“My first term experience has shown me that being a Councillor isn’t simply about having options it’s about balancing competing priorities, listening to residents and making difficult decisions that I know may not always be the popular decision. I will always make what I believe is the best decision not only for the residents of Ward 3 but for the City of Guelph.” 

Why do you want to be a city councillor?

My first term on Guelph City Council has given me a deeper understanding of our community and hands-on experience with how Guelph works, what residents need/want, and how decisions actually get made. I was able to build relationships with fellow councillors, city staff, community organizations  and residents. I now have a more fulsome understanding of the pressures facing Guelph, from community safety and housing affordability, to responsible budgeting and managing growth. With a new Mayor and a number of new faces around the table, I see that change as opportunity. New perspectives can bring new ideas. Different experiences can help us find better solutions. I believe this new council has the opportunity to build stronger relationships, work collaboratively and put the interests of Guelph residents first.  I would like to contribute to this, build on what I have learned, be an even stronger advocate for Ward 3 and help deliver practical solutions for the future of Guelph.

What is your background and experience, and how do you think that will serve you as a city councillor?

I have 1 term under my belt and I will tell you it was a significant learning curve. I now have a strong perspective on how municipal governments works, how decisions get made and how to move things forward. My commitment to our community extends far beyond City Hall .I am a Registered Nurse, worked 14 years at St. Joseph’s Hospital. I acquired my specialty in Occupational Health Nursing while working as an Occupational Health Nurse at Imperial Tobacco and finished my career with 22 years at the County of Wellington as the Assistant Director of Human Resources. I served on the Guelph General Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Committee and sat on a sub-committee advocating for a new hospital for Guelph. These experiences have allowed me to gain insight on the challenges facing municipal governments, understand how government works allowing me to be a strong voice not only for the residents of Ward 3 but all Guelph residents.

Given Strong Mayor Powers, how do you see your role as a city councillor when the mayor can override the will of council with just three votes?

Strong Mayors powers can have a significant impact on the role of the councillors however, I am hopeful that a good Mayor will work collaboratively with their council and only use their Strong Mayor powers on a rare exception basis. We do need to protect our democracy.

Regardless of whether or not Strong Mayor Powers are used I will make common sense decisions with a clear conscience that I feel are in the best interest of City and our residents.

Affordability is important to a lot of voters, and municipal budgeting can be very difficult. How will you balance the needs of a growing city with the demands for low or zero tax increases over the next term?

Municipal budgeting is very complicated and my first term allowed me the opportunity to garner a much better understanding of the municipal budgeting process. We have external boards that complicate our budget. However, I believe we can do much better in working toward lowering the current rates. 7 -8% tax increases are not sustainable. We need to get back to basics, to be smart and look at what is giving us the best return on our investment and where money is being wasted. There still needs to be a significant amount of collaboration, between Mayor, Council, Staff and the outside boards to us get there.

Council this past term has done a lot of housing policy, but that hasn’t translated into more shovels in the ground. How will you help close the gap over the next four years?

Housing has been and continues to be top of mind for me. Thank you for noting we did a lot of policy work to encourage more housing but there is still a lot of work to do. We need to continue to take advantage of opportunities to partner on programmes offered by upper levels of government. Guelph was one of the few municipalities to receive funding under the Building Fund Faster initiative and we need to continue taking advantage of these programmes and continue to focus on working with private sector builders and non-profit groups. We need to recognize that private sector builders have not been building for a number of reasons and the City needs to work to build those relationships, ensure our processes are not creating challenges to building and create opportunities for affordable housing units that are desperately needed in our community. Positive working relationships will help us succeed. Lastly, we absolutely need to ensure we are building a healthy affordable housing reserve to allow us build and provide further incentives for affordable housing units.

Aside from the demands for more housing, land use planning also means assuring that there’s enough room to account for growth in business, institutional and commercial land uses, how will you balance all these priorities?

Good planning requires meaningful community engagement. Residents deserve to understand what is being proposed and why. We do not want to stop growth but we need to ensure we manage it responsibly. We need to balance all needs and consequences. Does a development make sense with our vision? Can we provide the infrastructure? Is it a healthy mix of housing, employment, commercial etc…  I will balance all these priorities on a case by case basis.

Water availability is a growing concern. How will you ensure that Guelph has the capacity it needs to support this growing city?

Ğuelph’s water supply is a precious resource. Guelph currently has a water supply master plan looking ahead to 2051 which is a long term water supply strategy. Supporting growth doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. I believe we can accommodate responsible growth while protecting our resources. We should never put ourselves in a position where we approve growth today and scramble to find water capacity tomorrow.

Trust in government and institutions is a major issue. How will you keep your constituents well informed about city hall business, and help them feel included when it comes to decision making?

One of my recommendations for next term will be to have a ward specific landings on the City’ webpage. This will allow residents to easily access up to date ward specific updates. I hear from many residents that they were not aware of community engagement activities such as open houses or survey’s. A ward specific landing page where we can flag more important ward issues would be helpful to residents. I am very open to hear from residents as to how they would like to receive pertinent information.

What would you say is *your* issue? What is the one thing you want to talk about on the campaign trail this fall and have a thorough debate about it before this election is over?

A safe and thriving community is my top priority. I know when people feel safe in their homes, neighburhoods and public spaces our entire community has the opportunity to thrive. That being said, safety is about more than policing alone. It requires a balanced approach that brings Guelph Police Service, social service providers, community organizations and all levels of government working collaboratively. We need to address the underlying issues that can contribute to insecurity, including access to affordable housing and appropriate social supports. This means responsible spending, thoughtful investment and a balance approach that puts the safety, wellbeing, and future of Guelph residents first. A Safe Community means a stronger Guelph.

What perspective do you think you will bring to council that is not currently reflected?

One of the strongest perspectives I bring to Guelph City Council is the perspective of someone who understands both the human side of political decisions and the practical realities of running an organization. My first term experience has shown me that being a Councillor isn’t simply about having options it’s about balancing competing priorities, listening to residents and making difficult decisions that I know may not always be the popular decision. I will always make what I believe is the best decision not only for the residents of Ward 3 but for the City of Guelph.

Is there anything else you want to tell voters as they make their decision?

Electing a new Mayor is a very important decision for any City. I want to encourage all residents get out and VOTE!! Your vote is your voice for the future of Guelph. I would also like to encourage anyone who has any questions for me to feel free to reach out at any time.

You can reach me at: micheleforguelph [at] gmail.com.