SAm Snyders - Candidate for
pickering city councillor, ward 2
AFFORdability & fairness
"Change that respects your paycheque."
Families in Pickering are working hard, but many feel that the cost of living, including property taxes and municipal fees, continues to rise faster than their paycheque.
As Ward 2 Councillor, I will advocate for policies that protect residents from unfair cost burdens while ensuring that growth and large interests contribute their fair share.
Affordability is not just about what you pay today, it is about the choices that determine what you will pay tomorrow. It is about making responsible decisions that prevent unnecessary tax increases in the future.
Ensure Growth Pays for Growth
Pickering is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in new communities such as Seaton.
Growth can strengthen our economy and bring new housing and jobs, but it must be planned responsibly.
New development requires major infrastructure investments including roads, parks, stormwater systems, recreation facilities, and emergency services.
Development charges exist to ensure that these costs are primarily paid by the growth creating the demand, not by existing residents.
As councillor, I will support policies that ensure development charges accurately reflect the real cost of infrastructure required to support growth.
This helps protect residents from tax increases caused by unfunded infrastructure.
Responsible Infrastructure Planning
Large communities require infrastructure to be built years before they are fully populated.
When infrastructure is built too early or growth does not occur as expected, municipalities may need to borrow money or raise taxes to cover costs.
Responsible growth means:
aligning infrastructure investments with realistic growth timelines
phasing development responsibly
clearly communicating financial risks to residents
This approach ensures that Pickering continues to grow without placing unnecessary financial pressure on residents.
Fair Tax Treatment for Large Industrial Facilities
Pickering is proud to host the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, which provides jobs and clean electricity for Ontario.
However, the property tax formula used to assess nuclear generating stations was established decades ago and does not follow the same market-based assessment system used for most other properties.
Host communities provide infrastructure, emergency planning support, and municipal services for these facilities.
Residents deserve confidence that large infrastructure operators contribute fairly to the local tax base.
As councillor, I will advocate for a provincial review of the nuclear assessment formula to ensure host communities are treated fairly.
Balanced Property Tax Responsibility
Municipal property taxes are divided into different tax classes such as residential, commercial, and industrial.
Over time, policy changes can unintentionally shift a greater share of the tax burden onto homeowners.
As councillor, I will support balanced tax policies that ensure homeowners are not unfairly carrying a disproportionate share of the municipal tax base.
A fair system requires everyone benefiting from municipal services to contribute appropriately.
Taxpayer Impact Statements
Residents deserve clear information about how City Hall decisions affect their household finances.
Major infrastructure projects and financial commitments can affect municipal budgets for decades.
I support implementing Taxpayer Impact Statements for major municipal decisions.
These reports would clearly explain:
the full cost of major projects
how projects will be financed
long-term operating costs
potential impacts on property taxes
Improving transparency helps residents better understand how decisions at City Hall affect their paycheque.
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
“Growth should serve residents, not just developers.”
Pickering is growing quickly. Growth can bring new housing, jobs, and services, but only when it is planned responsibly.
Residents deserve development that respects neighbourhood character, protects infrastructure capacity, and follows the commitments already set out in the City’s Official Plan and OPA 38 planning framework.
Too often across Ontario, development decisions are driven by speculation rather than community planning. I believe growth must reflect community values first, not just private profits.
As your councillor, I will work to ensure that development in Pickering is balanced, defensible, and aligned with the long-term vision residents were promised.