Over the past eight years, I have done my best to offer future-focused leadership while working collaboratively with my fellow Councillors, community members, and the staff at our Town Hall. Here are some examples of my work:

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Environmental Advisory Committee

I have been the Council representative on our town's EAC since December 2018 and have worked closely with its members from day one to give it a stronger voice in the decision-making process. Today, the EAC provides regular comments and advice for Council's consideration of development proposals through its green lens with a focus on sustainability and the impacts of climate change. It spearheaded the adoption of the town's anti-idling by-law, has worked with town staff to expand planting of pollinator gardens, and is currently working on a plan to "green" local events through waste reduction. The EAC has also supported CP's participation in Lanark County's Climate Action Committee, including our town's membership in the FCM's Partners for Climate Protection program. 

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Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority

I was named as one of our town's representatives on the MVCA Board of Directors in 2018 and have since served as a delegate to Conservation Ontario, Vice-Chair ( and, from June 2021 to June 2023, Chair of the Board of Directors — the first representative from Carleton Place to take on that leadership role in nearly 50 years. The MVCA is a provincial agency that brings together 11 municipalities from across Eastern Ontario and is responsible for the management of the Mississippi River and Carp River watersheds. Find out more about the MVCA here. 

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Food Waste Pilot Program

I worked with town staff and representatives from FoodCycler to bring a pilot program to Carleton Place aimed at providing options for our town's future management of food and organic waste. Over a few months from April through July of 2022, nearly 200 town residents participated in the program. Over 10 metric tonnes of food waste were diverted away from our local landfill — the equivalent of 44 tonnes/year — and converted into a carbon-neutral form of compost. Over my second term, the Town continued to offer financial incentives for residents to purchase a FoodCycler and has expanded it's incentives to include purchase of a yearly pickup subscription to Just Good Compost. If re-elected I will work to expand these popular programs. 

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Food Truck Reform

When our town's Food Truck By-law was up for review, I worked closely with town staff to ensure that it was changed and modernized. The previous by-law restricted and discouraged the presence of food trucks in Carleton Place — something I felt needed to change. The new by-law works to attract and support more food trucks in more locations across town, which I believe has added to our town's quality of life while offering more small business opportunities for local residents. 

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Better Transit

In 2019, I met with local residents to support their initiative to expand transit service between Carleton Place and key destinations in Ottawa. Meetings were organized with residents and local bus service operators to explore adding additional service. Unfortunately, the business case for the initiative could not be made before all bus services were forced to shut down in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over my second term, I advocated for the completion of a Transit Feasibility Study to explore public transportation options Carleton Place. If re-elected, I will push hard to see both the Town and Lanark County move forward with options for the affordable and accessible public transportation options our town needs moving foward.

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Smarter Growth

Throughout the review of our Town's Official Plan, I have advocated for changes to better equip Carleton Place to manage the growth we all know is coming, while protecting established neighbourhoods from overdevelopment. I supported setting new height and density limits in the Mississippi Residential District while channeling more significant builds towards properties identified as "strategic". I have pushed for (and will continue to push for) a modernization of our town's Highway District to allow for a mix of commercial and residential development going forward, providing a more appropriate space for the future construction of apartments and other more affordable housing options. 

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Celebrating Diversity

In 2022, I brought a motion to Council to install a permanent Rainbow Crosswalk in Carleton Place, one that would be designed and placed in consultation with the local 2SLGBTQI+ community and maintained with annual support in the Town's budget. The motion was unanimously supported, and the new crosswalk was installed in time for local Pride celebrations in 2023. 

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My focus has always been leadership aimed at improving our town's quality of life today and into the future.

 

I will admit that losing 2 years of opportunities to meet and work with the community because of the pandemic thwarted my own plans on this front. As the impacts of that disruption subside and we all get back to "normal", I look forward to resuming that important work together.