EloraFergusToday asked candidates in the upcoming municipal election to tell us a little bit about themselves and their platform.
Name: Philip Mullis
Occupation: Rural fiber optic/wireless provider/builder and hobby farmer
How long have you lived in Guelph/Eramosa? Six Years in Ariss.
Do you reside in the ward you are running in? Yes
Why are you running in this election? To further aid in improving our community.
What qualifies you to represent your ward? During my business ventures over the many years I have come to meet and know a large number of the people in my ward, from the cattle and dairy farmers to the newly moved families who have escaped the city for the more peaceful life of rural Ontario. I was once from a small coal and farming village in England, I've witnessed the harmful changes certain events can bring to small rural communities and I'd like to avoid those whilst improving upon others.
Why should people vote for you? I will bring results and make light of any issues that prevent the assertion of my ward's goals and push for changes in process that will make things better and more transparent for everyone.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of the ward? Crime, speeding, and the ability to attract businesses to the area.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of Guelph/Eramosa on a broader scale? The construction of large scale unfavorable industrial businesses that put water security at risk, the increasing crime that is wandering in from the neighboring city edges; for the farmers and other small businesses the ability to find workers has been a major issue for the last few years.
What is the most important thing you want to see changed in Guelph/Eramosa? I enjoy our township very much. I'd like to see processes put in place that streamline the speed of things such as permits, attracting new businesses, and improving our community through continual feedback of our residents.
What services need to be improved in Guelph/Eramosa? Policing.
Is Guelph/Eramosa growing too fast, just the right amount, or not fast enough? Guelph/Eramosa is a large area with some places developing fast and some slowly which based on the area and whom you speak too might be just right, the last thing many of us want to see is our farmlands be converted into apartment building complexes.
What can be done at the local level about the rising cost of housing? The core of the housing problem is that it is both a basic human right and a commodity from which profit can be made. The lending where so low for such a long time it created opportunities for many thus tilting the supply and demand which caused the rising prices over the last six years. This year however a market correction has started to be seen as the increasing mortgage rates are now creating inventory that stays on the market longer. Some economists are forecasting as much as a 25 per cent drop in house prices by the end of next year.
Do speed limits need to be reviewed in Rockwood and the township? No, changing roads from 50 to 40 will not stop someone who's doing 80 or 90. There needs to be mechanisms and actions put in place to slow down excessive speeding which also don’t hamper our townships agriculture operations.
How do we make Guelph/Eramosa an even better place to live? Guelph Eramosa is a great place to live, we can continue improving it through the collective feedback and ideas of our populous, avoid creating processes that over bureaucratize things, and add some actions to start and curb the adjacent large cities infringing crime and speeders.
Any link to an election website or social media account: My social media accounts
