Ahead of this fall’s municipal election, Coun. Gary Burroughs says Niagara-on-the-Lake’s next council needs to start by asking why some residents no longer trust town hall.
The longtime councillor, former lord mayor and former Niagara regional chair is running for town council again in the upcoming election — with a promise to listen to the concerns of the town’s residents, who he says are informed, engaged and too often feel shut out of decisions that affect them.
“I think that our town is different than most, in the sense that our residents are really, really educated, very well-informed and choose to participate,” Burroughs said in an interview. “I want to make sure that they’re listened to.”
Burroughs announced his re-election campaign June 1 and said his reason for running is tied to what he sees as anger in the community.
“I think the anger that appears to be out in the community — we should find out why it is that the residents don’t trust us at the moment,” he said.
Burroughs has served as a town councillor since 2018. Before that, he served 10 years as lord mayor of NOTL and was Niagara regional chair from 2010 to 2014.
He is also a chartered accountant and owned and operated the Oban Inn for more than 30 years.
Burroughs said choosing to run again “wasn’t a tough decision.”
“I’m doing it because I love the town and I want to try and make a difference,” he said. “And continue to try and do that.”
“I’m not finished what I started trying to do years ago, so it’s a continuation.”
One of the biggest issues facing the town right now, he said, is change coming from upper levels of government, especially the province, and what that could mean for the town’s voice at Niagara Region.
“There’s quite a few areas of our town that are done by the region, many of our roads, our sewers, our water,” he said.
“It’s important that we ensure that the region, in its new format, appreciates our concerns as they deal with our properties.”
He said he is not running for lord mayor, a role that also includes a seat on Niagara Regional Council, because he believes he can best use his experience in governance as a councillor.
The Lake Report asked Burroughs about a variety of current issues, such as residents’ concerns surrounding applications for the Rand Estate site.
“It’s unfortunate it’s coming back,” he said.
Burroughs said the matter has come before the town in different forms four times and has cost taxpayers more than $2 million in legal expenses.
“I’m not surprised, but I am disappointed.”
He said the tension between residents, tourists and development is not new in NOTL.
Back when he first ran, “the issue was tourists versus residents,” said Burroughs: “It still is.”
On the old hospital site, Burroughs said he was not in favour of moving ahead with the town’s parking-focused plan for the property, but that council, on the whole, was.
He spoke more positively about the James A. Burton & Family Foundation’s proposal for a community hub.
“I think that Burton did an amazing job,” he said. “If we, the town, listened and worked with them, there might be subtle changes that would make it even better.”
On the incoming rebuild of the Royal George Theatre, Burroughs said the new venue will be “very big,” but because council has already approved it, the town should now focus on working with the project and making it the “best that it can and should be.”
He also weighed in on the town’s relationship with the press, saying reporters should be able to speak with staff if it is co-ordinated through chief administrative officer Nick Ruller.
“I think it appears that staff and council are considering the press as enemies,” he said. “They’re not.”
“It’s simply trying to get issues resolved in this very, very sensitive town.”
Burroughs said NOTL’s council reduction to six councillors from eight for the next term did not alter his plans to run, though he did not support it.
“The challenge will be there,” he said. “I don’t think we should have done that.”
Still, he said, “it doesn’t change my goals at all.”
