I am sure that once you read all of the initiatives that I have been involved in during the past 8 years, and all of the activities that I am currently taking part in, you will see that change is definitely not in the best interests of the residents of Ward 5.

Each Councillor has only one vote

City Council consists of a Mayor and 12 Ward Councillors. We each have one vote and we are basically all "mayors" of our own Wards. So, what goes on at City Council and committee meetings is important, but that is not where your Ward Councillor is the most valuable to you, an individual citizen. Your Councillor needs the support of six other members of Council in order to put forward an item on the agenda. So, an individual Councillor doesn't have much impact. Anyone who is running because he/she thinks we need to change members of Council so that different policy decisions will be made really doesn't know much about how City Council functions.

Committed to a minimum of 12 years serving the public

When I was first elected to City Council in 2014, I made a commitment to serve my Ward for a minimum of 12 years, so I will definitely be running again in October 2022 and most likely again in October of 2026.

The importance of experience cannot be understated

From the beginning I understood the importance experience played in order to provide effective and efficient guidance and advocacy for constituents when they contact me with individual concerns. It took me the better part of two years to become knowledgeable and comfortable with the complex municipal organizational structure and to know who to contact to get things accomplished.

Now, after eight years of experience, it would not be fair to the residents of Ward 5 to abandon them and leave them with someone new and inexperienced who would have to learn all over again.  When and if I decide it is time for me to turn my responsibilities to another person, I will make sure my successor is well-prepared to take over. But for now, I am planning on staying for at least four more years. A new representative with no experience will not be able to effectively serve my constituents, and so I look forward to continuing in this role for the next four years.

Demonstrated competency and knowledge outweighs promises

Robert Kirwan is a lifelong resident of Greater Sudbury. He is the oldest child of Thomas and Audrey Kirwan, both deceased. Thomas enjoyed a career with INCO, mainly in management at the Iron Ore Recovery Plant in Copper Cliff. Robert’s four brothers and sisters (Frank, Carol, Wayne and Janet) all live in the Sudbury area. He spent the first five years of his life in Coniston before moving to Lively at the age of 5.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Math and Economics from Laurentian University in 1972. He obtained an Elementary Teaching Diploma from North Bay Teachers’ College in 1973 and completed his post-secondary education with a Master’s Degree in Education in 1985 from Central Michigan University. He still carries the designation of an Ontario Certified Teacher.

Robert met his wife, Valerie (Starcevic) in 1968. She grew up in Creighton Mine. They were married in 1972, moved to Valley East in 1974, and have lived in the same house ever since. Bob and Val raised three sons who all graduated from Laurentian University with degrees from the School of Commerce.  Ryan is an independent mortgage broker and an entrepreneur in Sudbury; Warren is an elementary school vice principal in Barrie with the Simcoe District School Board; and Marty is a police officer with the Peel Regional Police Department.  The Kirwans have seven grandchildren.

Robert had a successful 28-year career as a teacher with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, including nine years as President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, Sudbury Elementary Unit. He has been an independent business consultant since 1985. He provides education-based business development services to the private and public sectors.  He completed a four-year term as an elected Trustee with the Rainbow District School Board from 2010 to 2014.

Robert has also hosted his own live talk radio show, The Learning Clinic, on CKLU 96.5FM from Laurentian University.

Robert Kirwan is serving his second term as City Councillor for Ward 5. He was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.

One of his most important roles is to ensure that his constituents are well informed when it comes to municipal policies and services. He uses all forms of media to meet this responsibility, including main stream media venues as well as facebook, through the site that he and Valerie run at https://www.facebook.com/groups/valleyeasttoday

He also acts as an advocate for individual residents and business owners in order to help them in their dealings with the city. It is important for everyone to feel that they have received due consideration for their concerns and issues and that they have been treated fairly by the city.

As a representative on City Council he is responsible for representing the collective interests of the people living in Ward 5. In order to fulfill this responsibility, Kirwan states that it is important for him to continue to work with as wide a range of groups and organizations in Ward 5 as possible so that he has a better understanding of the needs of all residents in order to be their voice on City Council. He is committed to representing every man, woman and child living in Ward 5 and to advocate on their behalf.

