Frequently Asked Questions About My Ward 10 Campaign

Why did you decide to run for the Ward 10 council seat?

I decided to run because I care about Barrie and I’m concerned about where our city is heading.

I appreciate Barrie’s beautiful waterfront and family-oriented neighbourhoods. In many ways, Barrie reminds me of the Toronto I knew 25 years ago. I don’t want to see Barrie repeat the problems that have made Toronto so crowded with condos and left its roads congested, with traffic frequently coming to a standstill. At least Toronto has a much more extensive public transit system. Barrie doesn’t have that advantage.

I live in Ward 10 and also drive part-time for Uber throughout Barrie. I see how our roads are becoming busier, and I regularly hear residents talking about traffic, transportation and other issues affecting their daily lives.

Barrie needs housing, but growth should not be measured simply by the number of housing units approved. We also need to consider how residents will get around, whether public transit can serve them reliably, and whether essential services are within walking distance. When public transit is inconvenient and everyday necessities are not available nearby, people have little choice but to rely on cars.

My background in accounting and auditing has taught me to ask questions, examine decisions critically and identify gaps between what is promised and what is actually delivered. When I look at some of the development decisions being made in Barrie, I see a disconnect between what residents need and what these projects are designed to provide.

I believe councillors should be looking ahead, asking difficult questions before decisions are made, and making sure growth improves the city for the people who live here.

If elected, what would be your top priorities for Ward 10 over the next four years?

If elected, my top priorities would be improving community safety, reducing traffic congestion, improving winter snow management and protecting established residential neighbourhoods.

Road safety is particularly important. I want to see greater police presence in our communities and more consistent traffic enforcement to address speeding and dangerous driving. Road design should also help discourage excessive speeds and reduce the risk of collisions.

To address growing traffic congestion, I would champion the introduction of three rapid bus lines, supported by loop and connector routes. The goal is to make public transit a reliable and practical alternative to driving, rather than leaving residents dependent on cars for most of their trips.

Another priority is improving winter snow management. The City plows residential streets, but accumulated snowbanks often remain, leaving residents with limited space in their front yards and parking areas. I would advocate for routine removal of accumulated snow from residential streets throughout the winter.

Finally, I would propose a residential rental licensing program to address the negative impacts of temporary and high-occupancy rental properties in established neighbourhoods. We need to preserve safe, family-friendly communities where children can grow up and socialize with other children in their neighbourhoods.

What is one issue or project in Ward 10 that you believe deserves greater attention from the next council?

One issue I believe the next council needs to take more seriously is road safety and the lack of visible police enforcement in our residential communities.

We have traffic laws and posted speed limits, but they mean very little if drivers don’t expect them to be enforced. When motorists can repeatedly speed through residential neighbourhoods without consequences, dangerous driving becomes a continuing problem.

I want to see more police officers actively patrolling our communities and issuing tickets to traffic violators. Police visibility is important not only for road safety but also for deterring criminal activity. A police presence should be preventive, not just something residents see after an incident has already occurred.

We also need to examine road designs that allow excessive speeding and introduce physical safety measures that help reduce vehicle speeds and collisions.

I believe council should take a more proactive approach by working with police and city staff to identify recurring safety problems and address them before someone gets hurt. Residents shouldn’t have to wait for a serious accident before their concerns receive attention.

How should the city address growth and development in Ward 10 while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace?

We need to stop treating housing approvals and infrastructure planning as separate decisions. Every major residential development creates additional demand on roads, public transit, utilities and community services. Council needs to examine those consequences before approving projects, not after problems begin affecting existing residents. Necessary infrastructure improvements should be coordinated with new developments so that roads, public transit and essential services are ready when residents move in.

I believe new high-density developments should be required to pass a 700-metre essential-services walkability test. Building hundreds of residential units without nearby groceries and other everyday necessities only creates more car trips and adds to congestion.

I would also propose requiring ground-floor commercial space for small and medium-sized businesses in new high-density residential buildings, with second-floor commercial space where appropriate. Instead of separating homes from essential services, we should bring them closer together.

Another important consideration is how developments accommodate families. Children need safe outdoor play areas and green spaces between buildings, not environments where most available space is dedicated to asphalt and parked cars.

When we build walkable neighbourhoods and connect them through reliable public transit, we give residents more freedom to travel without depending on a car.

That’s the kind of growth I would like to see in Ward 10 and across Barrie: neighbourhoods designed around the everyday needs of the people living in them. I don’t believe successful growth should be measured by how many units we approve. It should be measured by how well those communities function once people move in.