When I ran for mayor, it was because the role offers a chance to make a difference, to make our community stronger and more resilient for the long term. People don’t really think of themselves as living in provinces or nations – they live in neighbourhoods, towns and villages. 

The vitality of those neighbourhoods is determined, in part, by contributions from residents – taxes, volunteerism, creativity. It also depends on their ability to think ahead. A mayor and council must plan for the next 25 years. That means finding the resources for big ticket items that are beyond the capacity of the tax base. 

Our new hospital was initiated in 2017. That means 11 years between proposal and patients walking in the door. Re-building County Road 49 – another 11 years between studies, grant applications, plans, and completion. Our new H.J. McFarland Memorial Home was a little quicker – only 9 years. A significant amount of my time as mayor has been working with provincial and federal government representatives to ensure the County gets external funding for these types of big projects over the long term. I am proud of that record and the part I played.

Water and wastewater management and the safety and security of our drinking water is not a “nice to have.” It is one of our top responsibilities. Planning and financing for it has occupied a great deal of both staff and council time over the past four years; the same will hold true for the next council.

To consider significant investment in water infrastructure – as will be necessary in the not-too-distant future — we need to understand the full picture: what the project would cost, how it could be financed, what portion can be attributed to growth, and what portion benefits existing users, funding available from other levels of government, what developers should contribute, the risks, the financial impacts, and the alternatives.

If the numbers do not work, if the risks are unacceptable, if another option is better, Council needs the evidence and the facts to make those judgments.

A request for information and planning for the future needs of our community should never be confused with advocacy for a predetermined outcome. A good plan does not justify a particular decision. It tests whether a decision is justified.

Good financial management requires us to understand the numbers before we make a decision—not avoid the numbers because the decision is difficult.

After consultation with members of staff, other elected officials and others whose knowledge and opinions I trust, I decided against the use of Strong Mayor Powers with respect to water infrastructure planning. 

I have always chosen collaboration over unilateral authority during my two terms as mayor, particularly since the provincial government gave me those powers in May 2025. I believe council should work together whenever possible, by insisting on the information necessary to make responsible decisions.

I want to be very clear about something that has been misunderstood and misrepresented: this was never about using Strong Mayor Powers to push a particular plan through Council, nor to approve any expenditures. It was about making sure that Council got the facts it needs, and that a clear decision-making process, and a credible plan were in place before deciding whether a project should proceed or not.

I understand that residents of Wellington, Picton and elsewhere in the County have legitimate concerns about traffic, construction, community character, growth and the cost of infrastructure. We all do. Those concerns deserve to be heard and addressed.

At the same time, we need to distinguish between concerns about where infrastructure is located and the broader municipal responsibility to provide essential infrastructure over the long term. 

The question is not whether we want unlimited growth. We do not. The question is whether we will plan responsibly for the growth that has already been identified, the housing needs already before us, and the infrastructure requirements of the communities we serve.

If we say that we need affordable and attainable housing, we must also be honest about the infrastructure required to support it. Housing policy without water infrastructure is not a housing strategy. It is an aspiration.

Likewise, deciding against a particular infrastructure project does not eliminate the underlying need. Council must then choose a viable alternative and undertake the same process again: assess the costs and risks.

Doing nothing is also a decision, and has consequences. If we had failed 10 years ago to advocate for a new hospital, a long-term care home, or County Road 49, we would not be looking forward to their completion now. 

If we do not have clear, fact-based information, we need to obtain it, as was recommended by staff to Council at the August 27 Committee of the Whole. 

In my opinion, it was irresponsible to reject that recommendation, as council did on September 8.    

Upper levels of government are willing to invest in municipalities that demonstrate need and have a defined project, with a clear financial framework. The County has secured $40 million in external funding for water infrastructure. We do not want to lose this funding. Nor do we want to lose our credibility. 

Canada is, right now, making the biggest investment in infrastructure that we have seen in our lifetimes. Making sure that Prince Edward County gets its fair share of that infrastructure funding is core to stewardship.

I chose not to use the Strong Mayor Powers framework because I believe collaboration gives Council the best opportunity to work through these issues together.

Obtaining all the information necessary to make a responsible decision about water infrastructure and housing development is not a vote for developers or growth. Nor is it a vote for Wellington or Picton. It is not a vote for a particular financing model or scenario. It is a commitment to responsible and well-informed decision-making about our future and the future of the next generation. 

The County needs to understand its options, clearly outline the consequences of each of those options, and then choose the best way forward over the next 25 years.

That is the work the next Mayor and Council will have to do.