Four things on Mike's sign, in his own words.
Fiscal Responsibility
I know what it means to make every dollar count. I do it every day in my businesses, and I believe the City should do the same.
It is getting too expensive to live, own a home or run a business in Guelph. We need to focus on the things residents actually need, look after the assets we already have, and make careful choices about new spending.
I believe in practical solutions, responsible growth, and getting more value from every taxpayer dollar. That means not passing the problem to someone else, and not waiting on the Province for help. The Province hasn't helped with housing for more than 40 years, and our city will be in ruin if we don't start acting.
A Safer Guelph
Ask Guelph residents about their top issues and the answers are clear: safety and accessibility, roads and infrastructure, housing and homelessness.
Safety means more than policing. It means reliable emergency services, supporting our paramedics, and making sure our roads are safe for everyone.
I want to find sustainable ways to fund competitive paramedic wages and keep the paramedics we have. I also want existing infrastructure to be a priority, so residents can get to work, school and home safely and on time. Our own needs have taken a back seat to growing Guelph's population. We need to focus on the people who live here now.
Practical solutions. Safer communities.
Housing Solutions
Guelph needs housing that people can actually afford, not simply more units that stay out of reach.
I want slower, more intentional growth that matches our infrastructure and focuses on the housing Guelph residents actually need. That includes more affordable apartments and condos for seniors who want to downsize, and options for first-time buyers and working families.
We also need to address homelessness with practical solutions now. I want to build a small, safe and supportive tiny-shelter community that gives people experiencing homelessness a stable place to live, connects them with services, and gives them a path toward permanent housing.
Build what we need. Help people who need it now. Grow with intention.
Property Taxes
Did you know your property taxes can end up paying for new builds and growth?
Development charges, the money new builds pay to the City, are meant to make growth pay for the infrastructure it needs. Provincial changes have cut what municipalities can collect, through exemptions and discounts of 30% or more.
When development doesn't cover its full share, taxpayers carry the difference through higher taxes, borrowing or reduced services. We need growth, but we need to take care of the Guelph we have first.
I want Council focused on the people who already live here: maintaining what we own, managing costs, and keeping property taxes affordable. Taxpayers and businesses should not pay more than their share and get less and less in return.
