructure, transportation, health and community services needs to keep pace with what Bradford residents are paying and the pressures growth is creating. I will work constructively with the County and other levels of government, but I will also push harder for our fair share. If Bradford taxpayers are paying into the system, Bradford needs to see the value coming back.

A BETTER DEAL FOR BRADFORD (2)

Our priority needs to be fighting for the services Bradford residents already need. With a growing population and increasing pressure on healthcare, transportation, infrastructure and other essential services, I don’t believe adding new regional initiatives such as a Welcome Centre should come ahead of those priorities without clear local support and demonstrated value. We need representatives willing to push upper-tier governments for the investments our residents are asking for and ensure Bradford’s needs come first.

A BETTER DEAL FOR BRADFORD (3)

I’ve already been willing to challenge the status quo. I’ve raised reducing the size of Council, examining whether Bradford’s relationship with Simcoe County still provides the best value, and even exploring alternatives such as greater independence or a potential relationship with York Region. These aren’t decisions to make based on politics or assumptions; they need proper financial and service analysis. But every option should be on the table if it can deliver better services, stronger representation and better value for Bradford taxpayers.

LET’S BUILD IT TOGETHER
This platform is more than a list of priorities. Behind each one are strategies, practical solutions and ideas I’m ready to put into action. Some I’ve already started, and others represent the next chapter of where we can take Bradford together.

I don’t expect you to agree with me on everything. But I do promise to listen, explain my thinking, have the conversation and work to find solutions that make sense for our community.

If you have questions, ideas or simply want to know more about how I plan to deliver on these priorities, please reach out. Let’s talk about the Bradford we want to build together.

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