Taxes

I think we can all agree on three things:  

• Our property taxes must be spent efficiently.
• We must invest strategically.
• We need to bring in more revenue.

Actions

• We will demonstrate that the budget decisions we make contribute to making the city more affordable for all of us through an independent economic analysis.
• We will protect Guelph's AAA credit rating through rigorous policy on debt, reserves, and spending balance.
• Every budget will be tabled as the "People's Budget"—listen first, then budget.
• We will create issue-based relationships with other municipalities on critical Guelph needs, such as leading advocacy with Town and Gown Ontario for recalculation of the “heads and beds" levy, which could yield over $1 million in annual revenue.
• We will bring in and incentivize solutions from the people who know the city best—our staff, our partners and our users.

Housing

Guelph clearly needs more homes—of all kinds. That means options for young families, for seniors who want to stay in their neighbourhoods, and for the next generation who deserve to build a life here.

We have builders. We have buyers. We have renters. We have shovel-ready projects. The barriers to housing are not caused by any one thing. Barriers include labour, land value, financing, and constant regulatory changes from the province. I'll be straight with you about what the city can fix what we can't. Then I'll fix our part. 

Actions

• We will incentivize the housing we need most—social, supportive, and affordable housing—through our Development Priorities Plan.
• We will create a free database of home plans and accessible dwelling unit (ADU) design templates to make your project predictable and truly affordable.
• We will protect the rental housing stock we have through enforcement of rental protection bylaws.

Improving Transit

The keys to a successful transit service are frequency, reliability, and proximity. Fixing transit makes your life more affordable only if we make it work to get you where you want to go—on time. Improving ridership drives down the overall cost of the system and gets cars off the road.

Actions

• We have a Transit Master Plan to tackle all three pillars of success, but it’s gathering dust on a shelf. We will put this plan into action and fix the system.  
• We will negotiate a partnership to integrate Guelph Transit with Presto, and open Guelph Central Station for public use, making your commute easier than ever before.
• We are committed to lifecycle replacement of the full Transit fleet to electric buses, driving down the annual cost of operation.

Community Engagement

A successful mayor does not work alone. Public engagement is only as good as how City Hall uses what they hear. Public consultation has to be done as if we mean it, with an effort to help people understand how they can have the most impact on their city.

I believe in bringing everyone to the table. Better decisions come from better conversations. Alone, we never have the full picture. Guelph deserves all of our voices. 

Actions

• I will build a listening culture at City Hall. 
• You will receive a monthly newsletter from the mayor.  
• I will establish regular online open Zoom Town Halls. You bring the questions. I'll bring the answers.

Transparency

Every decision Council makes that impacts your life should be easy to find, read, and understand.  You should never have to wonder who the mayor is meeting with about decisions that affect our city.

Actions

• We will create an online Council dashboard with our motions and votes, with links to the reports. They will be colour coded by theme, easy to find, and easy to use. 
• No non-emergency walk-on agenda items without a report or public consultation.
• A public-facing calendar of the mayor's schedule so you know what I'm doing on your behalf.

A Caring City

Every person deserves to live with dignity. Lifting citizens out of poverty and homelessness is simply what civilized societies do. Investing in a more just Guelph will make a safer and more prosperous Guelph, where everyone has a shot at being part of the city we deserve. Our partners in the provincial and federal government are key to our local success.

Actions

• We will work with service providers to meet the specific resource needs for day use space and food security programs.
• We will ensure that our local initiatives are shovel-ready to activate grants and financial incentives to fund our highest priorities in the social services and housing portfolio.
• We will review, measure, and publicly report on municipal policies and practices to ensure alignment with our civic values, including human rights, diversity, and accessibility.

Parks and Trails

We are blessed with two beautiful rivers and thousands of acres of forests and greenspace. But when it comes to neighbourhood parkland, we are woefully short. Adding more parkland is essential to growing sustainably, groundwater recharge, stormwater, and climate resiliency.  Our Trails Master Plan is a comprehensive vision that connects all areas of the city together—let's fill the gap.

Action Plan

• Finish the missing gap of the Guelph to Goderich trail by the end of 2027.
• Rename the future downtown park and trail connection to honour our Indigenous history, and launch a 10-year plan to bring it into city ownership.
• Plant 50,000 trees by 2030 city-wide in partnership with community groups, citizens, and businesses. 

Climate and Energy

Guelph calls itself a green city. Guelph's environmental leadership is something we measure, not just something we say. Every climate initiative has significant return on investment, financial or otherwise.  The next generation is depending on us.

Actions

• An annual report on our progress towards being Net Zero by 2050.
• Protect and restore our urban tree canopy.
• Partner with experts and agencies to deliver on community energy goals and targets.
• Identify project-ready opportunities when funding sources arise.

Arts and Culture

Guelph is much more than streets and pipes. We share community pride in our heritage, festivals, artists, and our creative and knowledge economy. Businesses and entrepreneurs want to locate or expand in cities that invest in themselves and their people. We know that a vibrant arts, culture, and recreation sector, including non-profit community benefit organizations, contributes millions to our local economy. Every dollar invested gives back, not just financially but in making our city a great place to live.

Actions

• Create a separate funding stream for the arts and culture community grants program.
• Rebuild the Municipal Accommodation Tax fund and use a participatory budgeting framework to allocate funds. 
• Partner and activate the Drill Hall and other underutilized public spaces for community and entrepreneurial use.