Re-Elect Gary Burroughs to
Niagara-on-the-Lake Town Council

Meet Gary Burroughs

Town Councillor, Niagara-on-the-Lake

I have lived in Niagara on the Lake for most of my life. My children grew up here and, while they have moved away, their children, my grandchildren, are frequent visitors. I am passionate about our Town. There is much to be done and issues to deal with. I want to continue to contribute as your Councillor.

I have considerable experience in both local politics and in the private sector. I have served this community over many years as Regional Chair and Councillor and Lord Mayor and Town Councillor. I started my career in public accounting. I was the owner- operator of the Oban Inn for many years. I was a controller and treasurer for a small business in the aerospace industry.

Learn More

What I Stand For

K

I live in the Old Town but recognize that Niagara on the Lake is much more than the Old Town. We are a diverse community. We need a vibrant Virgil business and residential community. We must ensure that services, like health care and the health centre, are accessible to all residents.

We must deal with the sewage plant, busing and jet boats in Queenston, the roundabout and swimming pool in St Davids and student housing and growth plans and related Regional costs, in Glendale. We have a rural community with their own issues, including environmental issues and the impact of climate change. I support diversity in our community.

Controlled and compatible development

Growth is inevitable and necessary. We need a comprehensive approach to deal with developers, development and heritage . Development cannot be solely for the benefit of developers.

We must encourage developers who listen to and work with us. If they have multiple projects planned or underway, we must have a consolidated view of their vision for our community.

We need to deal with land we own, like the former hospital, high-profile development proposals such as Randwood, Parliament Oak, and the school property in Queenston, zoning of existing institutional property and issues likely to arise from implementation of the Official Plan and the Province’s Housing Affordability Task Force Report.

Proactive management of tourism

Tourism is an integral part of our community. We will always welcome day visitors who stroll through the Old Town and visit our parks and beaches. However, working with the Chamber of Commerce, we need to do more to ensure visitors stay in our lodgings, eat in our restaurants and visit the Shaw Theatre, our historic sites and our wineries.

We must work with the Province and the Region to manage traffic and access to parking. We should promote the development and use of Niagara Shores. We must be aware of and manage the impact of tourism on residents, including short term rentals.

A thriving wine industry and agri-business

We have world class tender fruit and vegetable farms, nurseries, vineyards and wineries. We have an Agriculture Committee to advise Council.

We must support them on issues such as the environment and climate change, water sources and the enforcement of land fill regulations. We must preserve the Greenbelt and urban boundaries. We must coordinate with the province on many of these issues.rite a description for this tab and include information that will interest site visitors.

For example, if you are using tabs to show different services, write about what makes each service unique. If you are using tabs to display restaurant items, write about what makes a specific dish particularly worthwhile or delicious.

Transparency in our relations with Townspeople

We must continue to improve processes and transparency in dealings within and between Council, Town staff. There has been significant improvement under our new CAO.

We still need to find and hire people in a number of senior positions. Town staff, through our CAO, must respond to the wishes of Council. Council and staff exist to serve residents, the taxpayers. They must be informed and involved. Residents must understand how they can be heard and know that they will be.