Connecting with Sheridan Homelands

SHORA Candidate Night Recap

A special thank you to Sue Prior Chiarot and the entire executive team at the Sheridan Homelands Ratepayers Association (SHORA) for inviting me and organizing such a well-run Meet the Candidates night at Thornlodge Park! 

Having served as President of my local residents' association for 17 years, I am a huge advocate for ratepayer groups like SHORA. When neighbours organize together, they have real power to stand up for their community and protect their neighbourhood.

I was especially grateful to have my family in attendance to capture a few snapshots from the evening, and it was a wonderful surprise to reconnect with a high school classmate from Philip Pocock whom I hadn't seen in a long time! 

If you missed the event, you can read my full message below.   (In between speeches, candidates were asked rapid-fire Yes/No questions, many drawn directly from Vote Compass. To see where I stand on those propositions, check out my responses to the Vote Compass Questionnaire.

Full Message to Sheridan Homelands Residents

Introduction & Hometown Roots

Good evening, everyone, and thank you, SHORA, for hosting us tonight.

Mississauga isn’t just a place I live; it’s my hometown. I’ve lived in Mississauga for 48 years, and in Ward 2 for 22. Over those decades, I’ve watched this city grow and evolve from childhood to adulthood.

This is where my daughters grew up, where I spent 9 years serving on Parent Council, and as an empty nester, I now have the time, energy, and focus to dedicate myself fully to our community.

I am also the proud son of immigrants from the 1960s. Because of the language barrier back then, my parents relied on me to help connect with our community. That experience taught me early on that community isn't something you wait for; it's something you build. That’s where my belief in "Know Your Neighbour" comes from.

And fun fact: my family doctor growing up was actually Mississauga’s very first Mayor, and yes, before anyone asks, there was a mayor before Hazel!

Community Leadership & Business Experience

In 2005, I helped establish the Watercolours Residents Association and served as President for 17 years. I am a huge advocate for residents' associations because when neighbours organize, they actually have the power to stand up for their community, like fighting off unwanted overhead power lines, for example (ask me about this later). Serving our community taught me that real leadership isn't sitting behind a desk. I am a hands-on troubleshooter who isn't afraid to get my hands dirty to solve problems.

For 34 years, I’ve run my own business serving small businesses, non-profits, and national and international clients. When costs go up in business or at home, you tighten your belt, cut waste, and postpone spending. I view City Hall through that same practical lens: before asking for higher property taxes, Council needs to show that same discipline first, without cutting essential services.

Caregiving & Senior Dignity

Caregiving has also shaped my life. My 91-year-old father still lives independently and relies on MiWay bus service daily, while losing my mother to dementia at Sheridan Villa showed me firsthand why we must advocate at the Region for senior dignity, proper care staffing, and the supports needed so our seniors can age in place.

While getting results at City Hall requires building a majority vote, I can promise you this: I will be reachable. You can call, email, or, even better, let's get together for coffee and talk.

A Few Key Priorities for Ward 2

Given our time tonight, I’ll just touch on a few key priorities:

Community Safety

I am grateful for our Peel Police officers, but taxpayers deserve fairness. I support fixing the outdated funding formula that charges us by property value rather than, say, population, leaving Mississauga paying 62% of the bill and costing over $100 million a year. Locally, I want to empower residents' associations like SHORA to strengthen Neighbourhood Watch by equipping our communities with real-time tools beyond underused portals or informal WhatsApp chats.

Traffic & Active Transportation

On our streets, I will look closely at practical solutions suggested to me during canvassing, like better synchronizing traffic lights along major corridors, installing more flashing speed signs, and coordinating construction detours so traffic doesn't flood quiet streets. I also support expanding off-road, multi-use boulevard paths to keep cyclists and joggers safe without taking away lanes from drivers.

Development & Finances

On development and finances, I will champion sensible growth, support repurposing underutilized plazas, ensure infrastructure is ready before new developments open, and push for audits of City Hall spending to keep property taxes under control

Closing Commitment

This role is not a stepping stone for me; it is my destination. I welcome the opportunity to represent you at City Hall. Thank you, SHORA, and thank you to everyone here tonight