Focus Burlington Ward 4 Candidate Survey Results

Name: Chris Carter

Office Sought: City and Regional Councillor – Ward 4

Campaign website: chriscarterofficial.com

Email: info@chriscarterofficial.com

1. Affordability and Taxes

Affordability has to be a discipline, not a slogan. My starting point is that Burlington should aim to keep the City’s tax increase at or below inflation whenever possible, while protecting core services and maintaining the infrastructure we already own. That means separating needs from wants, testing new spending against measurable outcomes, and looking for efficiencies before asking residents for more. I would prioritize roads, parks, public safety, transit, community services and state-of-good-repair work, while challenging spending that does not clearly improve service or quality of life. I also want Burlington to strengthen its commercial and employment tax base so the burden does not continue shifting toward homeowners. I will approach every budget with a simple mindset: spend like it is your money, because it is.

2. Managing the City’s Finances

My budget decisions would be guided by four principles: protect essential services, maintain what we already own, demand measurable value for new spending, and respect the taxpayer’s ability to pay. When funding is limited, I would prioritize public safety, infrastructure and state-of-good-repair, legislated responsibilities, and services residents rely on every day. New programs should have a clearly defined problem, cost, expected outcome and method of measuring success. I would also look at the full lifecycle cost of projects, not simply the initial price tag. Programs should not become permanent simply because they existed in last year’s budget. Council should regularly review whether they are still needed, whether another organization can deliver them better, and whether technology or process changes can reduce cost. Good budgeting requires choices, and Council should be prepared to explain those choices clearly.

3. Accountability and Transparency

Residents should not need to be accountants to understand how their money is being spent. I would support a plain-language budget that shows, in one place, the proposed tax increase, major spending changes, staffing changes, debt, reserves and the impact on a typical household. Every significant new initiative should identify its total cost, funding source, expected result and ongoing operating impact. I would also support easy year-over-year comparisons so residents can see what changed and why, plus public dashboards for major capital projects and service standards. Budget engagement should begin before the major decisions are effectively made, with clear opportunities for residents to ask questions and receive answers. As a councillor, I would use regular video, email and in-person updates to explain important financial decisions in straightforward language, including how I voted and why.

4. Improving Efficiency

I would start with process, technology and accountability. Burlington should map high-volume resident and business interactions, including permits, inspections, applications and service requests, then remove unnecessary steps, duplicate data entry and avoidable handoffs. Residents should be able to submit, track and receive updates on requests digitally without losing access to a real person when needed. I support responsible use of automation and Al for administrative work, document processing, scheduling and internal analysis where it can save staff time and improve response times, with appropriate privacy and human oversight. I would also review outside consulting, software subscriptions, procurement, overtime and overlapping programs for savings. The goal is not indiscriminate cuts. It is to measure service levels, modernize how work gets done, redeploy resources to the front line where possible, and stop paying for processes that add cost without adding value.

5. Growth and Infrastructure

Growth is coming, but good growth must be planned with infrastructure rather than added first and dealt with later. I support concentrating the greatest density where transportation and services can realistically support it, while respecting established neighbourhoods and providing appropriate transitions in height and built form. Development decisions should consider traffic, water and wastewater capacity, stormwater, parks, schools, emergency response and other community infrastructure together, not in isolation. I would push for stronger coordination with Halton Region, the Province, school boards and utilities so infrastructure timing is aligned with growth. Development charges and other available tools should be used responsibly so existing taxpayers are not unfairly carrying the cost of growth. In Ward 4 especially, protecting mature neighbourhood character, trees, green space and safe local streets must remain part of the equation.

6. Housing

Burlington cannot solve housing affordability alone, but the City can remove unnecessary barriers and make better use of the tools it controls. I support more housing choice, including appropriately located apartments, townhomes, smaller units, secondary suites and other forms of “missing middle” housing, while ensuring new development fits its context and infrastructure capacity. We should make approvals more predictable and efficient, reduce avoidable delays, and work with Halton Region, senior governments and non-profit providers on affordable and supportive housing. I also believe housing policy must consider seniors who want to age in their community, young adults trying to remain in Burlington, families who need attainable options, and people who require supportive housing. Affordability should not mean abandoning good planning. Safe streets, parks, trees, transportation, servicing and neighbourhood livability all matter, and growth should contribute to those needs rather than diminish them.