At the same time, Kirwan believes that what is in the best interests of Ward 5 must also be consistent with what is in the best interests of the entire City of Greater Sudbury. Kirwan describes himself as a pragmatist who takes a practical approach to problem-solving and is primarily concerned with the success or failure of his actions. He feels that many of the challenges facing the City of Greater Sudbury can be resolved with a willingness of Councillors to incorporate new and innovative ideas to develop business plans that are designed to help the City of Greater Sudbury become a growing, world-class community bringing talent, technology and a great northern lifestyle to all residents.

I am not here to make any promises. After you have served as a City Councillor for a few years you learn that it is important to avoid raising false and misleading expectations among your constituents. There are some things that are impossible to achieve, and so it does no good to promise the moon and then fail to deliver. Our expectations as a City Council are more realistic and we make sure to include the right strategies which will make it possible for us to achieve our objectives. A good Councillor does not make outrageous promises.

So, instead of making promises, I want to highlight what I have done over the past eight years to earn your confidence and support. You have seen me establish that whether I am debating big decisions at City Council, or helping you get fair and just treatment regarding your own individual issues with city hall, I am a person who doesn’t back down from a challenge and I will never settle for anything that is not in the best interests of residents of Ward 5 and for the City of Greater Sudbury as a whole. I think I have consistently demonstrated my ability to stand up to special interest groups and political activists who have their own agenda that is contrary to what is good for this city and for Ward 5.

I have always said that I would be available any time of the day and any day of the week for my constituents. When you have a concern I am only an email or a phone call away. You can always count on me to be a strong and effective advocate no matter what your issue. My role is not to judge, but rather to help you understand your rights and make sure that you receive the treatment you deserve.

AN EXCITING FUTURE AHEAD OF US

The City of Greater Sudbury is on the verge of some major changes as we prepare for the next four years. I am excited about our prospects, but change is not going to come easy. We are going to have to focus our energy and resources in some areas that will set the foundation for a future that will acknowledge the health and social needs of an aging population while addressing the employment and housing needs of our low income families. I am asking for your support so that I can continue to implement some of the initiatives that we have started during the past four years.

ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE WARDS

Ward 5 is one of the most diverse sections of the entire City of Greater Sudbury. It has been an honour to be able to represent constituents from the northwest portion of Sudbury as well as from the Valley because it gives me the opportunity to examine the major issues and concerns facing this city from all perspectives. I feel that the past eight years have given me significant insight into the major concerns and needs of all of the residents living in the Sudbury portion of Ward 5 and I would like to continue to serve you during the next term of Council, which we all know is going to be an extremely challenging period for this city.

PAST EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE

During the past eight years on Council I found that my previous career and political experiences have served me well in advocating for literally hundreds of constituents who have contacted me for personal assistance on a wide range of issues. Whether it is making an application for rezoning, problems with drainage, helping people with organizing a petition or taking part in a store opening, when anyone contacts me for help, I make every effort to be there for them on the same day. My primary role is to make sure that each constituent has someone to call or speak with if they have any municipal issues. The fact that I am available on a full time basis to serve my ward allows me to get back to constituents in a timely manner and to meet them when it is convenient to their schedules. This is an important part of the job of Councillor.

SUDBURY PORTION OF WARD 5

The Sudbury portion of the Ward 5 extends from the Terry Fox fields to Ryan Heights, up along Notre Dame to the corner of Lasalle & Notre Dame and then east along Lasalle to Rideau and everything on both sides of Lasalle. The Valley East portion of the Ward includes everything south of Dominion Drive up to the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre which takes in Val Caron, Blezard Valley, Guilletville, and McCrea Heights.

I have had significant influence in navigating a major transition period in our city and I would like to spend the next four years finishing what we started. My wife and I have lived our entire lives in the City of Greater Sudbury and have lived in Valley East since 1974. I can honestly say that I have never been as excited about the potential for growth and development in our community as I am now.

MY RECORD AS COUNCILLOR OF WARD 5

I have tried my best to be an effective voice for the Sudbury portion of Ward 5 while debating the issues and policies at Council meetings. My record speaks for itself. I have discovered that each neighbourhood in this part of the ward is faced with different challenges and a wide variety of unique needs. With each successive year, my experience base becomes broader and I am able to navigate the complex world of municipal services more efficiently and effectively.

