Community Focused Leadership

Tiny Township is the home I have grown to love. It’s people, rural character, its farms, its forests, its beaches and shoreline, and its strong sense of community.

But protecting Tiny’s future means more than protecting what we have today. It means making responsible decisions now about the roads our children will drive on, the water systems our families depend on, the emergency services our communities need, the housing our seniors and young families require, and the environment we are entrusted to protect.

I am running for Mayor because I believe Tiny needs a clear four-year plan — one that puts taxpayers first, fixes infrastructure before it becomes more expensive, supports responsible growth, protects our rural and environmental character, and makes every level of government work harder for Tiny. Of course, the Mayor is only one vote on council but I believe that my commitments will be well received by my fellow council members.

Of course, we cannot promise everything to everyone. We must establish priorities, know what things cost, identify who should pay, and measure whether Council actually delivered.

I am committed to protecting what makes Tiny special. Strengthen the infrastructure we depend on. Spend municipal dollars responsibly. Prepare for responsible growth. And make Tiny’s voice stronger at the County, provincial and federal levels.

Over the next four years, I will work with Council, staff, residents, businesses, farmers, community organizations and our municipal neighbours to build a Township that is financially responsible, environmentally resilient, economically healthy and ready for the future.

This is not about changing Tiny into somewhere else. It is about making sure Tiny remains a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire — for today’s residents and for the generations that follow.

1. Infrastructure

Commitment

Establish a four-year financial and infrastructure plan that links taxation directly to measurable results. Tiny’s 2026 budget is $53.3 million gross, with $22.5 million supported by the tax levy and Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. It includes $4 million for 15.9 km of road paving/preservation and $6 million for the Lafontaine watermain replacement, subject to a $4.5-million provincial grant.

Unfortunately, Tiny’s Asset Management Plan identifies an average annual infrastructure funding deficit of about $5.9 million.

Targets

• Publish a 2027–2030 Four-Year Financial Plan within six months of taking office.

• Publish an annual public infrastructure scorecard.

• Maintain a minimum prudent reserve policy.

• Require lifecycle costing for major new capital projects.

• Reduce the infrastructure funding gap every year.

• Make infrastructure renewal the first call on available capital dollars before adding discretionary projects.

Financial implication

Target approximately $5–7 million per year of combined infrastructure renewal funding, subject to annual Asset Management Plan updates and available grants.

This would combine taxation, reserves, water rates, development charges, grants, debt where appropriate and other funding sources.

2. Roads Maintenance

Roads should be one of the defining priorities of the new administration. Tiny already uses a 10-year road needs program based on road condition, and 2026 includes approximately $4 million for 15.9 km of road paving and preservation.

Commitment

Create a Tiny Roads First 2030 Program.

Targets by 2030

  • Maintain a publicly available five-year paving schedule.
  • Complete approximately 15–20 km of road preservation/reconstruction annually, adjusted according to engineering priorities and funding.
  • Complete annual road-condition assessments.
  • Prioritize preventative maintenance before roads reach reconstruction condition.
  • Publish annual kilometres of roads:

    resurfaced;
    reconstructed;
    preserved;

requiring future work;

Financial implication

Target $4–6 million annually for road preservation/reconstruction, with the actual amount determined through the Asset Management Plan and annual engineering assessments.

The key change is not simply spending more. It is spending predictably before roads become dramatically more expensive to repair.

3. Road Safety

The Township should establish a Road Safety Action Plan covering rural roads, beach communities, intersections, pedestrians, cyclists, school areas and emergency access.

Targets

Within the first year:

  • identify the Township’s top 20 road/intersection safety priorities;
  • complete safety audits on those locations;
  • establish a three-year corrective-action schedule;
  • review speed limits and signage where collision or pedestrian data justify changes;
  • improve pedestrian crossings and traffic calming where appropriate;
  • incorporate emergency-service access into road planning.

Financial implication

Establish an initial $250,000–$500,000 annual road-safety capital envelope, with larger projects funded separately when justified.

4. Municipal Water

Tiny has 16 municipal drinking-water systems, and it has completed a Water Treatment and Servicing Master Plan that looks ahead to 2045, specifically addressing resiliency and anticipated growth.

