Jeff's issues & priorities
Get More for Ward 1 by Electing a City Councillor Who Will Listen and Deliver For You
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WHAT WILL JEFF DO for you:
Fight to get the same amenities as other parts of the city, like traffic calming, splashpads, community grants
Vote ‘no’ on the 35% fee increase to minor sports rental fees, review the other 1,200+ fees Cambridge charges
Push to save tax dollars on leaf collection and other nice to haves
Make our trails safer with lights and dedicated maintenance staff
Enhancement for Arts and Culture/Parks and Recreation
Be your advocate for traffic calming, closure coordination
Help builders and landlords who build homes within existing zoning, save our farmland
Listen to you: online surveys, post reports, and community office hours for easy face-to-face meetings
What makes Cambridge a joy to live in?
All of the places where we can come together, from neighborhood associations to recreational sports, to our library and galleries, spaces our seniors gather and socialize, and Ward 1’s over 50 parks and trails. But these public, community spaces exist because of thousands of people who help make it happen. I’ve seen first hand the incredible work, and I know that more can be done by the City of Cambridge to support and maintain the essence of what makes Cambridge, Cambridge.
To get there, we need a city budget that sets priorities based on what residents wants and need. And we should be investing our money to benefit everyone, not just a few insiders. We must review all of the major capital projects that are being proposed and ensure that our money is being used wisely.
A councillor's job isn't just what they fund, it's also about how they show up. Residents deserve someone who is present, does their research without bias, is transparent, and answers to them.
four Strategic Priorities
Jeff's four strategic priorities and his detailed plan on how to realistically achieve a better City
Smarter budgeting: make every tax dollar in Cambridge count
- I will support every reasonable effort to lower taxes and my vision will not require new money as I have identified ‘nice to haves’ that should be reallocated.
- I will push for a public review of all the 1,264 fees City Hall charges residents and small businesses.
- I won’t vote blindly on fee increases every year, and if elected will fight for a freeze on recreational fees for kids swimming lessons and seniors classes–keeping costs low for families.
- I believe in budgeting smarter and will advocate for affordable alternatives to expensive ‘nice to haves’. For example, we could revisit the Ontario River Alliance and the Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers proposal for the Speed River that focused only on the ‘need to have’ infrastructure needed to protect Riverside Park and the nearby condos and Fountain St residences–a proposal that’s good for fishing, the environment and could save millions that can be invested in traffic calming, splashpads or other needed upgrades to our parks, and trail safety.
- Cambridge should get its fair share. I will push for more financial support from the federal, provincial and regional governments–some of the challenges facing us when it comes to transportation, mental health, and housing are their responsibility and they shouldn’t be downloading costs onto cities like ours.
Make Cambridge a Joy to Live In: traffic, clean trails, more free and fun events
- I will advocate for safe and clean trails with more than one full-time staff member responsible for upkeep. The City of Cambridge could free up money for this by asking residents whether to end curb side leaf collection–a ‘nice to have’--in favour of doing a two month long leaf drop off like the City of Kitchener, solar lights on our trails, hosting a City of Cambridge wide ‘give away day’ to divert bulk items from the dump, and putting those cost savings to keeping our trails and parks clean and safe.
- What makes a place a joy to live in is a sense of belonging and community pride. When considering capital upgrades in parks, Ward 1 neighborhoods like Preston Heights, River Mill, Silverheighs and Langs must be prioritized. A refurbished basketball court or the addition of a splash pad makes a huge difference on the quality of life for our youth and families.
I will work hard for Ward 1 and make sure we receives our fair share of funding from the Cambridge Community Connection Grants, submit strong applications to charities like the Community Foundation, and pursue private sector funding like Canadian Tire Jumpstart grants so our neighborhoods can have more fun and free events where everyone feels like they belong and takes pride in their community.
- Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and the hospitality industry in particular continues to face significant struggles. I will advocate for a hospitality round table–for restaurants and social clubs located outside of the BIAs–who can lower City fees, recommend modernizing city bylaws, licensing, marketing, and communication, and other changes to help keep our third spaces thriving.
For an affordable Cambridge: we can be part of the solution to the housing crisis
- I am an advocate of form-based zoning, as it lets us build more homes without giving up control over what our neighbourhoods look and feel like, and supports more housing and more types of housing without automatically encouraging sprawl. Listening to residents and political will is how we get things done.
- We need to use bylaw tools to be part of the solution–and we need someone willing to use them. I believe we need bylaws similar to the one in Guelph to ensure seniors, families, and all renters are not unfairly renovicted by bad landlords.
- I will push Cambridge to find ways to incentivize building in designated Urban Growth Centres, so we don’t have to pave over agricultural land for development. I support our City finding ways to encourage developers to build within existing zoning, and would support ideas like the City of Mississauga’s Gentle Density Incentive Program.
- The balance between development and our water supply is also a key issue in Ward 1. Residents on wells are reporting water problems, raising a long standing question: can our existing water supply can meet the increased demand? After listening to Ward 1 residents, I wrote to City Council about the need to balance development with the disappearance of land for farming and water. These are complex issues that I am committed to working on in the long-term.
Bring back good responsible government: listen first, be welcoming and inclusive, no more divisive politics
- I value a city that is welcoming, accessible, and respectful for all residents. As your City Councillor, I promise to listen to people with different perspectives and treat every resident with dignity and respect. My commitment is to build common ground, strengthen our community, and ensure every resident has a voice at City Hall.
- I will advocate that the City of Cambridge website contains reports, studies, past budgets for residents to read and research rather than requiring residents to formally request them via email.
I will be present in the community: listening, answering emails and phone calls, and hosting events and online surveys like this one. I will also commit to weekly community council hours in each of the neighborhoods, so that you can come by and talk face to face with your City Councillor over a cup of coffee.
- I will take everyone’s concerns — from traffic to snowplowing, grant funding to park cleanup — directly to the people responsible. Our ward needs a stronger voice advocating to the Region of Waterloo. I will ensure your requests are followed-up on, resulting in better service for everyone in our neighborhood when it comes to Regional roads, facilities, bylaws, water, waste; it’s all about planning and solving challenges together. For example, I submitted a recommendation to the Region of Waterloo to bring their bus lines through River Mill.
Tell Jeff What Matters in Ward 1
This short survey (3-5 minutes) helps me understand what matters most in the neighbourhood — your answers go straight into shaping my priorities for Ward 1. Skip anything you'd rather not answer, and thanks for taking the time!
Take the Ward 1 Survey