I trust I have met your expectations as a Councillor and would be honoured to continue in this role for the next four years. I feel confident that I can do an even better job on your behalf as a result of the experience I have gained during these past eight years.

TRANSIT ACTION PLAN

The Transit Action Plan: I spent a great deal of time working with the Transit Department in the development of a new Transit Action plan that has laid the groundwork for the future. The Transit Action Plan continues to improve our routes and times. The Affordable Transit Fare Structure will make it less expensive to use public transit. I would also like to continue to work with the Transit Safety Task Force to make sure that everyone who uses public transit or who works for public transit is safe and comfortable in all environments. I know that a lot of my Sudbury constituents rely upon public transit so this is a priority for me moving forward into the future.

KEEPING TAXES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE

Keeping tax increases as low as possible: We have been doing everything we can to keep municipal tax increases to a minimum. With so many services being provided to the different sectors of the community, we have obligations to maintain the level of service, but the cost of doing so is rising much faster than inflation. I want to continue to be the Voice of Ward 5 residents because for the past eight years I have gained knowledge and insight into the budget process that will help me ensure that taxes are minimized in the coming term. It is going to be very challenging to deal with our aging infrastructure as well as the needs of our older adults and low income residents who are in need of affordable housing, but I believe I can be influential in helping guide Council in making wise investments that will stimulate growth of our economy. The best way to keep taxes low is to make sure that we are attracting new commercial and residential development. That is my goal for the next four years.

COMPLETION OF MALEY DRIVE PROJECT

I played a significant role in the final decision to go ahead with the Maley Drive Project. This new road has greatly reduced the amount of traffic on Lasalle Blvd. and has virtually taken all of the large industrial trucks off that road. This has benefited residents of Ward 5 living along Lasalle, but it has also provided a more direct route to the east end of the City and to Barrydowne Road for residents of the Valley. The Maley Drive extension also moves the Barrydowne Extension a bit closer to a possibility. That may be the next major roadway worked on next.

ADDRESSING AGING WATER/WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Aging Infrastructure: We are governed by provincial legislation when it comes to providing quality Water / Wastewater services to our residents. We cannot use money from the general tax levy to cover any of our expenses, and so the only revenue we can generate is through water bills. Because of our aging infrastructure, we are going to be forced to implement higher water rate increases than we would like to, but it is going to be necessary to cover the costs of the service. I have worked as Chair of the Operations Committee for the first four years and continued to serve on this committee during the past four years. I would like to continue in this role for the next four years in order to make sure that we are making the right choices when it comes to water / wastewater services and rates. The infrastructure in many parts of Ward 5 is very old and we are starting to experience more and more water main breaks. I want to make sure we can deal with these emergencies.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CAPITAL PRIORITY POLICY

I have enjoyed working with City Council and staff in developing and implementing a new strategy for determining capital priorities which will be a shift from the pay-as-you-go philosophy which has been used in the past to a debt-financing approach to capital projects where borrowing makes sense. This will allow us to be able to take full advantage of leveraging outside funding opportunities when they come up and will encourage us to put our decisions into action effectively and efficiently. This policy is working well and needs to be refined over the next four years as we focus on some of our major infrastructure deficit needs. But at least we are in a place now where we can take advantage of opportunities to secure debt financing when it is beneficial and cost-effective.

ENCOURAGING UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS

We have adopted a new plan for encouraging and approving unsolicited proposals from the private and not-for-profit sectors. This will provide parties to approach the city, in confidence, with proposals for collaborative partnerships on a wide variety of projects and initiatives. If City Council feels that the proposal is beneficial to the citizens of the city, then we can enter into agreements and proceed as partners. This will demonstrate that we are open for business in the coming years.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY

We have a new Affordable Housing Strategy which has included the city taking over the management and operations of the 1848 units that belong to the Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation. We will be looking at how we can incorporate the Affordable Housing Strategy along with the GSHC units to raise the standards for all 4500 social housing units throughout the city. A lot of work has been done during the past 8 years, and we will be making housing a much higher priority in the coming four years. We need to increase our inventory of affordable housing units and renovate some of our aging stock.

