Paul Boyd

AMELIASBURGH WARD 4

When asked why he is running for Council, Paul Boyd replies, “Well, here we are four years older and deeper in debt.”

The candidate for Ward 4 says his top job as councillor will be “to make sure things run right” and to create a culture of efficiency at Shire Hall. “Our biggest challenge over the next four years is our massive debt. Our challenge is to protect our small-town, rural character while managing intense, financial and growth pressure. We have a tiny permanent tax base, but face massive infrastructure demand driven by tourism and development. To prepare, we must transition from wishful thinking to strict fiscal restraint— think ‘need’ not ‘want’.”

The former vice-president of sales for Ingersoll Rand promises he will not vote for a budget until Council has “scrutinized every line of our hundred million dollar annual spend. We can redirect funds directly into improving our roads, which is the number one complaint I hear from residents. This lineby- line discipline is exactly how we reduce tax increases and protect household budgets. … As a councillor, I will advocate for a fix-it-first model for our roads and pipes. We must also aggressively demand a fair funding deal from the provincial government ensuring that visitors and developers pay for the heavy strain they place on our local services.”

Mr. Boyd says spending up to $200 million on water system upgrades is a red line he will not cross. “I will only support a regional pipeline project if senior levels of government step up with major grant funding and developers cover the remaining balance, not the taxpayer.” And he adds: “My vote on council will always prioritize maintaining and securing our existing water systems first. We cannot take on massive debt to build infrastructure for growth that hasn’t happened.”

While admitting that local politicians can’t fix global inflation, he says they can eliminate local roadblocks. He champions three fixes: 1) Simplify housing rules to cut the red tape and waive high fees for residents adding accessory homes, secondary suites or granny flats to their properties; 2) Protect housing stock by strictly enforcing short-term rental caps to stop long-term rentals from being converted into a tourist lodging; 3) Use municipal land wisely by offering underused, surplus municipal land to nonprofit housing providers at a token cost in exchange for guaranteed long-term affordable rent for local workers and seniors.

Finally, Mr. Boyd promises to represent constituents with common sense, financial discipline and independent oversight. “I am not running to build a political empire or change things for myself or approve shiny unaffordable projects. I’m running to be your watchdog and this, as you can see by the mess we’re in, has not happened for some time.”