Barrie 360 has invited all of the mayoral candidates in Barrie to join us for a pre-election interview.
Tanya Saari was the first to respond.
Barrie mayoral candidate Tanya Saari says voters are looking for a different approach at city hall, one focused on transparency, fiscal restraint and greater public involvement in decision-making.
During an interview with Barrie 360, as part of the municipal election campaign, Saari said her motivation for seeking the mayor's chair comes from a long-standing commitment to the city she has called home for more than two decades.
"The reason I've run for council and federally in the past is just I love this city, and we've raised our children here and have seen it grow over the last 21 years," Saari said. "And I have a passion for community and a passion for giving back."
One of the first changes she would pursue if elected would be eliminating the city's executive committee and restoring public access to more committee discussions.
"I'd like to bring that back," Saari said of committee meeting broadcasts. "I'd like to eliminate the executive committee and bring back making more of that stuff public."
Saari argued residents increasingly feel disconnected from decisions being made at city hall.
"When we start shutting people off from decision-making, and we start shutting people out from conversations, it becomes less about the people, and we need to bring that people back," she said.
Affordability and spending under scrutiny
Affordability remains one of the dominant issues of the election campaign, and Saari said rising property taxes are among the concerns she hears most frequently while speaking with residents.
Rather than promising tax freezes or reductions, she said she would commit to keeping increases as low as possible through detailed budget reviews.
"I can't promise you that there'll be no tax increase because I think that's disingenuine," Saari said. "I can actually commit to keeping taxes as low as I possibly can."
To do that, Saari believes city council must take a closer look at major capital projects and determine which initiatives are necessary now and which can be delayed.
Among the projects she specifically questioned was the proposed recreation centre in south Barrie.
"This might get controversial, but I would say not yet to the rec center," she said, suggesting council should examine whether the project can be supported through grants and whether demand justifies the cost.
Saari also pointed to other significant expenditures, including the performing arts centre proposal, sports facilities and development incentives, as projects that deserve further scrutiny in the context of affordability pressures facing residents.
Listen to our interview with Tanya Saari. It's the first item.
Different approach to homelessness
On homelessness and encampments, Saari said she is not convinced the city's state of emergency declaration has produced the results residents were promised.
"It hasn't been the answer," she said.
While acknowledging public concerns about safety in parks and public spaces, Saari argued lasting solutions must focus on housing and support services.
"This is a housing first model to me," she said. "If we can provide people with safe, affordable, stable housing that they have the wraparound supports for, then you won't see as many people outside."
Asked whether encampments should be removed, Saari said enforcement should be accompanied by housing alternatives.
"I would love to be able to remove encampments, but I would love to be able to remove encampments with solutions and providing people with housing," she said.
Opposes use of strong mayor powers
Saari also expressed opposition to Ontario's strong mayor powers, which give municipal leaders authority to bypass some traditional council processes in certain circumstances.
"I do not want to use strong mayor powers," she said.
According to Saari, those powers can reduce the role of council members elected to represent residents and undermine public confidence in municipal decision-making.
"Strong mayor powers takes away the democratic process," she said.
Looking ahead
If elected, Saari said she hopes residents would see noticeable improvements in transparency, communication and collaboration within her first year in office.
Among the outcomes she wants residents to point to are more openness around city finances, better explanations of how tax dollars are spent, and progress toward addressing homelessness through stable housing solutions.
She also said she wants to move away from increasingly divisive political discourse and create a more cooperative atmosphere at city hall.
"I'm hopeful that people will see the collaboration," Saari said. "I would rather see us as a collaborative working together group of individuals as opposed to going against each other."
Saari is one of four candidates seeking to become Barrie's next mayor in the upcoming municipal election.
