My Record 2022-2026

A councillor cannot make decisions alone. It takes a majority of Council to approve a motion, change a policy or direct the City to take action.

What I can be accountable for is what I brought to the table — the motions, referrals, amendments, budget proposals and advocacy I initiated on behalf of residents.

This is my record during the 2022–2026 Council term.

2026

Small School Buses in Residential Driveways

Notice of Motion — Pending

Brought forward a Notice of Motion asking the City to review its parking rules to allow smaller school buses operated by licensed school-bus drivers to be parked in residential driveways on private property.

The proposal does not permit school buses to be parked on the street and is intended specifically for smaller school buses and their licensed drivers — not as a general exemption allowing commercial vehicles to be stored in residential neighbourhoods.

Status: Pending Council consideration.

Highway 58A / Canal Bank & Townline Tunnel Road

Provincial Advocacy July 2026

Contacted Ontario's Ministry of Transportation regarding Highway 58A/Canal Bank Road and Townline Tunnel Road, requesting traffic and collision data and asking MTO to consider whether a roundabout could improve safety and traffic movement at the intersection.

Outcome: MTO reviewed the request but did not identify the collision history as warranting the proposed change at that time.

Official Plan — Waiting for the Provincial Template

Referral — April 28, 2026

During consideration of Welland's proposed new Official Plan, I moved to refer the Plan back to staff until the Province's new Official Plan Template had been approved.

Rather than finalizing a new Official Plan immediately before a new provincial framework became available, my referral allowed the City to consider that framework before proceeding.

Outcome: Official Plan referred back.

Residential Parking Requirements / Interim Control By-law

Referral — 2026

During Council's consideration of residential parking requirements, I brought forward a referral asking staff to investigate an Interim Control By-law while Council considered the City's parking standards.

One of my concerns was the requirement of only 0.3 parking spaces for certain smaller residential units and whether additional development using that standard should continue while Council reviewed the issue.

I asked staff to report on how an Interim Control By-law could work, how long it could remain in effect and how other municipalities have addressed similar parking issues.

Outcome: Referred to staff for further investigation.

State of Emergency — Mental Health, Homelessness & Addiction

Motion — 2026

Brought the continuing mental-health, homelessness and addiction crisis back before Council and sought further municipal action using the City's declaration of emergency.

Outcome: Referred back for further consideration.

South Niagara Hospital — Funding the Local Share

Council Amendment / Funding Decision — March 10, 2026

When Council considered staff's options for financing Welland's $17.8-million local contribution toward the South Niagara Hospital, I moved that Council select Option D.

The funding alternatives themselves were developed by staff; my role was bringing Option D forward for Council's consideration rather than creating the underlying funding plan.

Outcome: Option D carried.

2025

Main Street East — Restoring Two-Way Traffic

Motion — December 16, 2025

Brought forward a proposal asking Niagara Region to examine returning Main Street East between King Street and River Road/Burgar Street to two-way traffic.

The proposal recognizes that the narrow bridge west of King Street would remain one-way while examining whether restoring two-way traffic on the remainder of Main Street East could improve circulation and access to the downtown.

Welland Museum — Educational Programmer

Budget Amendment — December 3, 2025

Brought forward a budget amendment to include funding for an Educational Programmer at the Welland Museum in the 2026 operating budget.

Outcome: Carried.

Supporting Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport

Motion — November 18, 2025

Brought forward support for advocacy seeking greater provincial capital assistance for Ontario's municipal airports and directed correspondence concerning the needs of the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.

Municipal airports provide transportation, emergency, economic-development and aviation infrastructure while facing significant capital requirements.

Outcome: Carried.

Plymouth Road Community Safety Zone

Motion — August 12, 2025

Asked staff to investigate establishing a Community Safety Zone on Plymouth Road from the railway tracks north to Lincoln Street.

The area includes two seniors' residences, a park, two daycares and a school, making traffic and pedestrian safety particularly important.

Outcome: Carried unanimously.

Dain City Recreation Programming

Motion — June 17, 2025

Proposed increasing recreation programming in Dain City to approximately two hours per week, or 104 hours annually.

