Mayoral Candidate Justin Perks

Q1: Meaford is experiencing dynamic growth. How do you see ratepayers’ involvement in that growth? What role do you see the community playing in establishing the common direction and longer-term priorities?

Growth should be something we shape together, not something residents feel is happening to them. 

I believe ratepayers should be involved early, while there is still an opportunity to influence the direction. That means community meetings across the municipality, clear information about proposed changes, and opportunities to comment both online and in person. 

We need to ask residents some straightforward questions. What should we protect? Where does new housing make sense? What infrastructure needs attention first? What kind of community do we want our children to inherit? 

Those answers should help shape our planning and spending priorities. Council should then explain how public input influenced its decisions. 

I support responsible investment, housing and opportunities for local businesses. However, growth must pay its fair share, respect neighbouring properties and protect what makes Meaford special. 

Whether you live downtown, on a farm or in one of our rural communities, your voice deserves to be heard. 

One Municipality, Every Community. 

Q2: Would you support the development of an active community-based Advisory Committee for planning and development?

Yes. I would support a Planning and Development Advisory Committee with meaningful community representation and a clear purpose. 

Its membership should reflect the people affected by planning decisions, including residents, farmers, local businesses and people with experience in building, housing, accessibility and environmental protection. It should include different perspectives, not just people who already agree with one another. 

I would want the committee to help identify long-term priorities, review opportunities to improve our planning policies and recommend ways to make the process clearer and more practical. 

Its purpose should not be to create another approval layer or make a homeowner’s renovation more complicated. It should help us make better decisions and identify problems earlier. 

Most importantly, its recommendations should reach Council and receive a clear response. Asking residents to volunteer their time means taking their work seriously. 

Q3: Currently, Meaford Council has just two Advisory Committees: Heritage and Accessibility. Prior to this current Council, there were seven advisory committees. Given that advisory committees facilitate public input into important matters, would you reinstate other advisory committees? And how would you ensure they are used effectively in the next term of Council?

Yes. I would support restoring additional advisory committees where they can provide useful advice and meaningful public involvement. 

Areas I would consider include agriculture and rural affairs, economic development, and recreation and community services. I would review the previous committees, speak with former members and identify where their work could make the greatest difference. 

However, success should not be measured by how many committees we create. It should be measured by what they accomplish. 

Each committee should have a clear mandate, an annual work plan, reasonable staff support and a regular opportunity to bring recommendations to Council. Council should explain whether it accepts those recommendations and, when it does not, why. 

Membership should be selected openly and reflect different communities and experiences. 

I do not want committees that meet simply to produce minutes. I want committees whose work helps solve problems and gives residents a genuine voice. 

Q4: What is the role of Council and the Municipality in supporting the development of downtown Meaford? In rural areas? Please provide examples.

Council should create the conditions for local businesses and communities to succeed. That means dependable infrastructure, clear rules, fair treatment and a municipality that works with people. 

Downtown, I would focus on clean and safe streets, accessible sidewalks, practical parking, attractive public spaces and support for existing businesses. I would work with merchants on events, tourism and improvements that encourage people to visit throughout the year. We should protect our heritage while making it practical to maintain, improve and reuse buildings. 

In rural areas, the priorities include roads and bridges that support agriculture, reliable maintenance and a sensible approach to property improvements. 

A farmer building a shed, a homeowner renovating a house or someone opening a small business should receive clear requirements and reasonable timelines. 

For example, I would work with staff to identify avoidable delays and repeated requests in the building and planning process. 

Supporting growth does not mean lowering safety or environmental standards. It means removing unnecessary frustration and making responsible investment easier throughout Meaford. 

Q5: What role does Meaford’s “Official Plan” have in guiding development?

The Official Plan sets the direction for how and where Meaford grows. It guides land-use decisions and provides the framework for zoning. It has legal status under Ontario’s Planning Act, so it is more than a statement of good intentions. 

I believe it should provide residents and property owners with confidence about what to expect in their communities. 

It should help us welcome appropriate housing and investment while protecting farmland, natural areas, heritage and the character of our neighbourhoods. 

At the same time, an Official Plan needs to respond to changing community needs. An amendment can be appropriate, but it must have a sound planning basis and follow the proper process. Grey County is the approval authority for Meaford’s Official Plan and its amendments. 

My approach is to respect the plan, apply it consistently and consider changes openly. We should not casually change the rules for a particular developer, nor should we use planning policy as an excuse to block every sensible improvement.  

Q6: If a development project does not appear to meet Official Plan requirements (like the SkyDev proposal), what should Council do to ensure the project is in the best interest of Meaford and its citizens?

Council should first establish the facts. I would ask for a clear explanation of which policies apply, where the proposal may fall short and what changes or approvals would be required. 

Residents should be able to understand that explanation without needing a planning degree. 

