The GO train corridor between the station and the downtown is about to become the most contested land in the city. Without a station-area secondary plan in place before development pressure arrives, the city loses its ability to set conditions.
Active transportation infrastructure, affordable housing requirements, heritage protections for the 1913 VIA station—these conditions need to be established before deals are done, not negotiated under pressure afterward.
Managed growth. Invest in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure around the VIA/GO station. Require affordable housing in new station-area development. Protect the 1913 heritage station building as a restored transit hub and tourism gateway.
"July 6 is a turning point. The corridor between the station and the downtown is going to change—the question is whether it changes on our terms or the market's. I'd push for a station-area secondary plan immediately, affordable housing requirements baked in from day one, and restoration of the 1913 VIA station as a transit and tourism gateway."
3.19% in 2026 was the right discipline. Future budgets must balance genuine service needs with fiscal sustainability. Strategic investment now expands the tax base and reduces per-capita burden over time.
"3.19% was disciplined and I supported it. But fiscal responsibility isn't just about holding the line—it's about investing strategically so the tax base grows and per-capita costs come down over time. The Grand Trunk and the GO station precinct are exactly that kind of investment. Getting them right is fiscal responsibility."
Integrate active transportation into all road reconstruction. State-of-good-repair first.
"Every road reconstruction is an opportunity to add a bike lane or widen a sidewalk at marginal cost. Missing that window means paying full price later—or not having the infrastructure at all. I'd push to make active transportation a standard condition of all capital road work, not an add-on."
The Festival's vision is correct but requires more than trains. Shoulder-season programming, diverse cultural product, and accommodation infrastructure that stays open in January are all municipal policy questions.
"Anita Gaffney and the Festival are already thinking about this. The GO train makes it more urgent. Stratford can be a destination twelve months a year—but only if the accommodation, the programming, and the business incentives are aligned. That requires a coordinated plan across Destination Stratford, the BIA, and investStratford. I'd push for that plan in the first term."