Outcome: Did not receive sufficient Council support.

I believe a record should include proposals that didn't pass as well as those that did. Bringing an issue forward does not guarantee that a majority of Council will support it.

Paperless Council — Reducing Printing and Routine Delivery

Motion — March 4, 2025

Brought forward the next stage of an initiative I began in 2024 to modernize how councillors receive City information.

My motion called for Council and committee agendas and minutes to move primarily to electronic distribution, with printed copies provided only in exceptional circumstances.

It also called for use of the secure Council lockers at City Hall for correspondence and materials and asked staff to identify savings associated with reducing paper, printing and delivery.

An attempt to refer the proposal back was defeated and the original motion proceeded.

Outcome: Carried.

2024

Bookmobile / Canal Cruiser — Bringing the Library to the Community

Budget Amendment — November 27, 2024

As a member of the Welland Public Library Board, I brought forward a budget amendment to get Welland's Bookmobile program underway in 2025 rather than waiting until 2026.

The amendment provided for the staffing needed to begin implementation, including a full-time coordinator and part-time programmer beginning October 1, 2025.

The initiative became the Canal Cruiser, taking library materials, programs and services beyond traditional branches and directly into neighbourhoods throughout Welland.

Outcome: Carried.

Highway 58 & Kleiner Street Safety Improvements

Provincial Advocacy November 2024

Following serious collisions at Highway 58 and Kleiner Street, I contacted Ontario's Ministry of Transportation and asked the Province to review the intersection and its collision history.

Following its review, MTO committed to several safety improvements, including a restrictive no-passing zone on both approaches to Kleiner Street, oversized warning signs, larger road-name identification signs and a yellow flashing overhead beacon at the intersection.

MTO's review also identified 13 collisions within 250 metres of the intersection, including two fatal collisions, during the period examined.

Outcome: MTO committed to implementing additional safety measures at Highway 58 and Kleiner Street.

Council Lockers — Ending Routine Home Delivery

Motion — January 9, 2024

At the time, City By-law staff were delivering councillors' mail to their homes every Friday, including printed Council agendas, correspondence and confidential materials.

I brought forward a motion asking the City to investigate installing secure private mailboxes at Civic Square that councillors could access outside regular business hours.

Secure Council lockers were subsequently installed.

This laid the groundwork for my 2025 motion moving Council further toward electronic agendas and reducing unnecessary printing and routine delivery.

Outcome: Carried.

2023

Mental Health, Homelessness, Addiction, Housing & Community Safety

Motion — September 19, 2023 — Ref. No. 21-30

Brought forward a comprehensive motion calling for action from municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments on mental health, homelessness, addiction, housing and community safety.

Among other measures, my motion called for:

• More preventative drug education and therapeutic approaches to mental-health treatment.

• Strategies addressing discrimination associated with mental health, homelessness and addiction.

• More housing options for young people entering the market, seniors looking to downsize and families.

• Increased residential services for adults and children with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

• Approaching CMHA Niagara about establishing a Safe Beds program in Welland.

• Using Welland's advocacy surrounding the mental-health, homelessness and addiction emergency to help protect the Welland Hospital and expand mental-health and addiction treatment there.

• Working with upper levels of government and Niagara Health toward establishing a drug rehabilitation centre in Welland.

• Additional mental-health, homelessness and addiction training for police.

• A staff report examining community-watch programs and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

The resolution also called for the City's requests to be circulated broadly to governments, agencies, Niagara municipalities, Niagara Health and CMHA Niagara.

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My Approach

I haven't filled this page with every Council vote where I happened to move a staff recommendation, every item I seconded or every decision I supported.

Those aren't necessarily my initiatives.

This record focuses on things I brought forward — motions, referrals, amendments, budget proposals and advocacy — including ideas that passed, ideas that were referred for more work and ideas that didn't receive enough votes to proceed.

That's an important distinction.

One councillor doesn't run City Hall. It takes a majority of Council to make a decision.

My job is to listen to residents, do the research, ask the tough questions, bring ideas forward and make the case for action.

That's the record I'm accountable for.