Council candidates: Ian Morton

Introduce yourself to readers. Who are you?

I am Ian Morton, an educator and community builder. I am in my 27th year of teaching in and around Stratford. The last 27 years have been about serving the people of Stratford and beyond. I volunteered as chair of Stratford’s Energy & Environment Committee and as vice-chair of the Active Transportation Committee. I served on my union executive, ETFO, and St. Marys Curling Club board. I am the founder and head coach of Stratford Sabrecats Track Club and coach with the University of Guelph. I bring invaluable experience building partnerships, building community, listening and collaborating to solve complex problems.

What are the core issues you are focused on this election?

The next four years must be focused on creative and responsible solutions in Stratford. We must build actual affordable housing and create affordability measures for families. We must provide needed supports and supportive housing for our unhoused. We must respect tax dollars, while continuing to provide necessary services. We must responsibly start development on the Cooper site, mixing public space with housing and commercial opportunities. We need more active transportation capacity, and transit must be improved. We must responsibly and creatively develop our city to reduce the additional infrastructure demands of sprawl and to in-fill where existing services exist.

Next year’s budget, like last year’s, will be presented and guided by the mayor. As a councillor, what will you do to keep the tax levy low?

First, hear from residents! Councillors' job is to listen to residents, highlighting their concerns for budget priorities. Tax levies must be tied to inflation at the highest, to reduce stress on our families. Thus, careful examination of priorities and spending must take place around existing funding levels. To deal with new issues there may need to be reductions in other areas, a tightening of the belt of the city. Lastly, we are in need of new revenue, more industry brings more taxes and new sources, such as a vacant property tax should be explored by staff. We can do better.

Housing and homelessness in Stratford continues to be a challenge. What, in your opinion, is the strategy the city should be taking in building more homes and/or improving affordability?

More affordable homes as well as affordability measures for residents are completely within city council’s capabilities. We must stop the sprawl immediately, reducing its massive infrastructure demands and future responsibilities. We must focus on infill and housing intensity within our existing infrastructure and create more sustainable and resilient infrastructure to reduce future costs. We must demand more affordable options from developers. We must embrace below-market and alternative housing models. We can help the Local scale up their affordable grocery offerings for residents. We should offer free transit to reduce residents' costs. This is a start to providing an affordable Stratford.

Are you in favour of the current council’s direction on the GTR? If not, what strategy would you be in favour of?

I mostly support the current direction of council. We need this space to house a downtown community hub. A place for Stratfordians and visitors to enjoy! The library should absolutely be the centrepiece here. I believe the city would be best served by creating our own community recreation space, including a long needed indoor pool, to join the library. We can’t fund development of the space alone. We must embrace private investment and push for affordable housing while allowing commercial opportunities. We can’t put this space on the back of taxpayers, we can only afford so much as a city.