THE VISION CANNOT
BECOME A BLANK CHEQUE.
Collingwood’s long-term financial model is a reminder that we have to choose, sequence and fund projects carefully — not simply add every idea to the tax base.
4.8% is a warning. Not our future.
The 4.8% scenario shows the path we need to avoid: trying to do too much at once, with too little outside funding, and leaving taxpayers to carry too much of the cost.
That is not how I operate. My goal is to keep taxes as low as responsibly possible while we build for the future — set priorities, find efficiencies, phase projects, pursue grants and partnerships, and find better ways to pay for what we need.
I spend my life solving hard problems. We can find a better way — together.
The 4.8% figure is the Town’s own long-term modelling, not the campaign’s. Sources: Town of Collingwood 2026 Budget Book, and CollingwoodToday’s reporting of 15 September 2026 on the Town’s Long-Term Strategic Financial Modelling Tool.
FOUR RULES,
BEFORE A SHOVEL.
- Prioritize + phaseNot everything at once. Sequence projects around need, infrastructure capacity and affordability.
- Full business caseShow capital cost, operating cost, lifecycle cost, demand, revenue, risk and taxpayer impact before committing.
- External money firstActively pursue grants, cost-sharing, partners, philanthropy and eligible growth funding before relying on property tax.
- Collaborate to deliverUse sport bodies, community groups, private operators, developers, neighbouring governments and institutional partners where there is a clear public benefit.
A funding stack — not one source.
Different projects will qualify for different tools. The point is to combine eligible sources and reduce the amount that has to come from the property-tax base.
- Federal + provincial
- Capital grants, infrastructure programs and transfers.
- Growth funding
- Development charges and developer front-ending or cost-sharing where eligible.
- Reserves
- Existing reserve and reserve-fund contributions for planned or lifecycle work.
- Partners
- Sport bodies, education and health partners, nonprofits, foundations and regional cost-sharing.
- Private + philanthropic
- Donations, naming rights, sponsorships and fundraising.
- Earned revenue
- Leases, concessions, rentals, events, commercial space and user fees.
- Long-term debt
- Debentures for long-lived assets only after affordability and lifecycle testing.
- Land + delivery
- Ground leases, land partnerships or other structures where they lower long-term public cost.
Not every source applies to every project. Eligibility, risk and long-term public value have to be tested case by case.
This page is page 15 of the Vision for Collingwood, typed out so it can be read, searched, quoted and enlarged. Nothing here is new policy — if this page and the document ever disagree, the document is the one I signed.