POPULATION HEALTH STRATEGY

A Population Health Strategy will change the way we look at our neighbourhoods. We will be looking to proactively address the social determinants of health from an upstream approach designed to give residents more opportunity to experience a positive quality of life that was once elusive to many of our deprived neighbourhoods. Much has been done in this regard during the past several year, and as we move into the post-pandemic period, we will be addressing the social determinants of health that have been barriers for so many people as they strive for a better quality of life. We have some very effective plans in place and will be prioritizing this in the coming years.

COMMUNITY HUB STRATEGY

We now have a Community Hub Strategy which recognizes the need to provide services in a cluster, or hub, environment in order to better utilize surplus schools and other public buildings. These community hubs may lead to the growth of affordable housing complexes in some of our most spacious property in the outlying areas. I have been recognized on Council as being a champion for community hubs and I am sure that our experiences during the pandemic have made everyone realize that we need well positioned community hubs throughout our entire city. I am hoping to make great strides in this area during the next four years.

AGE FRIENDLY STRATEGY

We have approved a new Age Friendly Strategy which will inform all decisions that are made by City Council moving forward. We will examine how all of our decisions are recognizing the needs of older adults by looking at everything through an Age Friendly lens. The Age Friendly Strategy Committee works under the Seniors’ Advisory Panel. I have been a member of the Age Friendly Strategy Committee and can assure everyone that we will continue to review and evaluate ways that we can make the city much more age friendly in the coming years.

GETTING RID OF RED TAPE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT

We have been continuously looking for ways to streamline our development approvals process. Developers can now take part in a new SPART (Sudbury Planning Application Review Team) meeting procedure whereby they meet with all of the city departments in advance of submitting an application in order to make the planning and approval process more of a collaborative exercise. This is a remarkable change in approach that has been well received by developers and staff alike.

SHIFTING FROM RISK AVOIDANCE TO RISK MANAGEMENT

Perhaps the most important change that I have been proud to be part of is that we are seeing the management and staff at Tom Davies Square as well as City Council, shifting from a culture that was best described as “risk avoidance” to one that is moving towards a “risk management style”. Instead of examining proposals and projects to see “why they won’t work”, we are now looking at proposals and projects to find out “what we can do to make it work”. This is the one change that underlies all other changes during the past four years. We are looking for ways of making good ideas work and we are operating at the “speed of business”. This will allow us to take advantage of some tremendous opportunities in the coming years.

PLAYGROUND REVITALIZATION

Playground Revitalization: I am proud of my involvement in helping create the playground revitalization strategy. We were able to revitalize the Ryan Heights, Pinecrest, MacMillan and Hidden Valley playgrounds and we are continuing to add smaller improvements to some of the others. Playgrounds and their parks are becoming so important as we ensure that there is suitable opportunity for children and their families to enjoy wholesome recreation within walking distance of their homes. Older adults are also using the parks with their grandchildren and even just to enjoy a bit of fresh air and socialization. I am going to work even more closely with the neighbourhood associations to help them upgrade and improve their parks and playgrounds in addition to the revitalization program. This is going to be a high priority for me in the next term.

LED LIGHTING PROJECT

Our LED lighting project has allowed us to replace all of our street lights, greatly benefiting residents of Ward 5. The enhanced lighting makes the area much safer for everyone.

COMMITTEE AND BOARD INVOLVEMENT

I have been involved in a number of committees and boards during my eight years.

Planning Committee; Chair (2 years); Vice-Chair (2 years)

Population Health Safety & Well-Being Panel; Co-Chair (4 years)

Seniors’ Advisory Panel; Co-Chair (8 years)

Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation; Vice-Chair (4 years)

Committee of Management for Pioneer Manor; Chair (4 years)

Public Health Sudbury & Districts; Board member (8 years)

Operations Committee; Chair (4 years); Member (8 years)

Audit Committee; Member (8 years)

Community Development Committee; Member (8 years)

Emergency Services Committee; Member (2 years)

Hearing Committee; Member (4 years)

Transit Safety Task Force; Member (8 years)

I would now like to highlight some of them:

CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE

I have been Chair of the Planning Committee for the final two years of this term, and I am looking forward to continuing in this role for the next four years. This is a committee that can have a significant impact on new development across the city and it has been so satisfying working with the private sector to help them achieve their goals, whether for new subdivision development or new commercial interests. We are working on some exciting changes that will help us expand some of our industrial park land in order to allow new development in more appropriate locations in the city. In addition, we are making some changes to the Zoning By-Law and the Official Plan that will make it easier for developers to get the necessary approvals for new development that is much needed for the future.

