Two-thirds of our current city council (66.6%) have served for two terms or more. During their tenure, Owen Sound has continued to decline — the population has shrunk since many of them first took office, and our median after-tax household income has fallen to just $57,600. That means half of our residents are now struggling to make ends meet, even as council debates spending $25 million on an expanded Art Gallery. Meanwhile, rent prices have risen steadily, and homelessness has surged since the current mayor first joined council in 2010. It’s time for a change. These long-serving members should make way for a new generation of residents — people with fresh ideas and a real commitment to improving life for everyone in Owen Sound.  At the end of this current term their time on council will be:

Three years ago, Owen Sound residents went to the polls hoping for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and compassionate leadership.
Instead, we got:

• Unkept promises on budget oversight

• Silenced residents during public questions

• Wasteful spending on consultants and bureaucratic growth

• Neglected priorities, as housing insecurity and inequality deepen

At the midpoint of this term, it was clear: we elected a council that talks about change—but delivers more of the same.

Deputy Mayor Scott Greig pledged in 2022 to create a Budget Committee for better spending oversight.

Three years later?  No committee. No change. Instead:

• $100,000+ on studies for a $25 million art gallery expansion

• $85,000 for a “Vision 2050” plan—while refusing to publish the resident survey

• Claims that there’s “no money” to remove barriers for diverse council candidates

• Ignored objective financial analysis

• Protected the status quo

• Repeatedly put staff priorities over public priorities

All this while over half of Owen Sound households take home under $57,600 per year.

We won’t fix this by waiting.

We’ll fix it by electing better councillors—people who will:

• Demand accountability

• Control unnecessary spending

• Listen to all residents, not just insiders

• Make compassion and fiscal sense co-exist

Let’s get organized now. Let’s support and encourage candidates who are ready to lead with integrity, humility, and purpose.

The 2026 election could be the last opportunity to stop the decline

We need to act now before it's too late - get involved in our city's future!

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