Issues I'm Running On
Community Safety
Residents of Ward 2 have been feeling less and less safe every day with more and more violence, and petty theft crimes occurring in our streets. Members of my own family will avoid going to a certain area of our Ward due to increased issues occurring in the area. I will work closely with the community, Council, York Region Police Services, and other stakeholders to identify the possible source contributing to the increased issues and take necessary and appropriate action to remedy the cause.
Encourage Smart Growth and Development
Richmond Hill has been receiving far too many development applications that:
As a result, residents are facing the growing threats of housing instability, displacement and homelessness.
If elected, I will be a strong advocate for developments that are appropriately sized, well designed, include an appropriate mix of affordable housing and align well with Richmond Hill’s Official and Strategic Plans.
Support and Promote Arts & Cultural Programs
Arts and Culture can play an important role in promoting social and economic goals, attracting tourists, the development of talent and innovation, improving health and well-being, and delivering essential services. I am committed to supporting the arts and culture scene seeing as it enriches our lives and makes for a vibrant Richmond Hill.
Empower By-law and Licensing Enforcement
Currently By-law and Licensing Enforcement is a complaint driven process. In other words, possible by-law infractions will not be investigated unless a complaint is filed with the by-law department.
This means that a by-law officer could be out investigating a possible infraction and notice a completely different infraction but take no action because a complaint had not been received for it. This is fundamentally wrong.
Further, the by-law department “will not respond to anonymous requests”.
If elected, I would bring a motion to empower our by-law officers to take appropriate action for addressing by-law infractions without the need for a complaint to be filed.
Improve Community Standards
In 2020, the City’s Public Works Operations Division launched the “Public Works Enhancement Program” that encompasses 79 casual labour personnel that were converted to full time staff to support the implementation of the Snow Windrow Clearing Program.
The indication was that the conversion of casual labour to full time staff would help support the city’s ability to provide a higher standard of care. Yet there seems to be many examples where community standards are not being maintained on City property. I would advocate for a review of our City departments to ensure that the range of services provided to support our communities is delivered in the most efficient and effective manner and still uphold the standards of a proud and caring community.