My Commitments for 2026-2030

• Property taxes shouldn't be the default solution to municipal growth. We must aggressively maximize alternate funding streams, such as provincial and federal infrastructure grants, corporate naming rights partnerships, and our OLG hosting revenues from the Pickering Casino Resort, specifically to offset the tax burden on everyday residential homeowners.

• Prioritize the fast-tracked approval of diverse, affordable housing options including townhomes, co-ops, and rental units near major transit hubs like the Pickering GO Station to ease living costs for young families and seniors.

• Incentivize clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and tech companies to establish roots in Pickering's innovation corridors, ensuring residents can find high-paying jobs close to home.

• Implement targeted local tax incentives and streamline municipal licensing to reduce overhead costs for small business owners and spark main-street commercial growth.

• Collaborate with Durham College, Ontario Tech University, and local trade unions to build a specialized workforce training center right here in Pickering, preparing our youth for the high-demand jobs of tomorrow.

 

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What We've Accomplished Together

• Approved successive, disciplined city budgets including a modest 3.75% levy in 2025 and a highly competitive 3.49% levy in 2026, keeping the city’s portion of the property tax bill stable, predictable, and aligned with real household pressures.

• Diversified Pickering’s municipal revenue by introducing the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) and strategically leveraging OLG hosting funds from the Pickering Casino Resort to fund local parks and arena roofs, actively keeping that financial burden off the backs of residential taxpayers.

• Moved standard property tax final due dates back from June and September to July and October, granting local families and small businesses crucial financial breathing room during high-expense months without penalties.

• Expanded Pickering’s property tax credit program to provide up to a $600 credit for low-income seniors and individuals living with disabilities, maintaining the highest and most supportive grant of its kind across the entire Durham Region.

• Stood firm on rigorous local policy frameworks for major new developments, ensuring comprehensive environmental and fiscal impact studies remain mandatory requirements before groundbreaking.

• Modernized local infrastructure and development fee structures, ensuring large-scale developers cover their fair share of the financial burden for new roads, stormwater sewers, and community facilities rather than adding to the existing tax base.

• Approved the Pine Creek Restoration project and the Krosno Creek Stormwater Management Facility upgrades to protect local ecosystems and reinforce flood resilience.