I would expect careful consideration of traffic, infrastructure capacity, environmental effects, building scale and impacts on neighbouring properties. Where necessary, I would support independent technical review. 

If changes are needed, the applicant should address them through the proper process. I would not support an application simply because a developer has already invested money or wants a faster decision. 

For SkyDev specifically, the Municipality’s project page records that zoning was approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal in December 2022 and lists subsequent minor variance and site plan appeals. We must distinguish existing approvals from matters still being decided. 

I support responsible development, but not development at any cost. Decisions must be fair, legally sound and focused on Meaford’s long-term interests. 

Q7: Should Council members or municipal staff meet with developers prior to a development application being submitted? What is your understanding of them role in such meetings? Can you give us an example of what you would do in that position?

Yes. Early discussions can help identify problems before considerable time and money are spent. Meaford already recommends formal pre-consultation with planning staff before major planning applications. 

Staff should explain the planning requirements, identify necessary studies and help applicants understand the process. 

As Mayor, my role would be to listen, explain our community’s priorities and ask questions. It would not be to promise an approval, negotiate special treatment or pressure staff to overlook requirements. 

For example, if someone proposed a retirement community, I would ask about accessibility, housing costs, water and sewer needs, traffic and impacts on nearby residents. I would then connect the proponent with planning staff and encourage early engagement with the surrounding community. 

I would support documenting substantive meetings through an appropriate municipal process and making information public wherever legally possible. 

We should be approachable and open to responsible investment. However, access to the Mayor should never be a shortcut around fair rules or public involvement. 

Q8: There are many issues that need to be addressed in the coming four-year term, including the TCE pumped energy project, affordable housing, job creation, the downtown heritage district, business development, climate change, tourism, and a host of infrastructure needs supporting agriculture, bridges, roads, water and sewer and urban green spaces. What, in your opinion, are the most urgent issues to address?

My first priority is responsible spending and essential infrastructure. I want a clear, affordable plan for roads, bridges, water, wastewater and municipal facilities, based on urgency, condition and long-term cost. 

Second is housing and local economic opportunity. I want to make responsible building easier, support existing businesses and encourage housing options for working families and seniors. Clear rules and reasonable timelines should be the standard. 

Third is protecting our environment and residents. That includes opposing the TCE pumped storage proposal and demanding proper examination of its potential effects. It also means practical climate preparation through better drainage, stormwater management, protection of natural areas and more resilient infrastructure. 

A safe, welcoming downtown and strong rural communities must remain central to these priorities. Heritage, tourism, agriculture and local businesses should be supported together, not treated as competing interests. 

I also want a realistic recreation plan, including examining a recreation centre’s capital costs, operating costs, grants and fundraising opportunities. 

We cannot responsibly promise everything at once. We can establish priorities, explain the costs and start delivering measurable progress. 

Q9: The TCE Pumped Storage Proposal will be decided by the federal government. What is your position on the project, and what role do you think the Meaford Council has as the project moves through approvals?

I oppose the proposed TC Energy pumped storage project. 

I am concerned about its potential effects on Georgian Bay, neighbouring properties, our environment and residents’ quality of life. 

I also have serious concerns about a private organization’s proposed use of land at our military base. Our base must remain a pillar of our national security. National defence, military training and operational readiness must come before private commercial interests. 

As Mayor, I would seek completely independent legal, environmental and technical advice on the project and the municipality’s obligations. That advice must not be paid for by TC Energy. 

Federal and provincial authorities have approval responsibilities. I would not pretend the Mayor alone can cancel the project, but Council must represent Meaford throughout the process. 

I would ensure residents’ concerns are formally submitted and advocate directly to the governments making the decisions. 

I will stand up to large corporations when their interests conflict with Meaford’s well-being. If even one taxpaying landowner is negatively affected, I will stand up and fight for that person. 

Every voice matters. I work for the people of Meaford, not the corporation proposing the project. 

Q10: As a member of Council, how will you work with local and county/regional partners and Meaford's CAO and staff to move the Municipality forward on the issues listed in Q8? Can you provide any examples?

I would start with clear priorities, respectful working relationships and shared accountability. 

Council’s role includes representing residents, setting policy and overseeing municipal services and finances. Staff provide professional advice and carry out Council’s decisions. A productive relationship requires respect for those different responsibilities. 

Early in the term, I would work with Council and the CAO on a practical action plan identifying what we intend to accomplish, who is responsible, what it will cost and how progress will be reported. 

For example, I would work with Grey County, housing providers and community organizations on attainable housing and options for seniors. I would bring farmers, businesses and relevant road authorities together to identify important transportation and bridge needs. 

I would also work with planning staff, residents and local builders to improve the development process without compromising standards. 

For major infrastructure and recreation projects, I would actively pursue provincial and federal partnerships and funding.