Candidate Questionnaire - Ian Findlay (Ward 2)

1) Why did you want to run again for city council?

I am very proud of the work that I did as your City Councillor for the last four years and would like to continue to represent the residents of Ward 2.

2) What initiatives/achievements are you proud of during the last term?

The Ward 2 Blog helped connect residents of Guelph with City Hall. It became a popular forum for community discussion and information on a variety of topics. To date I have made over 1,800 postings to my blog and it has been viewed more than 225,000 times!

I also co-hosted 16 town hall meetings in Ward 2. These neighbourhood meetings allowed residents and other stakeholders the opportunity to express themselves on a variety of topics and issues.

The most high profile of these town hall gatherings was the discussions regarding the parking lot expansion at Guelph Youth Music Centre. Fortunately, most of the trees scheduled for removal were saved while maximizing the potential of the parking lot.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes

People work hard for their money and the taxes they pay should improve their lives and their community.

b) Budget

Budgets are the time of the year when difficult decisions are made about spending people's hard earned money.

c) Transit

Public transit should be efficient, reliable and affordable. In 2011, residents will start to see significant improvements at Guelph Transit. 15 minute bus service, an enhanced Sunday and holiday service, improved integration with regional transit systems and improved communications technologies are all on the horizon. Guelph Transit's future is very bright.

d) Development/Infrastructure

Guelph was very successful with infrastructure improvements over this term of Council. With strong partnerships, Guelph was able to leverage $48 million from senior levels of government. This allowed us to make many upgrades to our water and wastewater infrastructure as well as onstreet improvements such as new bicycle lanes, with minimal impact to the local property tax base.

Guelph was able to replace and repair a tremendous amount of sidewalks this year. So much so that it would have normally taken us 70 years to accomplish what we did this year alone.

e) Arts & Culture

Guelph is blessed with a thriving arts and cultural community. Creating partnerships with arts organizations and other outside agencies, we will need to continue to help leverage the creative capital that exists within our City.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

The Community Energy Initiative will be front and centre in Guelph over the next few years. This ambitious plan helps Guelph become a more sustainable community while at the same time creating good jobs.

The announcement by Canadian Solar of 500 new jobs coming to Guelph is a testament to the Community Energy Initiative's success. Lots more to come.

5) What’s your message for voters?

Ian Findlay. Working for you.