Fighting For Our Fair Share In Orléans East-Cumberland

After eight years of the status quo Orléans East-Cumberland has one of the lowest rates of return on taxpayer dollars.
For too long our community has been shortchanged on investment for transit, road and sidewalk maintenance, recreation and public spaces.
Barbara will bring a strong voice to City Hall and fight for our local priorities every single day.

Restoring Our Local Bus Network

The O-Train East is only one piece of the puzzle in serving the transit needs of Ward 1 residents. Orléans East-Cumberland needs a convenient, affordable and accessible bus network that connects our rural and suburban communities to the rest of the city.
It’s time to restore the bus lines that work for students, commuters and local businesses - short distance, express and night service routes.
Without a reliable bus network in Orléans East-Cumberland we are not only limiting access to our communities, but to our local economy as well.

Increased Police Response And Traffic Enforcement

Feeling safe in our communities shapes every aspect of our daily lives. It’s at the heart of what makes our neighbourhoods feel like home.
Increased police response to safety concerns and targeted enforcement during peak speeding hours are essential to building safer, thriving communities.

Permanent Funding And Expansion of ANCHOR (Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response)

Permanent funding of ANCHOR and a citywide expansion of the program will ensure that the right services are deployed for crisis support within our communities, providing critical first points of contact to vulnerable individuals experiencing mental health struggles, substance abuse and homelessness.

Stronger Climate Resilience

Urban trees in Canada neutralize about 2.5 million metric tonnes of atmospheric carbon every year. Expanding the quality and coverage of our tree canopy will improve air quality and reduce temperatures by two to five degrees in urban centres, mitigating extreme heat risks and Urban Heat Island effects. Expanding and improving our tree cover is also an effective way to reduce run off and manage stormwater to decrease risks of flood.
An integrated approach of investment in nature based solutions, renewable energy and climate adapted infrastructure will strengthen our foundations for sustainable growth.

Protecting And Expanding Our Precious Green Space

With rising concerns of climate instability, protecting and expanding our urban forests, green spaces and advocating for biodiversity conservation are all recognized as natural climate solutions integral to protecting our quality of life.

Transparency In Spending

Ensuring that residents of Orléans East-Cumberland receive a stronger rate of return on their taxpayer dollars is key to bridging the funding gap for city infrastructure and core services. In today’s uncertain economy families have to look at smarter spending in their household budgets and the city should be doing the same.
Barbara will advocate for increased transparency in spending on procurement and major contracts, stronger oversight on cost overruns and streamlining a wasteful procurement system, to redirect tax payer dollars back to the services, programs and infrastructure that residents rely on.

Road Closure Coordination Committee

Between 2023 and 2024 there were nearly 1200 full or partial road closures that affected Highway 174 and other critical East end corridors, many of which were poorly communicated or took place without advance notice.
Barbara will advocate for a Road Closure Coordination Committee to provide stronger oversight on road repair and construction projects in Orléans East-Cumberland and across the city.
The Road Closure Coordination Committee would ensure that every effort is made well in advance to coordinate and communicate all road closures in a clear and timely manner.
In addition the committee would ensure that viable routes continue to exist for commuters throughout construction, reduce the scale and duration of neighbourhood impacts and combine projects to avoid reconstruction.
This strategic monthly oversight would provide the ability to better communicate construction schedules to the public and  provide the follow through required to stick to those schedules.

Supporting Local Community Associations

Community associations do the incredible work of building stronger connections between residents and improving our quality of life.
Since 2022, our community associations in Orléans East-Cumberland have grown in number and have become local leaders in climate action and community safety.
Barbara will work to support and expand these important initiatives and partner with our local community associations to build a stronger future for Orléans East-Cumberland.