7. Public Safety

Public safety requires both effective policing and strong community prevention. I would work with Halton Regional Police to ensure Burlington’s concerns are reflected in Regional policing priorities, including auto theft, break-and-enters, dangerous driving, fraud and neighbourhood safety. I support data-driven deployment, timely communication with residents and continued collaboration between police, schools, businesses and community organizations. At the municipal level, we can improve safety through better street design, lighting, traffic calming where evidence supports it, and faster response to hazards in public spaces. We also need strong partnerships around mental health, homelessness, addiction, youth supports and intimate partner violence because police cannot solve every social problem alone. Residents should know where to report concerns, what response to expect, and which level of government is responsible. A safer Burlington comes from enforcement, prevention, design and community support working together.

8. Public Engagement

Trust improves when people can see what is happening, understand why decisions are being made and know their input was actually considered. I would provide consistent Ward 4 updates through short videos, email, social media, in-person meetings and neighbourhood conversations, using plain language rather than City Hall jargon. I would hold regular open office hours and town halls, including opportunities outside traditional business hours. For major local issues, residents should receive early notice, clear timelines, accessible background information and a summary showing what was heard and how it influenced the decision. Service requests should also be easier to track so residents are not left wondering who owns an issue or whether anyone is responding. My Ward 4 Daily series is already built around this idea: explain one issue at a time, make local government easier to understand, and create a direct two-way conversation with residents.

9. Strong Mayor Powers

Strong Mayor Powers are part of the current provincial framework, but I do not believe extraordinary powers should become the normal way a municipality governs. Council is elected collectively, and healthy local government depends on debate, transparency and councillors being accountable to the residents they represent. I would favour using the regular Council process wherever it can reasonably achieve the objective. If Strong Mayor Powers are used, the rationale should be clearly explained, the legal authority identified, and the decision made as transparently as the legislation allows. I would judge each situation on its merits, including Burlington’s legal obligations and provincial housing requirements, rather than taking an ideological position that the powers must always or never be used. The guiding principle should be restraint: use exceptional authority only when genuinely necessary, not simply because it is available.

10. Respect and Civic Leadership

Respectful leadership means being able to disagree strongly without treating people as the enemy. Council members, staff and residents will not always agree, and they should not be expected to. I would listen, ask questions, challenge ideas on their merits and explain my decisions without personal attacks. City staff deserve professional treatment and clear direction from Council, while elected officials also have a responsibility to scrutinize recommendations and ask difficult questions. Residents should be able to criticize City decisions, delegate and participate without feeling dismissed because their view is unpopular. I would encourage fact-based debate, consistent meeting rules and more opportunities for conversation before issues reach a boiling point. I will not promise to avoid disagreement. I will promise to show up prepared, treat people with dignity, correct myself when I am wrong, and keep the focus on solving the issue in front of us.

11. Looking Ahead

By the fall of 2030, I would want residents to feel that Burlington is better run, easier to deal with and still recognizably the city they chose to call home. Success would mean tax increases that were disciplined and clearly explained, core infrastructure in better condition, faster and more transparent City services, and measurable progress on traffic, housing choice and community safety. I would want growth to have been managed thoughtfully, with infrastructure keeping pace and established neighbourhoods treated with respect. I would also want Burlington to have strengthened its commercial and employment base, used technology to improve service rather than simply add cost, and rebuilt trust through better communication and accountability. For Ward 4 specifically, success would mean residents knew their councillor was accessible, visible and prepared to act. I am not running to occupy a seat. I am running to produce results residents can see.

12. Optional Question

One opportunity that deserves more attention is Burlington’s economic and commercial tax base. Affordability is not only about controlling spending; it is also about how we grow the revenue base that pays for services. Burlington should be easier to invest in, open a business in and expand a business in. That means predictable approvals, responsive permitting, modern processes, competitive employment lands and a City Hall culture that understands the speed at which businesses operate. A stronger commercial and industrial base creates local jobs, supports community organizations and helps diversify the tax burden rather than relying increasingly on residential taxpayers. This must be done thoughtfully and in the right locations, but economic development should be treated as part of our affordability strategy. The City’s role should be to create responsible tailwinds for investment and community prosperity, not unnecessary headwinds.

