Growth is not something Wilmot controls alone. Provincial legislation and planning policy establish many of the rules municipalities must work within, including where and how housing can be built and expectations around density. My responsibility as Mayor is to understand those constraints, use the tools available to us, and make sure Wilmot has as much influence as possible over what growth looks like here.

Over the past four years, that has meant putting the frameworks in place to guide development, including our new Official Plan, while also building relationships with residents, landowners, developers, businesses and community organizations.

Good planning is not simply saying yes or no to development. It is asking: within the decisions available to us, how do we create the best outcome for Wilmot?

Sometimes that happens through policy. Sometimes it happens through negotiation and relationships. For example, I have worked with local builders developing new neighbourhoods in Baden and New Hamburg, and both have committed to offering barrier-free homes within their developments, creating more opportunities for people to age in place in the community they already call home.

The same approach applies to housing, employment lands, infrastructure, long-term care and the design of new neighbourhoods. Municipal government is one partner in growth, but an important one.

My approach has been to use every tool we have, policy, planning, partnerships and relationships to ensure that as Wilmot grows, the result reflects the community we are building it for.

For me, affordability is about much more than keeping taxes as low as possible in a single year. It is about building a Wilmot that people, businesses and the municipality itself can afford for the long term.

There are major economic pressures that a municipal government cannot control. Our responsibility is to focus on the things we can. That means predictable and responsible taxation, sound long-term financial planning, and making sure residents are not repeatedly faced with sudden increases because decisions or investments were deferred. It also means growing our tax base so that the cost of the services people depend on is supported by a stronger and more sustainable community.

Over the past four years, a major part of that work has been rebuilding Wilmot’s financial foundation. Last year, I directed KPMG and staff to undertake zero-based budgeting so that our operating budget was rebuilt around what it actually costs to deliver the services council has approved.

Due to this work, going forward, operating increases should be connected to deliberate decisions, such as new legislative requirements or changes in service levels approved by council, rather than simply carrying forward historic spending.

The same principle applies to our infrastructure. We are rebuilding reserves and completing long-term financial planning so that future councils have a realistic plan for what Wilmot needs, what we would like to do, when we can afford to do it, and how we will pay for it. Balancing those needs and wants is one of council’s most important responsibilities.

Affordability also shows up in everyday community life. Can someone on a fixed income afford their bills? Do people have enough money to buy groceries? Can someone participate in recreation or community activities without cost becoming a barrier? Are there parks, trails, libraries, events and public spaces that people can enjoy at little or no additional cost? Can a local business afford to stay, expand and employ people here? Can someone find work close enough to home that their time and transportation costs are manageable?

Those questions are connected. My view is that affordability should be considered across everything we do at the township, because a financially sustainable municipality is one of the foundations of an affordable community.

It is about understanding what we already have, maintaining it properly, planning for when it will need to be renewed, and making sure new infrastructure is built with its entire lifecycle in mind.

Over the past four years, we have strengthened Wilmot’s approach to asset management so that decisions about roads, bridges, facilities, parks and other municipal assets are increasingly grounded in their condition, their expected lifespan and the cost of maintaining and eventually replacing them. Some of the infrastructure challenges municipalities once talked about as being years away have arrived.
Good planning means dealing with those needs today while also preparing responsibly for what comes next. That work is directly connected to affordability: the better we understand our long-term obligations, the better we can plan for them instead of leaving future councils and taxpayers with sudden, expensive surprises.

Infrastructure also includes the essential resources that allow our communities to function and grow, particularly water and wastewater. The Province regulates water taking, while the Region is responsible for planning and supplying municipal drinking water across much of Waterloo Region, including Wilmot. As both Mayor and a Regional Councillor, I have a responsibility to make sure Wilmot has a strong voice in those decisions. That includes continuing the work underway to ensure residents affected by municipal well interference are treated fairly, while also protecting Wilmot’s ability to access the water needed to support our existing community and responsible future growth. The Region’s ongoing Water Supply Strategy will make decisions about future supply needs through 2051, and those decisions need to be based on accurate information, long-term sustainability and a clear understanding of their consequences before irreversible choices are made.

Finally, there is the infrastructure of the organization itself. Institutions do not function without people. Wilmot has gone through significant organizational change, particularly over the last year and a half, and much of that work has been about building a stronger foundation for the future: stabilizing leadership, strengthening our corporate team, improving how services are delivered and renewing our focus on succession and long-term sustainability. Institutional knowledge has to be shared, responsibilities cannot depend on a single person, and staff need the structure and tools to do their jobs well.

Whether we are talking about a bridge, a water system or the organization responsible for delivering municipal services, the principle is the same: understand what we have, take care of it, plan for its future and build the capacity Wilmot will need next.