Where I stand
Housing that fits
Responsible growth that keeps Wasaga affordable for the people who already live here.
We need housing. The waiting list of young families who grew up here and want to stay says so. The seniors who can't downsize because there's nowhere appropriate to go says so. The teachers and nurses and tradespeople we want to recruit but can't afford to relocate says so.
But we need the right kind of housing, in the right places, with the infrastructure to support it — and the meaningful community input to shape it.
What I'll push for at council
- A real housing mix, not just luxury builds. Starter homes for young families. Seniors' options that let long-time residents stay in the community as they age. Rental units near transit and amenities, not just owner-occupied. Wasaga's housing approvals should include actual targets across these categories — not just a unit count that's heavy on whatever sells fastest.
- Infrastructure before approvals. Approving a 200-unit subdivision before the water main, the school capacity, and the road upgrades are funded is how you end up with a community that's growing faster than its services. The default council answer to "is the infrastructure ready?" should be a real answer, not a hope.
- Transparent community consultation on every major project. Real consultation, not a notice posted in the paper two weeks before the council meeting. Public meetings at times residents can actually attend. Plain-language summaries of what's being proposed and what the trade-offs are. Comments that go on the record, not just into a file.
Wasaga Beach has doubled in population in twenty years. The next ten years will shape the kind of town this is for the next forty. Council can either approve growth as it lands on the desk, or set the rules that make sure what's built is what we actually need. I'd rather do the second one.
Related
- Your streets — the infrastructure that has to keep up with growth, or doesn't.
- Community first — the consultation and decision-making piece — who gets a real say.