The plan

We can do better

Back to the basics. Four priorities, and a councillor who will actually chase them down: responsible spending, economic growth, strong neighbourhoods and a City Hall that gets things done.

01 Spending 02 Growth 03 Neighbourhoods 04 Streets & parks

Get spending under control

Responsible budgeting means controlling costs, not simply passing them on to taxpayers.

Property taxes continue to rise while families and businesses are dealing with higher costs everywhere else. Every household in this ward has had to find savings in the last three years. City Hall should be held to the same standard.

I will push for responsible spending, better value for your tax dollars and greater accountability at City Hall. Before asking taxpayers for more, we need to do a better job with what we already have.

Go through the operating budget line by line, and ask what each increase actually buys residents
Require a value-for-money case before any new program or position is added
Look for savings inside the existing budget first, then talk about the tax rate
Report back plainly on what was promised, what it cost and what it delivered
Bring a business owner’s scepticism to consultant reports and cost estimates

Get St. Catharines moving

Less talk. More action.

Major properties like the former GM site, vacant downtown lands and former school properties have tremendous potential. We need to stop talking about what they could become and start working to attract the investment needed to move these properties forward.

As a small business owner, I understand what it takes to invest, create jobs and get things done. I have also spent 35 years selling this region to people who had other options, which is exactly what attracting investment is.

Treat every stalled site as a file with a name, a timeline and someone accountable for progress
Go after investors and developers directly instead of waiting for applications to arrive
Cut the delay and the red tape that make building here slower than building somewhere else
Back the small businesses already on our main streets, not only the ones we hope to recruit
Use existing regional, provincial and federal relationships to bring money into St. Catharines

Protect what makes our community great

Strong neighbourhoods make a strong city.

Our parks, recreation facilities, trails, cultural programs and community spaces matter. They are part of what makes St. Catharines a great place to live, and they need to remain affordable, accessible and well maintained.

Three of our children left for school and came back here to raise their families. Places do not earn that on their own. They earn it with good arenas, clean parks, safe trails and programs a family can actually afford.

Strengthen and improve infrastructure
Keep recreation and program fees within reach for families and seniors
Maintain what we own before it becomes a capital emergency
Protect trails, green space and waterfront access as the city grows
Support the volunteer groups, minor sports and cultural organizations that do the work
Respect the character of established neighbourhoods when growth comes to them

Take back our streets and parks

Public spaces should feel safe, clean and welcoming for everyone.

We can support people who need help while also standing up for residents, families, seniors and businesses who deserve to feel comfortable in their own neighbourhoods. We can be compassionate and still expect accountability.

This is not a question of caring or not caring. It is a question of whether the city follows through on both halves of the job.

Expect our parks, downtown and public spaces to be clean, lit and maintained
Enforce the bylaws that are already on the books, consistently and fairly
Work with the Region, police and health partners so people get help, not just moved along
Listen to the residents and business owners who live with the day-to-day reality
Measure results and report them, rather than repeating that something is being addressed

I’m not running to make more promises or have more conversations about what needs to change. I’m running to get things done for St. Andrew’s Ward and for St. Catharines. Noel Buckley

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