Restoring trust and open governance.

"A resident told me they felt like public consultations are treated as a 'checkbox exercise' because they happen so late in the decision-making process. They said it feels like decisions are already made before the public is even allowed to speak.”

City Hall belongs to the residents of Peterborough. Public trust requires a government that's open, accountable, and proactive in engaging the community.

Too often, residents feel that public consultations are treated as a 'checkbox exercise' because they happen seemingly after decisions have already been made. As a result, residents are disengaging because they feel shut out of the democratic process.

We need to open the doors of City Hall, modernize council procedures, and ensure that citizens are active stakeholders in decision-making from the very beginning.

That commitment to open and accountable leadership is the foundation of my integrity policies.

Our Strategic Approach

To achieve these goals, our municipal approach will be guided by four core strategies:

  • We will strike an appropriate balance between efficient decision making and allowing for meaningful public input.
  • We will allow people to make delegations to council in person and electronically, ensuring all Peterborough residents have access to council.
  • We will work with council, staff and residents to develop a strategic list of key priorities for the new council plan.
  • We will invest in giving City Hall back to the people.

Our Core Policies

Modernizing Procedural By-laws

We will review and modernize the City’s Procedural By-law to create more opportunities for citizen engagement early on, replace the General Committee with a Committee of the Whole model, and ensure that matters debated at Committee of the Whole proceed to Council for ratification.

Town Halls & Mayor's Office Hours

We will partner with ward councillors to host annual Neighbourhood Town Halls in every ward (so 5 town halls in total), giving residents a regular opportunity to discuss local priorities.

We will also introduce Mayor’s “Office Hours”, giving residents an opportunity to meet one-on-one with the mayor to discuss ideas, concerns, and community issues.

100-Day Council Strategic Plan

Within the first 100 days, we will work with council, city staff and residents to develop a Council Strategic Plan that establishes clear priorities, sets measurable objectives, acts as a roadmap for council, and guides decision making throughout the term.

Additional Integrity & Transparency Policies
  • Ask Council to undertake a public review of Peterborough’s Council composition and electoral system to ensure it provides the right balance between strengthened city-wide governance (at-large) while preserving effective ward representation.
  • Utilize the City’s membership in organizations such as AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) and FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) to lobby the provincial and federal governments on issues important to the well being of Peterborough and its residents.

"Our Invest in Integrity & Transparency plan is how we earn back public trust. This is how we ensure City Hall is transparent, authentic, and accountable to the residents it serves."

Together, We Will.

That is how we build an open and accessible City Hall.

That is how we empower citizens to be active community partners.

And that is how we build trust for everyone.