Name: Olivia Duke

Office Sought: Ward 4, City & Regional Council

Campaign website: www.OliviaDuke.ca

Email: olivia@oliviaduke.ca

1. Affordability and Taxes

Affordability starts with recognizing that municipal taxes are part of the household budget. When families are paying more for groceries, housing and everyday expenses, City Hall has a responsibility to be disciplined with every tax dollar.

I would start the budget process by challenging the City to hold the line on taxes, while protecting the core services and infrastructure residents rely on. That means examining spending before asking taxpayers for more, identifying efficiencies, reviewing whether programs are delivering measurable results, and distinguishing between what is necessary now and what can be deferred.

At the same time, simply cutting for the sake of cutting can create larger costs later. Roads, infrastructure, public safety and essential services need responsible investment.

My decisions would be guided by three questions: Is it necessary? Is it delivering value? And can we achieve the same or better outcome more efficiently?

2. Managing the City’s Finances

Municipal government cannot fund every good idea, so setting priorities matters. My approach would begin with protecting core services, maintaining critical infrastructure and meeting the City’s legal and financial obligations.

From there, I would evaluate spending based on evidence: Who benefits? What problem are we solving? What outcomes are we achieving? Is there a more efficient way to deliver it? And what are the long-term costs of proceeding, delaying or saying no?

I would also distinguish between needs and wants. New initiatives should not automatically be layered onto existing spending without examining what we already fund and whether it continues to deliver value.

My business and public policy experience has taught me that responsible budgeting requires choices. When funding is limited, I would prioritize investments that protect essential services, address demonstrated community needs and provide measurable value for Burlington residents, while being prepared to defer lower-priority spending.

3. Accountability and Transparency

Transparency means more than making information publicly available. It means presenting it in a way residents can actually understand and use.

I would support a plain-language budget that clearly shows where tax dollars go, what has changed from the previous year, why spending is increasing, and what residents are receiving in return. Major spending decisions should identify the full cost, funding source, expected outcome and any ongoing financial commitment.

I would also support simple public dashboards that track key financial and service measures throughout the year, so residents do not have to wait until the next budget cycle to understand how the City is performing.

Council also has a responsibility to explain its decisions. Residents should not have to navigate hundreds of pages of reports or chase City Hall for answers to understand how their money is being spent. Accessible information and clear accountability should be standard practice.

4. Improving Efficiency

Efficiency should mean delivering better value, not simply cutting services.

I would support regular service reviews to identify duplication, outdated processes and programs that are not producing measurable results. We should make greater use of technology and automation where they can reduce administrative work, improve response times and make services easier for residents to access.

I would also advocate for clear service standards and performance measures. If residents apply for a permit, submit a service request or contact the City, they should know what response time to expect, and the City should publicly report whether those standards are being met

Procurement and major contracts should also be routinely examined for value, including opportunities for shared purchasing or service delivery with Halton Region and neighbouring municipalities.

Modernization should have a clear test: Does it save time or money, improve service, or ideally do both?

5. Growth and Infrastructure

Growth is coming to Burlington. The question is whether we plan for it well enough to protect the quality of life that makes people want to live here in the first place.

Housing cannot be planned in isolation from the infrastructure and services that support it. As Burlington grows, we need to consider transportation capacity, roads, transit, water and wastewater infrastructure, parks, recreation, emergency services and other community needs alongside new development.

I would advocate for infrastructure planning that looks ahead, rather than waiting for problems to emerge after growth occurs. Development should also contribute appropriately to the infrastructure demands it creates, rather than shifting those costs unnecessarily onto existing taxpayers.

At the same time, growth should respect the character and livability of established neighbourhoods.

Good growth is not simply about how many homes we build. It is about whether Burlington continues to work well as we build them.

6. Housing

Housing affordability cannot be solved by municipalities alone, but Burlington has an important role to play.

The City should make it easier to build a greater range of housing by improving approval timelines, reducing unnecessary delays and supporting housing options that meet different needs and stages of life. Where additional height or density is proposed in exchange for affordable housing, those commitments should be meaningful, enforceable and long-term.

But adding housing units is only part of the equation. Growth must be supported by adequate infrastructure, transportation, parks and community services, and new development should be thoughtfully integrated into established neighbourhoods.

My graduate work focused on housing policy, and one lesson is clear: there is no single solution to affordability. Burlington needs a practical approach that increases housing choice while recognizing infrastructure capacity and protecting the qualities that make our neighbourhoods safe, livable and desirable.

