I voted in favour of an increase to Councillor compensation.  I voted AGAINST an increase to the Mayor's compensation. There is a lot of misinformation swirling in the community, so I will address several key points: 

• The decision to modify councillor remuneration happens every four years, and does not apply to the current term of council. 
• Councillors are neither full-time nor part-time.  The Municipal Act has a general job description, but does not describe time commitment. To do the job well, many councillors spend significantly more than part-time hours outside of meetings: community outreach, newsletters, hosting town halls, and taking on extra committee work. 
• The base line salary is the cap. There is no additional pay for committee chairs or deputy mayor duties, as is the case in other cities.
• The role and time commitment of a city councillor has increased significantly since the last review.  Many councillors use vacation or unpaid time-off for council duties in order to ensure they are meeting their full commitment to the Council job.
• We have a compensation policy that sets the salary at the 55th percentile of comparitor municipalities, factoring in that we are a single tier government that oversees many of the services that a regional government would manage in a two-tier system (such as transit, waste, emergency services). 
• Based on the policy referenced above, staff recommended a 33% increase for the 2027-2030 term.  I voted AGAINST this. We settled on an 11.8% increase, which puts Guelph slightly below the 55th percentile for base pay.  Since Guelph's rate was set, other municipalities have also raised their council compensation, lowering our compartive position.  Many of our comparators receive additional stipends for committee or rotating deputy mayor assignments.  Guelph does not. 
• In order to attract qualified and committed city councillors, the salary must be able to offer a living wage to a wide, diverse pool of candidates.  

Moving Forward:

It is clear that an updated and independent review is needed for both the structure and composition of Council (number of councillors, ward review) and their compensation.  I voted in FAVOUR of this review during the next term and am committed to seeing it through, with lots of opportunity for public input. 

In addition, I would like to see future compensation reviews delegated to community-based committee led by our HR team.  It is important that this issue not be used for political theatre prior to future elections.

No, I won't endorse specific candidates. A mayoral candidate should not attempt to create a slate of preferred councillors. That's not good governance. I encourage every voter to be informed about the many candidates—their values, experience, and skills—and ask them meaningful questions. Then align your vote accordingly.

Only 14 cities in Canada have a AAA credit rating. Guelph is one of them. I intend to keep it that way.  As Chair of Corporate Services from 2022 through 2026, I am incredibly proud that we achieved and maintained this rating during a global recession. Sound fiscal management of an $800+ million budget comes from challenging the status quo and continous improvement. I support value audits and service reviews, and have voted in favour of recommendations that make us lean and high performing.

In my current position as a manager in Ancilliary Services at the U of Guelph, my role brings in $55+ million in revenue annually, I have met targets every year, and have come in under budget on expenses every single year of my career.

We are a city for everyone. We've been a university town since 1874. We welcome students, families, seniors, newcomers. That's who we are. 

Many people don't know that the university accounts for over $2 billion annually in economic benefit and is our city's second largest employer. We accommodate that kind of outstanding contribution. 

The key to tackling "town and gown" issues is building a relationship of trust and open communication.  As an alumna, I intend to strengthen that relationship even more. We are partners, not service providers.

Currently, my average work week is 60+ hours working two jobs. If elected, I will be leaving my job at the university and dedicating myself full time to the role of being mayor. This is an all-in commitment to lead Guelph for the next four years.

I've been a working mom juggling four kids, two jobs, elder care, graduate school and community service work for decades. This is who I am.

I believe the use of strong mayor powers is anti-democratic, and I have been a vocal opponent since day one. The strongest power a mayor has is the ability to collaborate. 

However, in Ontario there are some legally required acts that must be done using strong mayor legislation—such as tabling the budget. So a mayoral candidate cannot say they will never use strong mayor powers. However, before exercising such acts, I am committed to consultation with the community and council. When I table the "Mayor's Budget," it will be the People's Budget.