My Speech at the All-Candidates’ Meeting

Here’s the two-minute speech I gave Wednesday night at the Collingwood Legion, plus the wrap-up:

In two minutes, I can’t list everything this council and staff have accomplished on your behalf. But here are some highlights:

• We answered your demand for more ice and water time. Parents no longer have to drive their kids to other towns for meets because we built two beautiful new recreation facilities right here.
• And we paid for them without going into debt or raising your taxes.
• In fact, we also paid down the debt by almost $7.5 million while adding $11 million to town reserves this term.
• We completed an asset management plan.
• We initiated a long-term financial management plan.
• We put much-needed new docks in the harbour.
• We’re upgrading the Eddie Bush arena.
• We launched very successful bus services to Wasaga Beach and Blue Mountain.
• We finished First Street and started the reconstruction of Hume Street.
• We built a new fire hall and renovated the police station.
• Yet we kept our average tax increase to under one-half a percent per year. That’s less than the cost of living.
• We launched a small business centre with our community partners to develop and grow local business more efficiently.
• We hired a marketing and economic development director to promote our town, to attract more industry, more visitors and, most important, more jobs.
• We even appointed an integrity commissioner to make sure we behave in the most transparent and accountable manner.
• Our operational and governance reviews are making the town more efficient and your council more effective.

And that’s not all. We’ve accomplished a lot this term. And we can do more next term, including:

We must continue to keep your taxes low. That’s number one.

We need more jobs, more industries, more business. We’re already working on that.

Our harbour has been neglected too long. It must be redeveloped. Together, we can make it the best harbour on Georgian Bay. Our waterfront master plan will guide us.

If you want decisive leadership with vision, and if you want continued financial stability next term, please vote for me, Ian Chadwick.

Wrap-up:

Collingwood is thriving. Our industries have expanded. New businesses have opened. We have a vibrant, busy downtown. We’re growing, we have more jobs.

Collingwood is finally open for business. That’s our biggest accomplishment this term.

I have the experience to help guide this town through another four prosperous years. I have a solid, clear vision of how this community can grow and develop. And I have a passion for Collingwood and for my role as your councillor.

I will always put your interests and needs ahead of any personal agenda, ahead of any special interest group. I will always vote the way my conscience says is best for the whole community.

Thank you and I look forward to your support.