Steven Haase

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to address both encampments and permanent housing.candidate's own words

I'd support Woolwich publishing a full inventory of township-owned land and buildings that are surplus or underused, and offering suitable sites to non-profit housing providers on long-term, low-cost leases. The Region already funds and runs housing and support services, so the township's most useful contribution is land in the right places: close to transit, groceries and health services in our communities. A site like that could hold supportive or transitional units first and permanent affordable homes later. That gives outreach workers a real indoor option to offer, which matters because enforcement should only happen when someone has somewhere adequate to go. It also means the township isn't building or running housing itself. It's putting public assets to work alongside partners who already know how to do this work. I'd want the inventory to be public and updated every year, so residents can see what the township owns and how it's being used. Woolwich doesn't have the scale of encampments that larger cities do, but every community in the Region should take on part of the solution.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words

I want more homes in Woolwich, especially affordable ones. That means supporting things like secondary suites, garden homes, and modest apartment buildings on main streets, at a scale that fits each village. Building within existing communities uses roads, pipes and services we already pay for, which is better for both the township budget and the environment. That's also why I'm asking council and the township to respect the four-storey guideline in downtown St. Jacobs. I'm not trying to stop growth. I want it in places where it strengthens the village and its character without adding costs to future taxpayers.

• Adjust signal timing, curb use, or intersection design
• Prioritize active transportation improvements during routine resurfacing
• Focus improvements around schools, transit corridors, and commercial areas

1. Use transit to shape land use
2. Prioritize lower-cost or incremental transit improvements
3. Prioritize maximizing operational efficiency
4. Prioritize expanding coverage area
5. Invest in rapid transit to anchor growth

No, maintain the current system where property owners clear adjacent sidewalks

Yes, for specific groups

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on transportation?candidate's own words

In Woolwich, transportation also means gravel roads, with farm equipment and horse-drawn buggies sharing the road with commuters. I've heard from residents who pay significant property taxes and still have roads that are poorly maintained or plowed badly in winter. Keeping our existing roads and shoulders safe and in good repair should come before new projects. That's especially true on busy stretches like Arthur Street, where buggies, cyclists and cars all travel together.

If you selected "Yes, for specific groups" above, which groups?candidate's own words

Seniors (ex. extend Older Adult Day Pass pilot), Youth (age 12 and under)

Please describe one criterion or principle that should not be compromised when making transit investment decisions.candidate's own words

Transit works best when it serves places where people already live, work and shop, and when new homes and businesses are planned close to good service. In St. Jacobs, Route 21 is well used because it runs through the village and connects to the ION, so people can get to work without a car. Growth and transit should be planned together so that more routes work like that one.

Please name one specific street, corridor, or project where you would prioritize these changes.candidate's own words

I'd focus on the connections between the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market, the village and Elmira. Two practical fixes would go a long way. First, clear signage from the market to the Health Valley Trail. The trail already gives people a pleasant, car-free way into the village, but visitors at the market often don't know it's there. Good wayfinding is inexpensive, and it would bring more of the market's Saturday crowds into village shops without adding traffic to the road. Second, Arthur Street between St. Jacobs and Elmira. The wide shoulder, separated from traffic by rumble strips, is a good design. Horse-drawn buggies and cyclists share it every day. But it's a very busy road, and that shoulder only works if it's kept clear, smooth and well marked. I'd push for regular sweeping and repairs, and clear signs reminding drivers to share the road. As traffic grows, the township and Region should also look at whether a more permanent barrier or dedicated path is needed between the two communities.

Describe one concrete policy, incentive, or decision you would prioritize to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Where possible, explain how it balances environmental goals with fiscal responsibility.candidate's own words

When township equipment wears out, replace it with the option that delivers the lowest cost and emissions over its lifetime, not the one that's cheapest to buy. Woolwich's arenas, community centres and other buildings use a lot of energy. Every time a furnace, roof, lighting system or ice plant comes due for replacement, there's a chance to switch to something more efficient, like heat pumps, LED lighting or heat recovery from the ice plant. These choices often cost more up front but save money on energy for decades, and grants such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Municipal Fund can cover part of the gap. This approach doesn't add new spending. It improves decisions the township already has to make. Emissions go down, operating costs go down, and residents can see the numbers. The township already has an energy conservation plan, and I'd want each year's results reported publicly so people can see what we're saving.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on sustainability?candidate's own words

In Woolwich, sustainability starts with protecting what we already have. Working farmland and our groundwater can't be replaced once they're gone. Many rural residents depend on private wells, and the whole Region relies heavily on groundwater for drinking water. That's part of why I've opposed redesignating the Gateway Employment Lands and why I support keeping the countryside boundary firm. Making better use of land inside our villages is good for the environment and for the township budget.

1. Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
2. Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
3. Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
4. Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
5. Leave local food livelihoods to the private market

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to strengthen the local food system.candidate's own words

There's public land along the Conestogo River in St. Jacobs that could work well for a community garden. We already have a butterfly garden in an old canoe down there, and a spot could be used for seasonal food gardens. The township could work with the Grand River Conservation Authority and local volunteers to provide water access and basic support, and leave the planning and running of the garden to the community. The cost would be small. Families without a yard would have a place to grow food, part of the harvest could go to local families through Woolwich Community Services, and neighbours would have another reason to spend time by the river.

1. Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
2. Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure
3. Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
4. Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity
5. Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply

Describe one concrete zoning, planning, or development decision you would support (or oppose) that reflects how you would balance these priorities.candidate's own words

I'd support new housing in downtown St. Jacobs, including units over ground-floor shops, at the four-storey scale our community guideline calls for. The current proposal for a six-storey building goes beyond that. The zoning technically allows up to eight storeys, so the rules and the community's plan don't match. More people living downtown is good for the village. It supports local businesses, puts homes within walking distance of the school, shops and the Route 21 bus, and makes use of services that are already there. But the scale has to fit a heritage main street. I'd ask council to bring the zoning in line with the four-storey guideline through the Official Plan review. That way builders get clear, predictable rules, residents know what to expect, and new housing can go ahead without a fight over every application.

Please describe one concrete example of a growth or infrastructure decision you would support or oppose using this approach.candidate's own words

I'd put repairing what we already own ahead of building new. Woolwich maintains over $1 billion in roads, bridges, pipes and facilities, and much of it is aging. Before council approves new roads or servicing to open up more land, I'd want to see the full lifecycle cost of that growth and where the funding to maintain it will come from. In practice, that means a new project only goes ahead when it doesn't push needed repairs further down the list. Residents should be able to see what each one does to the long-term maintenance bill. That keeps today's growth decisions from becoming tomorrow's tax increases or crumbling roads.

Other priority not listed abovecandidate's own words

Make the long-term infrastructure picture easy for residents to understand. Woolwich already publishes an asset management plan and an annual progress report, which is a good start. But the key numbers are buried in long technical reports: what we own, what condition it's in, and how big the funding gap is. I'd like a short, plain-language summary each year. When a growth decision comes to council, residents should be able to see how it changes those numbers.

What can the municipality/region do, if anything, about land which sits vacant for years because it is being used as an investment (land banking)?candidate's own words

The township has a few useful tools, and they work best when used early. The most practical step is tying approvals and servicing to real timelines. When the township approves a subdivision or site plan, or allocates water and sewer capacity, the approval should come with deadlines. If the builder doesn't move forward, the approval lapses and the servicing capacity goes to a project that's ready to build. Ontario gave municipalities stronger "use it or lose it" powers in 2024 to do this. Phasing large approvals so that later stages depend on progress in earlier ones works the same way.

It should be more transparent and accessible

Please describe one concrete example of a trade-off you would support (or oppose) when costs rise faster than revenues.candidate's own words

Before asking residents to pay more, I'd want the township to show it's getting the most out of what it already spends. I would want to see clear service standards for common requests like building permits, road complaints and bylaw issues. Track how long each one takes, and publish the results. Then use better tools, such as online applications, request tracking and simpler approval steps, to meet those standards with less staff time. Savings found this way can go toward road and bridge repair before a tax increase is considered. When an increase is needed, residents will have good reason to trust that the money is being used well.

If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words

Most residents never see the budget until it's already decided. I'd like to change that in three ways. First, ask residents about priorities before the draft budget is written, not after. That could be a short online survey or a drop-in evening in each ward. Second, publish a plain-language summary alongside the full budget. It would show what the average household pays, how that splits between the township, the Region and the school boards, and what each dollar buys. Third, I'd put out short updates and explainer videos during budget season, so people can follow the key decisions without sitting through hours of meetings.