7. Public Safety

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighbourhood, and public safety requires strong partnerships between residents, police, municipalities and community organizations.

As a Regional Councillor, I would advocate for Halton Regional Police to have the resources needed to respond to a growing population and changing public-safety needs. I would also support stronger communication between police and neighbourhoods, including sharing information about emerging concerns and practical prevention measures.

Safety is also about how we design and maintain our communities. Good lighting, safe streets and public spaces, traffic safety, and timely responses to neighbourhood concerns all contribute to how safe residents feel.

I would bring residents’ concerns directly to the appropriate agencies and push for measurable follow-through. I also believe prevention matters, including partnerships with organizations supporting youth and vulnerable residents.

Public safety works best when enforcement, prevention and community involvement work together.

8. Public Engagement

Public engagement should be a two-way conversation, not simply an opportunity to provide input without knowing what happens next

I would support clearer service standards for resident inquiries, regular neighbourhood-based engagement, and more plain-language communication about decisions before and after they are made. When residents provide feedback through surveys, consultations or public meetings, the City should report back on what it heard, what changed as a result, and where Council ultimately landed.

As Councillor, I would also communicate proactively about issues affecting Ward 4 rather than expecting residents to find information themselves. That includes regular updates, accessible opportunities to meet, and following issues through until residents receive an answer.

Trust is built through consistency. Residents may not always agree with a decision, but they deserve to understand what was decided, why it was decided, and what happens next.

9. Strong Mayor Powers

Strong Mayor Powers are part of the legislative framework municipalities must operate within, but having a power does not mean it should automatically be used.

I believe significant municipal decisions are generally stronger when they are made through open debate, evidence and the collective judgment of Council. Strong Mayor Powers should therefore be used cautiously and transparently, particularly when they could override or significantly alter the direction of Council.

Where these powers are used, residents should clearly understand what authority is being exercised, why it is necessary, and what impact it has on the normal decision-making process.

As a Councillor, my responsibility would be to scrutinize decisions on their merits, ask difficult questions and advocate for transparency regardless of which legislative authority is being used.

Efficient decision-making matters, particularly as Burlington grows, but speed should not come at the expense of accountability, good governance or public trust.

10. Respect and Civic Leadership

Respectful leadership does not mean always agreeing. It means being able to disagree, ask difficult questions and challenge decisions without making the discussion personal..

As a Councillor, I would approach residents, City staff and Council colleagues with the same expectation: listen first, focus on the issue, and treat people with respect even when perspectives differ. Residents should feel comfortable raising concerns or questioning decisions without being dismissed simply because their views are critical or unpopular.

I also believe elected officials set the tone. We can debate vigorously while remaining professional, and we should be willing to acknowledge when someone else makes a good point or when new information changes our perspective

Healthy disagreement can lead to better decisions when people feel heard and the discussion remains focused on solving the problem.

Respect is not the absence of disagreement. It is how we conduct ourselves when we disagree.

11. Looking Ahead

By 2030, I would want residents to be able to point to tangible improvements in how Burlington works and how City Hall serves them.

Success would mean a City that is financially disciplined and delivering better value for taxpayers where infrastructure and services are keeping pace with growth, where neighbourhoods remain safe and livable; and where residents can get timely, understandable answers from their local government.

I would also want Burlington to have made meaningful progress on housing choice, transportation and the infrastructure needed for a growing city, while protecting the qualities that make our community such a desirable place to live.

Most importantly, I would want residents to feel that their elected representatives listened, communicated openly and followed through.

I am a strong believer in measurable commitments. By 2030, I would judge my success not by how much we announced, but by what we actually accomplished and whether residents could see the difference.

12. Optional Question

One issue I believe deserves greater attention is whether municipal government is keeping its focus on the fundamentals as its responsibilities and ambitions continue to grow.

Residents experience their city through the basics: roads and sidewalks, parks and recreation, traffic, snow clearing, permits, infrastructure and whether they can get a timely response when something goes wrong. These may not always be the most exciting issues discussed at Council, but they have an enormous impact on everyday quality of life.

As Burlington grows and considers new programs and initiatives, I believe we should continually ask whether we are delivering our existing responsibilities well first. That does not mean resisting innovation or new ideas. It means ensuring they have a clear purpose, measurable benefit and sustainable cost.

A well-run city earns residents’ trust by getting the basics right, then building from a strong foundation.