Housing People Can Actually Afford

For many families, owning a home in Collingwood has become increasingly difficult. We cannot solve that problem simply by building more expensive homes and hoping affordability eventually follows.

I want the Town to take a more active role in creating attainable housing for the people who actually live and work here.

One idea I would like to explore is using municipally owned land to facilitate the construction of modest, family-sized townhomes and pairing them with a rent-to-own program for qualifying local families and first-time buyers.

Under a model like this, the Town could retain ownership of the property for an initial period while the resident makes payments toward eventual ownership. Eligibility could prioritize families and first-time buyers who demonstrate a genuine need for attainable housing. Appropriate resale restrictions could also help prevent publicly supported housing from immediately becoming another speculative asset.

This is not about giving away homes. It is about finding ways for the municipality to use the resources it already has to help residents build a future here.

At the same time, we need to recognize that housing and infrastructure are connected. Growth should come with the infrastructure necessary to support it, and residents should not be left paying for growth that has not been properly planned.

I want Collingwood to be a place where a working family can still imagine buying a home, raising children, and putting down roots.

Infrastructure That Keeps Up

Growth is only sustainable if our infrastructure can keep up with it.

Water, wastewater, roads, drainage, and other essential infrastructure are not exciting subjects, but they are the foundation of a functioning community. We need to think beyond individual development applications and look at the entire system.

I support expanding infrastructure where necessary to accommodate responsible growth, but I also want us to ask whether there are smarter ways to get more out of what we already have.

For wastewater, that means looking seriously at inflow and infiltration—rainwater and groundwater entering sanitary sewers where it doesn’t belong. Reducing unnecessary flows can lessen pressure on the wastewater system and potentially defer some expensive upgrades.

It also means continuing to improve stormwater infrastructure so that heavy rainfall is managed effectively rather than placing unnecessary pressure on sanitary systems.

Most importantly, infrastructure planning needs to happen alongside growth planning.

I would support greater transparency around municipal infrastructure capacity so residents can understand how much capacity exists, what our projected needs are, and when major investments will be required.

We should not wait until infrastructure is overwhelmed before deciding that it needs to be upgraded.

Families, Children & Mobility

A community that is good for families needs more than houses.

It needs places for children to play, opportunities for young people to participate, accessible recreation, childcare, safe routes to school, and transportation options that work for people who don’t want—or cannot afford—to drive everywhere.

I want to see continued investment in youth recreation and community programming, including more opportunities for children and teenagers to participate in organized activities, clubs, sports, and other programs.

Childcare is another important piece of the puzzle. Families cannot participate fully in the local economy when childcare is unavailable or unaffordable. The Town should continue working with other levels of government and community partners to identify opportunities to expand childcare capacity.

Transportation also deserves a practical conversation.

Collingwood needs to be connected—to our schools, neighbourhoods, employment areas, recreation, and neighbouring communities. Before committing to major transportation projects, we should carefully compare their costs and benefits against alternatives that could deliver service sooner and to more people.

For me, that means taking a serious look at expanding and improving bus service as part of our transportation future.

Children should be able to safely walk or cycle to school. Seniors should be able to get where they need to go. Workers should have transportation options. Families should not need multiple vehicles simply to participate in everyday life. Sidewalks shouldn’t end in someone’s driveway, or require crossing the street three times on the same street.

A town designed around its residents should be easy to live in.

Tourism That Works for Residents

Tourism is an important part of Collingwood’s economy. Our restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions, and other businesses benefit from visitors, and many local residents make their living serving them.

I am not opposed to tourism.

But Collingwood is more than a destination. It is our home.

We need to make sure that decisions made to attract visitors do not come at the expense of the people who live here year-round.

That means looking carefully at the relationship between short-term rentals and long-term housing. It means considering how tourism affects roads, infrastructure, public spaces, and municipal services. And it means asking whether the economic benefits of tourism are reaching the residents and businesses that support our community.

I want to support a strong local economy while making sure that people who work here can afford to live here.

Our community should not become a place where the people who serve the visitors cannot afford to remain.

Tourism should be an asset to Collingwood—not something residents have to compete with.

Supporting Local Businesses

Local businesses are an essential part of Collingwood’s identity and economy.

Independent restaurants, retailers, tradespeople, professional services, and other small businesses provide employment, contribute to our community, and help make Collingwood more than another generic development.

Municipal government cannot solve every challenge facing small businesses, but it can make things easier—or harder.

I want Council to continue looking for ways to reduce unnecessary barriers, improve communication with businesses, and make municipal processes easier to navigate.

Economic development should not be measured solely by how much new development occurs. We should also ask whether existing businesses are able to succeed, whether local employment opportunities are growing, and whether the people working in those businesses can afford to live in the community.

A healthy local economy is one where both businesses and residents can succeed.

Addressing Homelessness and Housing Insecurity

People experiencing homelessness are members of our community.

This is not simply a question of where people sleep. It is connected to housing affordability, mental health, addiction, employment, social services, and the availability of supportive housing.

The Town cannot solve every part of this problem on its own, but that does not mean we should treat it as someone else’s responsibility.

I want Collingwood to continue working with Simcoe County, community organizations, service providers, and other partners to pursue practical solutions.

That includes supporting pathways into stable housing and addressing the underlying reasons people become homeless in the first place.

At the same time, residents deserve safe and functional public spaces.

We can have compassion for people experiencing homelessness while also expecting our public spaces to remain safe and accessible for everyone.

Compassion and community standards do not have to be opposing ideas.

Responsible Growth, Not No Growth

I don’t believe Collingwood can—or should—stop changing.

People want to live here. Businesses want to operate here. Families want to raise their children here. That creates pressure, but it also creates opportunity.

The question is what kind of growth we choose.

I support growth that provides housing people can actually afford, contributes to our local economy, and is matched by the infrastructure and services required to support it.

We should protect the character and environmental assets that make Collingwood special while recognizing that a community cannot remain frozen in time.

Good planning means asking difficult questions before decisions are made—not after problems appear.

I want Collingwood to grow into a stronger community, not simply a larger one.