My Platform

The Midhurst Secondary Plan is the approved MEGA development for our area. At full buildout we will be larger than the City of Orillia! Managing growth is more important than ever. Residents need a representative they can count on with the skills and determination to manage the MEGA changes.

The only new road planned to accommodate the vast increase in traffic volume is the Forbes Rd/Craig Rd extension between 400 Hwy and 27 Hwy. I am committed to ensure that gets built. Several existing roads will be enlarged from 2 to 3 lanes with curbs and sidewalks. I give you my commitment, that I will do my best to have the developers pay for that roadway and the cost of all growth-related expenses.

Springwater is predominately serviced by the Wasaga Beach OPP detachment. As your councillor, I will work to bring a detachment back to our area to improve response times and increase proactive patrols. As a resident, family safety is very important to me.

Like many of you, I witness vehicles driving through our streets at dangerous speeds. Long weekends see traffic diverting through our residential areas while going south. As a parent I am constantly worried about my children’s safety. This speeding and congestion will only get worse with the addition of the new subdivisions. No quick fix solution exists for this problem; however, proper planning and investments in infrastructure around the new subdivisions will divert traffic away from our residential streets. Road improvements and extensions around the new subdivision and the 400 Hwy will move speeding cars away.

I will work to protect your green spaces and agricultural lands. Changing zoning for these types of lands is irreversible and environmentally damaging. Having marsh and wetland be developed is not a healthy long-term approach for Springwater. Maintaining the rural buffer zone that separates us from Barrie is a major priority. As your councilor, standing up for the rural areas that make Springwater special is my focus.

There are recommendations in the Midhurst Secondary Plan (MSP) that current residents be forced to connect to the new sewer system. This will cost you tens of thousands of dollars to hookup plus an ongoing monthly sewage cost. The costly decommissioning and potential removal of existing septic systems would also fall on the residents. Councilor Hanna tabled a motion to eliminate that requirement however, it is still on the table for this coming term. I do not agree with costly mandatory sewer hook ups for existing residents.

The only way to maintain lower tax rates is through responsible management. As your member of council, I will scrutinize the annual budget to get you the most service for the least amount of taxation. I will search for cost savings through alternative methods of providing services. I am also firm in the belief that developers need to pay their fair share of development charges so that taxpayers are not required to pay more.

Quite simply, I believe in maintaining lower taxes for our residents.