Council candidates: Jason Frey

Introduce yourself to readers. Who are you?

Who is Jason Frey? I’m a construction professional with over 35 years of experience. Resided in Stratford since 2021. Born in Cambridge (Galt), raised in Kitchener. This is the first time stepping up to be part of council with hopes of making a difference. Numerous years of tendering projects in cities throughout Ontario allows me the unique opportunity to have knowledge of costs of city amenity and capitol structures. Involvement in other projects are the Sobeys Mall and Stratford Mall plus parking structures for Guelph and Humber College. My experiences allow collaborative options for cost savings on all projects.

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

My core issues are simple:

Reduction of taxes through proper management of the city budget by elimination of overbudgeted predictions and using proper procurement procedures.

Construction of city amenities for residents like a seniors and youth centre.

Expansion and development of current and new city run venues and events that promote and encourage city-wide involvement.

Growth of the farmers market to promote competition and allowing for lower food costs.

But all issues of this city essentially are on the list to accomplish and solve.

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?

To keep the tax levy low is to firstly ask questions of how values were obtained, costs are either tendered or budgeted values. For the 2026 budget it was noticed that the same values are spread across the new few years with no changes, so where does the excess go? It was also noted that in the description of reason that the information was pretty vague. Also, taxation on housing needs to be balanced, currently there are homes with a value of $775,000 paying $7,020/ year and $1.2 million paying $5,400 …

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?

I feel the realty industry is responsible for homes being unaffordable. Houses built for $200,000 or less are now worth $700,000 due to associated values of what it costs to build today. Housing materials cost more because wages continually increase that are used to manufacture those materials. Builders say its development fees, those fees are used for schools and infrastructure, everything has a cost, developers tend to be the ones continually getting wealthy and want to pass any liability to others. Pricing of a home should be based on tax value, this would make all older homes more affordable.

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

This topic has invested a lot of time, money and energy, it’s a love hate/ relationship for this structure. I feel council has got it wrong, they have let emotions direct decisions to refurb a dilapidated building thinking it has value. Heritage doesn’t not have to be represented in the old but could be represented in new structures, if mandated to do so. I feel the building needs to be removed, the land remediated and then sold as smaller development lots to recoup city dollars to go towards the library and other city amenity required structures, saving future tax levies.