CO-CHAIR OF THE POPULATION HEALTH COMMUNITY SAFETY & WELL-BEING PANEL

The PHCSWB Panel is a group of very influential leaders from many sectors of the City of Greater Sudbury. Our goal is to develop a collaborative approach to removing the barriers to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents of our city. This group began meeting in 2022 and will address some of the major issues that our residents are dealing with in areas such as mental health and addictions and housing. We have just begun examining a comprehensive COVID recovery plan that addresses mental health and resilience as one of our top, underlying priorities. We meet monthly in order to maintain the momentum that is needed to move forward with our priorities and collaborate with other organizations, including the GSPS, PHSD, and HSN.

CHAIR - OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

As Chair of the Operations Committee during my first four years, and as a committee member for the past four years, we established a number of new policies and protocols to deal with our aging infrastructure. I would like to continue in this role for the next four years to help implement a number of changes we are putting in place to improve winter maintenance of our roads and sidewalks, a strategic approach to road maintenance and repair of our main arterial road network, some safety enhancements we are making to our intersections and high risk roads, and programs that will make our streets more pedestrian and biker friendly. We are embarking on safety initiatives such as photo radar and red light camera installations at intersections that demonstrate the greatest risk of accidents.

CHAIR - COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF PIONEER MANOR

As Chair of the Committee of Management of Pioneer Manor for the first four years we did a great deal to move a number of projects and initiatives forward. For the past four years we have included Pioneer Manor under the Community Development Committee, and I am also a member of that committee so I am able to continue to be involved with Pioneer Manor. I would like the opportunity to work on the completion of our bed redevelopment program so that we can repurpose the six wings that include 94 rooms that will be available to meet the needs of the community. We are considering a number of possibilities including using some of the rooms for alternative level of care patients from the hospital; using the rooms as temporary residential settings for clients who are homeless or in need of transitional shelter; using one or two wings as a student residence for students who are training to become a health care worker of some sort and who would be able to earn their practicum credits at Pioneer Manor. We have come so far in the past several years and I would like the chance to help bring some of the projects forward. We are also at the point where the Province is placing a lot of emphasis on enhancing the quality of life of our long term care residents, and it is going to be an exciting time during the next several years. I am prepared to use the experience I have gained during the past eight years to continue to advance the improvements in our long term care homes.

CO-CHAIR - SENIORS ADVISORY PANEL

As Co-Chair of the Seniors Advisory Panel for the past eight years we have done so much to bring awareness to the community of the needs of our older adults. I would like to be able to continue to help implement the many Age Friendly Strategy initiatives that we have put in place. Our older adults need home care and they need alternative housing options. I would like to make sure that their needs are met during the next term of Council. I was extremely proud to be the facilitator and organizer of the Seniors’ Summit 2019 which produced the framework for a Seniors’ Strategy that I hope to work on during the next four years. We are going to be using our influence to recommend the development of more housing options for seniors, including shared housing initiatives. We are also going to be promoting the expansion of home care to address the health and wellness, as well as the general day to day maintenance requirements that older adults need in order to age in place.

VICE-CHAIR - GSHC

As Vice-Chair of the Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation for my first four years I helped improve the quality of life for many of our rent-geared-to-income residents. For the past four years the responsibility for the GSHC has been taken over by City Council, which means that the entire Council is the Board of Directors and will be responsible for overseeing future development and operation of the 1848 units owned by the GSHC. I want to continue to work with Social Housing to make sure that we implement affordable housing strategies across the city in order to provide low income residents with a better quality of life. We also need to address the social determinants of health that will improve their health and wellness. We have made a lot of progress on a revitalization plan for our housing portfolio. I want to help implement the changes. In addition, we need to address the safety concerns that have surfaced in recent years. Too many of our residents are being inconvenienced by tenants who are not abiding by the general rules and are causing distress among other tenants. We need to deal with this in the coming years and I know that my previous experience will be helpful in focusing on the policies that must be implemented.