Commitment

Implement the Water Master Plan in a financially disciplined way.

Targets

By 2030:

  • establish a published five-year water capital schedule;
  • prioritize failing/aging infrastructure;
  • reduce water losses;
  • improve system redundancy;
  • protect source water;
  • maintain strong drinking-water compliance;
  • coordinate water expansion with approved development;
  • complete priority watermain replacements;
  • ensure water-rate revenues are sufficient for lifecycle water infrastructure.

Financial implication

Water infrastructure will continue to be primarily funded through water rates, reserves, development-related contributions and senior-government grants, rather than general taxation. For example, the 2026 Lafontaine project cost is $6-million with a proposed $4.5-million provincial Health and Safety grant, with the net cost funded through water rates.

5. Septage Management

This has been an election issue for the past three councils but seems to fall between the cracks each term. Tiny currently has no municipal sewer system with all properties relying on private holding tanks and septic systems.

In 2025 the Township worked with the Town of Midland whose wastewater facility requires major upgrades before it can resume accepting septage from other municipalities. Tiny worked with the Town of Midland to secure funding from the Province which was successful. However, this does not address the main issue of septic companies spreading septage on open fields which is permitted by the Ministry of Environment. Processing waste in this manner costs about half of the cost of processing through a waste facility.

Commitment

Create a Septage Task Force.

Targets

Within 12 months:

  • establish a formal septage task force;
  • complete a business case for long-term septage treatment;
  • identify preferred technology/location/options;
  • identify capital and operating costs;
  • submit funding applications.

Four-year objective

Secure a permanent, environmentally responsible septage solution.

Financial implication

The Township should seek senior-government funding for the majority of capital costs rather than placing the entire burden on Tiny taxpayers.

6. Hi-speed Internet

There has been significant growth in hi-speed internet in Tiny over the past two years and support for this should continue.

Commitment

Create a Tiny Hi-speed Gap Map and use it to aggressively pursue completion.

Targets

  • Map all remaining underserved areas within year one.
  • Publish the gaps.
  • Coordinate broadband installation with road reconstruction.
  • Require broadband-readiness in appropriate new development.
  • Work with telecom providers and senior governments to eliminate remaining significant service gaps by 2030.

Financial implication

Tiny’s role will primarily be as: coordinator; advocate; rights-of-way facilitator;

7. Responsible Growth

Tiny needs more housing and economic opportunity, but residents should not have to choose between growth and the character of their community.

The Official Plan already provides the framework for directing development and coordinating land use with infrastructure.

Commitment

Introduce a Tiny Growth and Infrastructure Test for significant development proposals.

Before major growth is approved, Council should be able to answer:

  • Can the roads handle it?
  • Can water systems handle it?
  • What are the stormwater requirements?
  • What will it cost taxpayers?
  • What environmental impacts exist?
  • Does it fit the Official Plan?
  • Does it provide meaningful housing choice?
  • Who pays for the required infrastructure?

Targets

  • Annual public report on approved growth and infrastructure implications.
  • Review development-charge assumptions regularly.
  • Ensure growth-related infrastructure is funded through appropriate development charges and other growth-related revenues wherever legally permitted.

Financial Implication 

Primarily staff time. 

8. Housing Affordability Strategy

Housing affordability in Tiny isn’t going to be solved by building large numbers of expensive detached homes. The Township’s new Age-Friendly Community Plan specifically identifies housing needs and recommends removing barriers to seniors-friendly housing, promoting additional dwelling units/garden suites and considering incentives for affordable seniors’ housing.

Commitment

Create a Housing Choice Initiative.

Targets by 2030

Support planning and regulatory conditions for:

  • additional dwelling units;
  • garden suites;
  • smaller homes;
  • accessible housing;
  • seniors housing;
  • modest multi-unit housing in appropriate settlement areas;
  • housing for local workers;
  • partnerships with non-profit/County housing providers.

Four-year target

Create the planning conditions for at least 100 additional attainable/age-friendly housing opportunities, subject to market response and approvals. This should be measured as housing opportunities enabled—not promises that the Township itself will construct 100 homes.

Financial implication

Primarily staff time and planning/regulatory work, with targeted incentives considered only where there is a clear public benefit.

