Is our council currently getting it right?
Based on 2026 budget priorities, the top 3 issues facing residents in Brantford that our council is actively addressing are:
- Infrastructure and Road Maintenance: Road conditions are consistently ranked as the top priority, with residents calling for improvements to road surfaces, repairs, and better traffic management. The 2026 budget specifically doubles investment in road resurfacing.
- Housing Affordability and Homelessness: The shortage of affordable housing, combined with high homelessness, remains a critical issue. The city is focused on accelerating affordable housing initiatives and developing a community improvement plan for affordable rentals.
- Public Safety and Community Policing: Residents are concerned with safety, particularly in the downtown area, and are calling for increased police visibility and stricter by-law enforcement.
One of the questions I will be asking at the doors of Ward 2 is – Are these YOUR top 3 priorities? I need to know! I want to hear your take! An affective councillor is a voice for all of the residents in the Ward, and not just their own voice or the voice of a few. I believe that the top priorities should come from listening to your consituents – Not MY top 3, but YOURS!
Maybe you’re more concerned about the volume of traffic we are seeing all hours coming into our Ward from the south & west end? Or the traffic volume in front of OUR schools? How strong do you feel about the proposed Oak Park Road Extension bridge connecting west Brant to the North West Industrial Park and Hwy403?
We are building an almost $150 million sporting events arena and being told it won’t increase our property taxes. Do you agree with this plan? Is this a mistake or the best thing for our city in years?
And, we have an aging hospital with wait times for an MRI of almost a year. What do you think the city should be doing about a hospital? When it comes to pay our share, estimated to be $500-$600 million – Where are the funds to pay that debt coming from? And are we planning for that now? Are you comfortable that our city council is doing enough to secure us a new hospital?
These are a just a few priorities I’m hearing about, not just from our Ward but from others as well. But are the priorities of Ward 2 the same as other Wards in our city? Can other Ward councillors make a difference in our Wards?
Keep these questions in mind when you are looking for your next Ward Councillor. If they are not prepared to fight for you are they the best person to represent you?
See at your door this summer!!