OTHER MAJOR INITIATIVES IMPACTING RESIDENTS OF WARD 5

There are a number of major initiatives that I have been directly involved in over the past eight years that have helped to improve the general quality of life for residents in this part of the city.

SITE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES IN SUDBURY PORTION OF WAR 5

There have also been a number of site specific initiatives that I have been actively involved in during the past eight years. Some of these activities have been one time endeavours, while others have resulted in long term, ongoing benefits to the residents:

LASALLE BOULEVARD CORRIDOR PLAN AND STRATEGY

I have been actively supporting staff in developing the Lasalle Boulevard Corridor Plan and Strategy which will end up creating a new land use framework for Lasalle Blvd. This will result in integrating high-quality intensification that will support public transit and encourage improvements in the area of active transportation. The improvements will benefit the residents of Ward 5 as Lasalle becomes more conducive to active transportation and generally looks and feels much better.

NOTRE DAME AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS

Notre Dame Avenue has seen some tremendous improvements to the road conditions and now with the new bike lanes and sidewalk replacements, residents will more easily be able to walk or bike downtown or along Lasalle. This is part of the Lasalle – Regent Street route. We have also worked hard to put the road in better condition in the last several years.

JUNCTION CREEK FLOOD MITIGATION CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS

I have been a strong supporter of the $9 million Junction Creek flood mitigation control and improvements project which will extend the life of the Maley dam and support important repairs to the Junction Creek culvert, the reconstruction and improvement of a segment of Junction Creek and a new storm water management facility. This project will protect the residents of Nickeldale subdivision as well as the businesses along Notre Dame Avenue from future flooding disasters.

TERRY FOX FIELD ARTIFICIAL TURF

I was directly involved with another member of the community in securing the artificial turf from Rogers Field in Toronto that was used in the establishment of the artificial turfed infield at Field #1 at Terry Fox Field. This has allowed minor baseball associations to extend their playing seasons and has been home to the Laurentian Voyageurs Baseball Club.

RYAN HEIGHTS PLAYGROUND REVITALIZATION

I was instrumental in revitalizing the Ryan Heights Playground and in clearing out the underbrush that has greatly enhanced the Ryan Heights Park. During the pandemic this underbrush has grown back, but I am going to continue to advocate for this to be cleared again and be maintained every summer.

FLOUR MILL COMMUNITY FARM

The Flour Mill Community Farm, which has operated at the Ryan Heights Park for the past six years, was something that I worked with the Social Planning Council of Sudbury to establish over six years ago. We are working on some ambitious plans for the next several years.

PRISM CO-OP

I have been working for several years with the Prism Co-op residents to help them with special events designed to build the community spirit of the Cambrian Heights Area. They have always had my support.

CAMBRIAN HEIGHTS ENHANCEMENTS

I have met with several other representatives from various social housing organizations to discuss their needs and concerns. We need to continue to work together and collaboratively in order to promote the quality of life improvements to the Cambrian Heights Area over the next several years. This includes road and sidewalk improvements since Cambrian Drive and Bruce Avenue are two of the worse local streets in the entire City.

NICKELDALE SUBDIVISION

I have worked with residents of the Nickeldale Subdivision on numerous individual concerns with respect to their residential drainage and road maintenance issues. We have also been working to ensure that city staff takes a proactive approach to maintenance of ditches, especially along the southern houses which border on the Ponderosa flood plain.

MCLEAN PARK PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS

I have been an advocate for funding improvements to the McLean Park Playground and park. We will work with the neighbourhood association to install a number of new equipment pieces specifically for older adults in order to make this a true community hub for the residents. The pandemic has put a lot of these improvements on hold, but the next four years will be a time to move many of the initiatives forward.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ALONG NOTRE DAME

I have worked with several businesses along Notre Dame Ave., helping them with expansion and development plans in order to ensure that they have been able to comply with all policies and conditions established by the city.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL – LAVOIE STREET

I have worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Association on Lavoie Street on a couple of their initiatives and community events. They have my full support for what they are doing for the less fortunate in our community and we have had to deal with a couple of issues over the years.

