West Lincoln, Ontario – 2024 Municipal By-Election

NewsNow is pleased to provide space for all municipal election candidates who took the time to submit their views for voters in Grimsby, Lincoln & West Lincoln to consider. All submissions are published verbatim.

Gord MacCharles

Why should I vote for you?

You should vote for me, because I am you, I am not a politician but a concerned citizen. I spent my career maximizing efficiency, looking at problems and finding better and more cost-effective solutions, and streamlining workloads. Should I be elected, I will be coming in with an open mind, without any preconceived notions of how the system should run. Something I’ve heard variations of over the years and never really understood, was “this is how it’s done, because we’ve always done it this way”. I will bring a fresh perspective to our council, looking out for your best interests.

What do you think your strong suit as a councillor would be?

I am an active listener and an analytical person. I intend to challenge our constituents to become active in our towns decision making process, and to represent the voice of all our people. I want to ensure that it is not only the interests of a select few who are heard in council, but that all decisions will be made with the best of intentions for everyone. I will not settle on a decision without flushing out all outcomes and avenues to get there. I promise that if I do not have an answer, I will find one for you.

What is the most important matter facing West Lincoln’s future?

We need well planned, responsible, and sustainable growth, and we need to ensure that our community and small-town charm is not lost in the coming expansion. We need to focus on ensuring our commercial growth matches our residential growth, like additional childcare and medical centres for the growing number of families on waiting lists, and a budget friendly grocery store, like Food Basics or No Frills, to assist those in our community on a fixed budget. Growth may be inevitable, but we can control the pace of that growth to make sure it does not get out of hand.

500-Word Candidate Comments

Smithville is my home, and the place that my wife and I chose to raise our family. Our oldest child attends Cairn Christian School here, and we are proud members of Smithville Presbyterian Church. Having grown up in the east end of Hamilton on the Stoney Creek boarder, we remember growing up just minutes away from apple and cherry orchards that no longer exist. My goal will be to help protect the agricultural side of our beautiful town in the coming years, so that as we continue to grow, we do not lose the magnificence that has drawn us all here together.

The more common issues brought to my attention so far while campaigning, include the affordability of living here and what we have to offer. I will do everything possible to keep our taxes reasonable and ensure those tax dollars go back into our community in a manner that will enrich the lives of all our residents. We have a large senior population, and many are concerned that they have to go into Grimsby to enjoy seniors’ programs, we need to revisit and revise our approach to what we have to offer them, as no one should have to leave town for enjoyment that we currently have the facilities and means to provide. Another concern is that we need to improve upon is our summer day camp programs, as the increase in families moving to West Lincoln has made it extremely difficult for families to enroll their children in those programs. In today’s economy most families have both parents working, which can put additional stress on them when summer comes, and we need to do all we can to help alleviate those pressures wherever possible.

It is not just taxes that have people worried though, it is also the matter of finding somewhere they can afford to live, and the hope that their children will be able to find somewhere local when their time comes to leave the nest. I am hoping to not only drive commercial growth, but also to promote an increase in affordable housing options for our citizens both now and in the years to come. Smithville is a beautiful place to live, and we need to expand those options to even the playing field for all.

Another area I will focus on, is the safety and security of our residents. I have heard complaints about an increase in theft in our community, and a general worry about road safety. Our neighbours have noticed not only an increase in drivers not obeying the speed limits, but also a disregard for our crosswalks, especially through our core. I intend to do everything possible to lobby NRPS for an increased police presence, nothing drastic, but enough to deter any undesirable activity, and keep our town the safe place that people are happy and comfortable raising their families.

With your support, I will be the voice of the people, ensuring that your ideas and concerns make it to council.