Answers to some Mayoral Questions...

Thank you for asking these questions. They deserve detailed answers. I’m am posting this on my page as I feel it will reach more people than in the blog.

I’m running for Mayor because I believe Sarnia has spent enough time talking about plans. We need to start executing them, measuring the results and publicly reporting whether we are succeeding or failing.

Here is what I would work toward over my first four years.

1. Changing Sarnia’s image

I will never apologize for Chemical Valley. Industry built this community, provides thousands of good-paying jobs and remains one of our greatest economic strengths. Generations of skilled workers and our labour unions helped build that success, and they deserve our respect.

But it doesn’t have to be our only identity.

I want Sarnia known for advanced manufacturing, energy, skilled trades, technology, tourism, our waterfront and quality of life.

My goal would be to aggressively market Sarnia as a place where companies can invest, workers can afford to live and families can build a future.

Instead of simply waiting for investors to find us, I believe the Mayor should be one of Sarnia’s chief salespeople.

2. Homelessness and housing

Homelessness cannot be solved by the City of Sarnia alone. Lambton County has major responsibility for housing and social services, while healthcare and addiction treatment involve the Province and healthcare system.

But that doesn’t mean the City sits on its hands.

I would bring the City, County, healthcare providers, police, housing organizations and community agencies to one table with measurable objectives. Lambton County and community partners are already investing in services and supports, including initiatives connected to the former SCITS site.

We need more attainable housing, supportive housing where appropriate, faster movement from emergency shelter into stable housing and better coordination between agencies.

At the same time, compassion cannot mean abandoning neighbourhoods, parks or businesses.

People experiencing homelessness deserve dignity and help. Residents and businesses also deserve safe neighbourhoods and public spaces.

We can do both.

3. Addiction and public safety

Addiction is primarily a health issue, but its consequences can become very real public-safety issues.

My approach would have two parts:

Treatment and accountability.

I would advocate aggressively to the Province for additional detox, treatment, mental-health and recovery resources in Sarnia-Lambton.

Police should not be expected to solve addiction, homelessness and mental illness by themselves.

At the same time, open drug activity, violence, theft, vandalism and threatening behaviour cannot simply become accepted as normal.

Help needs to be available for people who want it, while laws protecting the rest of the community still need to be enforced.

4. Economic and population growth

This is one of my biggest priorities.

I want Sarnia pursuing:

• Advanced manufacturing

• Petrochemical and energy investment

• Hydrogen and emerging energy technologies

• Data centres and technology infrastructure

• Agricultural and greenhouse development

• Skilled-trades employers

• Supply-chain and logistics businesses

• Companies that complement the industries already operating here

I am particularly interested in the potential of the Bluewater Business Park and our other employment lands.

Imagine attracting a major data centre and then finding opportunities to capture waste heat for neighbouring greenhouse or industrial operations.

That’s the type of economic ecosystem we should be thinking about.

And I wouldn’t simply delegate economic development and wait for an annual report.

As Mayor, I will personally participate in selling Sarnia to investors.

5. Waterfront redevelopment

Our waterfront should be one of Sarnia’s greatest economic assets.

I want a long-term waterfront master plan that connects recreation, restaurants, small businesses, tourism, events, housing where appropriate, public spaces and private investment.

The City should establish the vision, infrastructure and planning framework and then create opportunities for private investment rather than expecting taxpayers to finance everything.

I want people to come downtown and to our waterfront and have reasons to stay, eat, shop, play and spend money.

But there is an important condition:

We fix the basics while we build the future.

I will not support beautiful new projects while ignoring failing roads, water mains, sewers and other core infrastructure.

6. Accountability

This may be the biggest difference in how I intend to govern.

Residents should not have to wait until the next election to determine whether their Mayor delivered.

I want a public City Hall performance dashboard showing residents, in understandable language:

• Where tax dollars are coming from

• Where they are being spent

• Capital projects and their original budgets

• Actual project costs

• Infrastructure completed each year

• Debt

• Reserves

• Grants received

• Development activity

• Building permits

• New industrial and commercial assessment

• Major project timelines

• Progress on Council’s major commitments

I would also push for a comprehensive financial and operational review early in the term to identify inefficiencies and determine where money can be redirected toward our priorities.

Then every year I want us asking a very simple question:

What did we promise, what did we accomplish, what did it cost, and what comes next?

What should Sarnia look like after four years?

I am not going to promise that every problem accumulated over decades can be fixed in four years.

But residents should be able to physically see progress.

By the end of my first term, I want residents to see:

1. A serious long-term infrastructure recovery program underway, prioritizing our oldest and worst roads, water mains and sewers.

2. New industrial and commercial investment, expanding the tax base so homeowners aren’t continually expected to carry the burden.

3. Visible waterfront progress, with projects moving from studies and drawings into construction and private investment.

4. A more coordinated response to homelessness, addiction and public safety, with clear responsibilities and measurable outcomes.

5. A fundamentally more transparent City Hall, where residents can easily see where their money goes and whether their government is delivering.

And there is something else I would measure:

Are we leaving Sarnia financially stronger than we found it?

I run a business. I understand that plans, consultants and presentations don’t mean much if nothing actually gets accomplished.

I’ve spent years looking at City Hall from the outside and asking where the money goes, why certain decisions are made and whether taxpayers are receiving value.

Give me four years on the inside and I intend to find out.

My philosophy is simple:

Fix the basics.

Build the future.

Grow the tax base.

Measure the results.

Show taxpayers where every dollar went.

At the end of four years, I don’t want residents to judge me by speeches or Facebook posts.

Judge me by the results.

— Scott Molson

Candidate for Mayor of Sarnia