9. Environment and Rural Identity

Commitment

Create a Rural Character and Environmental Protection Charter.

Priorities

  • Georgian Bay shoreline;
  • wetlands;
  • forests;
  • agricultural land;
  • groundwater;
  • natural heritage;
  • beaches and dunes;
  • stormwater;
  • erosion;
  • climate resilience;
  • tree canopy
  • invasive species control

Tiny already protects ecologically sensitive lands such as the Bluewater Beach dunes, while its current strategic plan emphasizes environmental and financial stewardship.

Targets

By 2030:

  • complete priority shoreline resilience work;
  • strengthen natural-asset management;
  • incorporate climate resilience into major infrastructure projects;
  • report annually on environmental indicators;
  • ensure major development decisions account for cumulative environmental impacts.
  • Implement a task force to address preservation of our Francophone heritage

Financial implication

Target $250,000–$500,000 annually for environmental/resilience initiatives, with significant leverage from provincial/federal programs.

10. Emergency Services

Tiny’s rural geography makes emergency response particularly important.

Commitment

Create a 2030 Emergency Services Readiness Plan with Fire, OPP, County EMS and neighbouring municipalities.

Targets

Review annually:

  • firefighter recruitment and retention;
  • apparatus replacement;
  • station requirements;
  • emergency communications;
  • wildfire response;
  • severe-weather response;
  • evacuation routes;
  • emergency access;
  • mutual aid;
  • public emergency preparedness.

Financial implication

Protect a predictable annual fire capital/reserve contribution. The 2026 budget already includes approximately $683,000 for fire-related equipment and reserves. The goal should be to avoid sudden, politically difficult capital purchases by maintaining a predictable replacement cycle.

11. Recreation and Economic Development

Recreation and economic development should reinforce one another.

Recreation commitment

Prioritize:

  • existing parks;
  • trails;
  • beaches;
  • community centres;
  • accessibility;
  • youth;
  • seniors;
  • active living;
  • volunteer organizations.

The Township’s Age-Friendly Plan shows that residents value outdoor spaces and programming but have concerns about transportation, housing and access to services.

Economic-development commitment

Develop a Tiny Local Economy Strategy focused on:

  • agriculture;
  • tourism;
  • agri-tourism;
  • small business;
  • trades;
  • professional services;
  • home-based businesses;
  • four-season recreation;
  • local food;
  • digital businesses.

Target

By the end of year one:

Create a one-stop municipal business support program that helps entrepreneurs navigate planning, permits and available County/provincial/federal programs.

Financial implication

Primarily staff coordination, with an initial $50,000–$100,000 annual economic-development envelope if Council determines that targeted programming is warranted.

12 A new relationship with residents

Residents should not have to wait for an election to know what Council is doing.

Commitment

Create a Tiny Accountability Dashboard.

Every major promise should have:

Project → Budget → Funding Source → Status → Completion Date → Result

Targets

  • Quarterly online reporting.

Two annual community town halls

  • Annual “State of Tiny” report from the Mayor.
  • Public five-year capital plan.
  • Public road-priority map.
  • Public major-project dashboard.
  • Community consultation before major discretionary projects.
  • Annual resident satisfaction survey.
  • Task forces on beach access and mapping; the shoreline by-law; STR by-law and program management; non-tax revenue generation; primary health care; Francophone heritage support;

Financial implication

Primarily communications and staff resources

The Four-year Financial Framework

My pledge is that every tax increase must have a reason. Every major expenditure must have a purpose. Every major project must identify its full cost. And every available outside funding source must be pursued.

Financial Framework:

Area Four-year target

Roads & transportation $16–24M

Water infrastructure* $5–10M+

Road safety $1–2M

Environmental resilience $1–2M

Emergency services Maintain predictable annual capital funding

Hi-Speed Internet Primarily external/private funding

Septage Pursue major senior-government funding

Housing Primarily planning/regulatory tools

Economic development $400K–$800K

Recreation Asset-management based

*Water spending is considered separately from general taxation because Tiny’s water systems are funded through water rates and related revenues.

The First 100 Days

If elected Mayor, I will ask Council to begin the following work within the first 100 days:

1. Establish the new Finance & Audit Committee

Utilizing staff and resident financial expertise to develop the committee terms of reference and oversee and advise council on all financial and audit activities.

