My Priorities
This web site is a work-in-progress. I will be adding more information about the issues and priorities that I think are key to our town's future over the next four years. I will also be adding my thoughts about the issues I hear as I meet and talk to folks across Carleton Place in the weeks leading up to election day.
Keeping Up with Growth
Our town is growing — and growing fast. In 2021, Carleton Place was among the fastest growing communities in the country. Over the previous decade, our population grew by 27%. The County forecasts we will grow by another 67% within the next 20 years. We need to ensure that key town services keep pace with this growing demand. Plans are already in the works for critical services like transportation, water and wastewater. But our library, community centres, and recreation services also need plans for the future, so they can meet the demand we already know is coming. Our quality of life depends on this.
Better Transportation
We also need a plan to improve and support local transit and ride-sharing services both within town and between neighbouring communities. This will mean reaching out to the County and the Province as well as our neighbours to explore the best options. The town completed a formal Transit Feasibility Study in 2025 which was quickly followed by a similar study at the County level. Now is the time to move onto the "next steps" in this project. Economically responsible and accessible public transportation options are key to keeping life affordable in Carleton Place going forward.
Waste Management
With changes to how recycling and organic waste are managed in Ontario, the future of waste management in Carleton Place will continue to be a priority over the next Council term. This will be especially true for organic and food waste, which currently account for a significant portion of the tonnage our town pays to pickup and haul to the local landfill (and which contribute significantly to our town's greenhouse gas emissions). Finding options for local residents that are practical and affordable will be my priority.
Affordable Housing
While Carleton Place has made some positive steps in the right direction on this issue, including support for secondary units and a Community Improvement Plan that offers incentives for new construction, we need to do more. By working more aggressively (and creatively) with the County, the Province, builders, and local building owners with under-used capacity, I think we can do better. It's a (big) problem we share with so many other municipalities. We need to be more creative and more willing to explore different kinds of building options — like modular construction and pre-approved designs so the places people need to call home can get built faster.
Safer Streets, Trails and Walkways
In addition to the speed of growth, the leading issue most candidates are hearing on doorsteps is the same issue that I heard four and eight years ago — traffic, speeding and safety on our roads, trails and sidewalks. It's time to lower speed limits across CP and take measures to slow vehicles on residential streets. Yes, that means spending some money to replace posted speed limit signs, install some additional stop signs and crosswalks at busy intersections, and fix convergence points along some trails... but it's worth it. It's also time to conduct a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood safety audit across the town to ensure traffic sightlines and street lighting are good, and to make sure sidewalks, trails and crosswalks are safe and accessible. Our roadways, trails and walkways should always be ready for everyone to use and enjoy.
Including More People in Town Decisions
I (still) think it's time to include more voices in the decisions that get made at our Town Hall. It's time for a review and, if needed, a renewal of our Advisory Committees so they can give advice where it's needed, but also serve as a connection between residents and decision-makers. I advocated for a new traffic safety committee in 2022, but didn't get the support I needed from the rest of Council. If re-elected, I will renew my push for a review of our Advisory Committees. I will also revive a long-dormant plan to establish Neighbourhood Community Associations in Carleton Place.
Protecting Our Natural Heritage
Carleton Place is surrounded by natural beauty. The Mississippi River and Mississippi Lake, woodlands and wetlands on our borders are precious assets. As more people come to live in and around CP, we risk losing these assets as developers look for new places to build. It's time for us to think about how to preserve natural places like Arkland Island, St. James Woods, Glen Isle, and the wetlands east of town and work with landowners, surrounding municipalities and the province to get it done.
More to come...