Safe Drinking Water in Schools

The municipality plays a critical role in testing for lead in the drinking water at our local schools. However, a passing grade in Ontario is still in most cases considered a lead exceedance at the federal level by Health Canada.
After learning that her son’s school had a decades long history of lead exceedances in the drinking water, Barbara advocated for and secured carbon filters for potable faucets, as well as increased testing of water fountains through the OCDSB.
Barbara will advocate that no amount of lead in our children’s drinking water is safe and will fight for comprehensive testing across our schools, upgrades to aging infrastructure and for carbon filters installed on all potable faucets, as an interim solution to keeping our children safe.

Open Door Constituency Office

An open door policy for the Ward 1 constituency office will allow residents to drop in with their enquiries, in addition to the option of booking an appointment in advance.
Holding pop up hours at coffee shops, parks and community centres across Orléans East-Cumberland  will provide flexible opportunities for residents to connect and be heard.

Bi-Weekly Newsletter

Open communication and useful information will be at the core of every bi-weekly newsletter.
Clear, easy to understand developments on citywide and local ward issues, council debates and community events will be highlighted to keep residents informed and updated.

Accessible Voting Record

Council sessions are recorded, but voting results are not made available to constituents in an easy to find manner.
Barbara will advocate for a transparent and accessible method of tracking votes at City Hall and will always make her voting record clear.

Supporting New Business

A stronger local economy begins with a streamlined process for new businesses wanting to open their doors in our community. Reducing fees, cutting red tape, simplifying the bureaucratic process and facilitating easier access to municipal grants and programs will provide more opportunity for unique and local businesses to set up and grow in Orléans East-Cumberland.

Expanding Bilingual Child Care Options For Families

Before the $10-a-Day Child Care Program was implemented, Ontario families paid the highest fees for child care in Canada, ranging from $20 to $48 per child, per day. At the current halfway point of the federal agreement with Ontario, families with access to child care have seen their fees reduced by fifty percent, a savings of approximately $8600 per year.
However, Ontario’s implementation of the program has been slow, financial support to municipalities has been frozen and the failure to incentivize new early childhood educators and build more spaces has resulted in longer waitlists.
Barbara will advocate for designated child care spaces to be included in all urban plans for subdivisions and development and fight for the funding due to our municipality, to ensure that families have continued access to the affordable, bilingual child care they need in Orléans East-Cumberland.

Freezing OC Transpo Fares & Expanding Free Transit For Youth

Freezing OC Transpo fares will offer financial relief to regular commuters, boost ridership and help restore public trust in our transit service, while ensuring that transportation remains within reach for seniors, families and students.
Expanding free transit for youth will lower household expenses for families, provide better access to opportunities - jobs, volunteering, social activities and sports - and build lifelong transit habits that are empowered by safe, independent travel throughout our communities.

Expanding Bilingual Recreation Programs

Recreation programs improve community well being, social connectedness, individual health and boost the local economy. Neighbourhoods are strengthened when recreation facilities become community anchors offering opportunities for skill development, learning and personal growth.
Adding outdoor recreation encourages a connection to nature, environmental conservation and has a positive effect on physical and mental health.
Expanding access to affordable, bilingual recreation programs for youth, families and seniors will build stronger, thriving communities in Orléans East-Cumberland.

Investing In Barrier Free Cycling Infrastructure

Thriving communities have equitable public spaces accessible to everyone.
Barbara will advocate for protected cycling lanes, removal of access barriers, incentives for local businesses to install bike parking racks that accommodate standard, non-standard and cargo bikes and for bike lanes and walking paths to be maintained to the same standards as roads year round.

Windrow Arms For Snow Plows

During periods of heavy snowfall, city snow plows can pile up to several feet of snow at the end of residents’ driveways. This heavy snow barrier can become a serious issue for seniors, emergency vehicles needing to access a property, or homeowners just trying to start their morning commute.
Barbara will advocate for windrow arms - snow plows that are equipped with an extra arm to clear the bottom of a driveway without leaving a heavy layer of snow. In the winter months, Orléans East-Cumberland residents should not have to dig themselves out of a snowbank of the city’s making.