2. Publish the Tiny Infrastructure Scorecard

Residents will see the condition, priority and anticipated timing of major roads, bridges, water infrastructure and facilities.

3. Launch the Roads First Program

Publish the five-year road-preservation and reconstruction schedule and identify the highest-priority safety locations.

4. Establish the Septage Working Group

Develop a permanent solution and action plan.

5. Launch the Hi-speed Internet Gap Initiative

Map remaining gaps and identify funding and private-sector opportunities.

6. Begin a Housing Choice Review

Identify practical planning changes that can support seniors, young families, additional dwelling units, smaller homes and attainable housing.

7. Establish a Rural Character & Environmental Advisory Process

Ensure growth, shoreline, agricultural, cultural and environmental decisions are considered together.

8. Establish a Provincial/Federal Infrastructure Funding Team

Maintain a list of shovel-ready projects and ensure Tiny is positioned to apply immediately when funding programs open.

9. Launch quarterly Mayor’s Community Meetings

Residents will have regular opportunities to ask questions directly and hear progress reports.

10. Implement a Municipal Complaint Policy

This will provide a consistent and uniform process to respond to program and service delivery concerns raised by members of the public. The policy will assist the Municipality in continuing to provide excellent service to the public and will contribute to the continuous improvement of operations. The policy establishes guidelines and standards for the efficient handling and resolution of complaints made toward the Municipality in order to address concerns raised and improve services.

11. Publish the first Mayor’s 100-Day Report

Tell residents what has been accomplished, what has not, what it will cost and what comes next. The goal is not to spend 100 days studying problems. The goal is to establish priorities, assign responsibility and start delivering.

My Financial Commitment to Tiny

I will not tell residents that we can fix every road, replace every watermain, build every facility and keep taxes permanently frozen. That would not be responsible.

Tiny’s own Asset Management Plan tells us that we have a significant infrastructure funding gap. We must deal with that reality. But I also will not ask taxpayers for money without explaining exactly what it is for.

Under my leadership:

  • We will prioritize infrastructure over unnecessary spending.
  • We will use Asset Management data to determine what comes first.
  • We will protect reserves and manage debt responsibly.
  • We will make growth pay its appropriate share of growth-related infrastructure.
  • We will aggressively pursue provincial and federal funding.
  • And we will publish the results so residents can see where their tax dollars are going.

The objective is not the lowest possible tax bill this year. The objective is a fair, predictable and sustainable tax bill over the next generation.

Growth Without Losing Tiny

I believe Tiny can welcome responsible growth without becoming a different community.

We need housing for seniors. We need opportunities for young families. We need homes for people who work here. We need businesses that support our local economy.

But growth must come with infrastructure.

Before approving major development, we should know whether our roads, water systems, emergency services and environment can support it — and who will pay for the required infrastructure.

We should direct growth to appropriate settlement areas, protect agricultural land and natural heritage, and preserve the rural and waterfront character that makes Tiny special.

Growth should strengthen Tiny — not erase what makes Tiny unique.

Funding Hierarchy:

1. Existing operating budget

2. Asset-management/infrastructure reserves

3. Water-rate revenues for water infrastructure

4. Development charges for eligible growth-related costs

5. County of Simcoe partnerships

6. Provincial grants

7. Federal grants

8. User fees where appropriate

9. Responsible borrowing only when the asset and repayment model justify it

10. Property taxes for the remaining municipal share

My 5 Priorities for 2026–2030

1. FIX OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

Roads, bridges, water, drainage and emergency infrastructure first.

2. PROTECT OUR TAXPAYERS

Responsible budgets, predictable taxation, strong reserves and transparent spending.

3. PROTECT TINY’S CHARACTER

Preserve our farms, shoreline, forests, beaches, natural environment, French heritage and rural communities.

4. PREPARE FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH

Housing choice, broadband, local business and infrastructure that serves both today’s residents and tomorrow’s families.

5. PUT RESIDENTS FIRST

Open government, measurable commitments, regular community meetings and public accountability.

MY PROMISE

I will promise to establish priorities, know what things cost, pursue every available funding opportunity, listen to residents and report honestly on what we accomplish. Tiny’s future is too important for short-term politics