Among many other things, like rural urban fabric and centering on the needs of the most vulnerable. We are friends from Laurier high school in London who are now both municipal councillors, in middle age. There comes a load of intrinsically valuable introspection with that time of life. We both enjoy giving blood and promoting the boots on the ground causes in our communities. Whether it's Knights of Columbus Christmas hampers or Sexual Assault Support Centre we are both working on using our "positions of power" and influence for good, or at the very least educational purposes. From pristine farmland to ground water sources to being a short drive to both the St Jacob's farmers market and the regional landfill. As a cityboy, accountant, businessman turned municipal politician, he talks about using multiple lenses. Learning to "grow up not out," and talking about how both the cities of Waterloo and Hamilton have been working on the "country side line initiative" since 2003 as a movement away from sprawl. A larger movement towards more thoughtful development and not missing an opportunity to address the affordable housing crisis affecting many places in Ontario and British Columbia. The city of waterloo has 110000 residents, boasts a university (or two if your including kitchener) and is showing growth and development pressures that rival San Francisco. In fact, its one of the fastest growing places in the world. However the other side to that coin means contending with gentrification and "the many challanges associated with change." From zoning, vacancy rates, rapid transit, community consultation, engaging residents and connecting people. To Research in Motion's blackberry, communitech, innovation ecosystems and encouraging the talents of graduates to stick around after completion of the world class education available in the area. Being on the toronto GO corridor there's been regional investments and interest in all day, two way transportation systems. Transforming social demand and drinking from firehoses' as we discuss how airports, rail networks, road infrastructure, bike shares, walking trails and otherwise, interconnectedness needs to be considered an essential services, rather than "nice to have" wish list budget items. Even to simply remember the busy greyhound buses of our youth and reflect on the demand driven nature of inter-community travel. Is it helping our communities to cut supply? Certainly no one wants to hit a wall or come upon a deadend they didnt expect. And so we keep learning, a little bit about a lot of things and to pull our part of the rope. Yet to contend with waitlists of 200 of more for crisis councillors, fundraising, consulting, dook knocking and inventing new ways to better measure the up and down steam effects of exponential grown or shrinkage. Glad to be reminded that everything old is new again. Thanks for catching up and for deciding to run for office.
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