Caledonia has seen significant growth, and I don’t support continuing to push major development forward without the infrastructure needed to support it.

I am firmly opposed to the MZO. Before we talk about substantially more development, we need to deal with the pressures already being placed on roads, traffic, water and wastewater capacity, emergency services and other municipal infrastructure.

This isn’t about saying Caledonia can never grow. It’s about getting the order right. Infrastructure needs to be in place to support development, not treated as something we’ll catch up on afterward.

Roads and infrastructure are among the most basic responsibilities of municipal government, and they directly affect residents, farmers and businesses every day.

As Ward 7 grows and changes, infrastructure planning needs to reflect what is actually happening on the ground. We shouldn’t keep adding development pressure while existing infrastructure is struggling to keep up. Roads, traffic and municipal servicing need to be part of the development decision from the beginning.

Running a business isn’t easy, and municipal decisions can either make that job easier or add another layer of cost, delay and frustration.

As a businessman myself, I understand what it’s like to manage expenses, deal with regulations and make decisions where the numbers actually have to work. The County should be looking for practical ways to support the people who are investing, creating jobs and doing business here.

Municipal services cost money, but every dollar the County spends ultimately comes from taxpayers.

That makes asking questions about spending part of the job. What does it cost? Why is it needed? What are residents getting for their money? Is there a better or less expensive way to accomplish the same thing? Those are questions worth asking before the cheque is written.