RETAINING WALL ISSUES

I have assisted residents on Drummond Ave. and Rideau Street with retaining wall issues over the years. Staff are aware of the problems that are now presenting themselves with retaining walls that were built without permits decades ago and we will have to deal with these challenges in the coming years. I expect that more of these issues will arise during the next several years as some of the aging retaining walls continue to deteriorate.

LASALLE CEMETERY REVITALIZATION

I am working with staff to do what we can to revitalize the Lasalle Cemetery and ensure that the conditions reflect the dignity that our ancestors deserve. The budget is low, but I am going to continue to work with the staff to try to improve conditions. This is a high priority over the next term of Council. We need to upgrade the image for the home of approximately 30,000 former residents of our city.

PIONEER MANOR BED REDEVELOPMENT

The completion of the redevelopment of 149 beds at Pioneer Manor remains a very high priority. We expect this to be completed by the end of 2024 or early in 2025 and once the rooms are vacated, I am going to do what I can to have those vacant spaces filled with services that will be available to the entire community.

SPECIAL WARD 5 NEWSLETTERS MAILED TO RESIDENTS

I try to maintain communication with the residents of Ward 5 with newsletters that are sent out by mail. Because of the pandemic, I was able to direct funds to produce 4 newsletters in 2021 and two in 2022. For many residents of the Sudbury portion of Ward 5 who may not be on the internet much, this is one of the only ways they get to find out about what is going on in the municipality.

OGRADY STREET DRAINAGE ISSUES

I have worked with several residents on O’Grady Street with respect to the water and snow run off during the spring melt. Staff have tried to address the drainage issues to the satisfaction of the concerned residents and we will be monitoring the situation every spring. We may need to so some major restorative work in the near future.

PARKING ISSUES IN NICKELDALE SUBDIVISION

There have been some issues with parking on the street along Gordon Avenue and Somers/Main Streets in the Nickeldale subdivision. We have been working with by-law to resolve those matters.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT ON LORRAINE STREET

I will continue to oppose the proposed transitional housing project on Lorraine Street. It is definitely not the right location for something like this. Once the 40 unit apartment is completed, I will be asking the new City Council to designate the building for older adults.

RYAN HEIGHTS NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION

I am going to continue to work with the Ryan Heights Neighbourhood Association to initiate activities that will enhance the quality of life of local residents. There are funding sources that we can tap into and there is also the possibility of new grants and fundraising in the community. We want this to be a true community hub for the area.

INCREASED SECURITY AT 720 BRUCE AND RYAN HEIGHTS

During the next several years I am going to be more aggressive in demanding increases security and police protection in the area around Ryan Heights and 720 Bruce Avenue. There have been far too many people who have been causing problems for residents in this area. We need to make this a safer place to live for everyone.

AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE...

I have spent a lot of time during the past eight years putting the groundwork in place that can see a number of other enhancements in our community.

There is so much more that I would like to share with you about what I plan to accomplish over the next four years. I hope that I have shown you and all of my constituents that whether I am debating big decisions at City Council, or helping you get fair and just treatment regarding your own individual issues with city hall, I am a person who doesn’t back down from a challenge and I will never settle for anything that is not in the best interests for residents of Ward 5 and for the City of Greater Sudbury. I think I have demonstrated my ability to stand up to special interest groups and political activists who have their own agenda that is contrary to what is good for this city and for Ward 5.

I have done this for the past eight years and with your support I will continue to fight on your behalf for the next four years. I have always said that I would be available any time of the day and any day of the week for my constituents. When you have a concern I am only an email or a phone call away. You can always count on me to be a strong and effective advocate. My role is not to judge, but rather to help you understand your rights and make sure that you receive the treatment you deserve.

I am truly looking forward to serving you for the next four years as Councillor of Ward 5. Thank you for all the support you have given me during the past eight years.

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