Five Priorities for Stratford
As Mayor, I will come to Council with clear priorities and a plan to get moving. I will work with Council and the community to build consensus early in 2027, and turn these priorities into action.
1. Build Supportive Housing
After six years of having a plan for building supportive housing with 24/7 wrap-around supports, it’s time to finally build it. This 12-unit project will provide a safe, stable home for individuals who need housing first, so they have a safe place to live and be supported as they work address other challenges in their lives.
2. Create a Housing Strategy
Use the information from our updated Official Plan, staff expertise and recent City research on local housing needs to create a Housing Strategy. This strategy will move us forward with a focus on the gaps we've identified: supportive, transitional, and affordable housing.
3. Make Stratford Streets Safer
Launch a review of our Level of Service with a view to improve city streets at a faster pace, using the recommendations in our Transportation Master Plan as well as our Asset Management Plan. Make pedestrian and cycling safety a priority by upgrading crosswalks with raised crossings, warning lights, and other safety features.
4. Launch a Mayor's Communication Plan
I have created the framework for a Mayor’s communication and engagement plan that I can launch immediately. This will include a regular newsletter, public forum meetings co-hosted with individual Councillors and hosted in different neighbourhoods, a Mayor’s speaker series, and several other ways for the residents of Stratford and Council to understand and engage with each other.
5. Build a Community Facility at the Grand Trunk Property
Along with the YMCA and the Stratford Public Library, move forward with a multi-generational, net-zero community facility that brings together a pool, childcare, a seniors’ centre and adequate parking in one accessible community space. The data collected in the ongoing Recreation and Cultural plan and the Downtown Parking Study will inform the design of this facility, and current discussions with our partners will move this project forward.