The Ontario government recently announced municipalities will have the option of using a ranked ballot for future municipal elections as part of the changes proposed to the Municipal Elections Act. If passed, Kingston would have the authority to use ranked ballot voting as early as the 2018 municipal election. Changing how our voting system works…
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This week is National Volunteer Week, April 10 to 16, a time to recognize and celebrate volunteers in our community. Kingstonians donate their time and talents everyday across our community making positive impacts in the lives of others, and this week we say thank you! I encourage all Kingstonians who know or benefit from the…
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One of my priorities as mayor is to make it more convenient for residents to provide their input on important issues. What has become the norm for seeking input is holding open houses at city facilities, hoping people come out and provide their feedback and comments. But what if instead we have open houses in…
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Check out the latest version of From the Mayor’s Chair, where I break down the decisions of Council in 3 minutes or less. Highlights from the April 5 Council meeting included a debate about the introduction of red light cameras in Kingston, which lead to council asking Kingston Police to make a presentation to council at…
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At our April 5 council meeting, City Council will be asked to provide final approval for the introduction of red light cameras in Kingston. If approved they will installed and operational by early 2017. I am supportive of red light cameras as a measure to improve safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in our community. Red…
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This week I made the trip to Ottawa to hear the details of the federal budget as it was presented in the House of Commons by the Finance Minister. Here are a few of the budget announcements and what they could mean for us; Infrastructure spending: the 2016 federal budget pledges $120 billion over the…
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Check out the latest version of From the Mayor’s Chair, where I break down the decisions of Council in 3 minutes or less. Highlights from the March 22 Council meeting include the approval of the Waterfront Master Plan an ambitious plan to invest over $60 million in Kingston’s 280 kilometers of shoreline over the next 30…
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Our waterfront is one of our city’s most important assets. That’s why Council named it as one of our top strategic priorities! Next week City Council will be presented with the Waterfront Master Plan, an ambitious plan to invest $60 million in Kingston’s 280 kilometers of shoreline over the next 30 years. This plan was…
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Every year during our Canada Day celebrations I have the great privilege of presenting awards to Kingstonians who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to our community. The City’s Civic Awards program, now in its 18th year, honour exemplary individuals who have made a difference in our community through volunteerism. I am asking…
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In both my time as a city councilor and now as mayor, one of the most common concerns I hear about is the city’s courtesy crossings. The concern is not that people don’t appreciate the attempt to make our roads more pedestrian friendly, it’s the fact that cars are not legally obligated to stop at…
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