Laura Campbell

Mono is a place I cherish deeply. Not only because it’s my home and where we raise our kids, but because it’s a place to believe in. From our family farms, to the beautiful Bruce Trail system, to the recreational programs, and the small businesses that operate here, Mono is what some would call a ‘hidden gem.’ Preserving all that we love is a core reason why I want to be your Deputy Mayor. 

But beyond that, I want to listen and learn from all of you. As your Deputy Mayor, I will take the concerns of residents seriously and advocate for the things that need more attention. The challenges facing all Canadians are mounting, and we need a resilient and united community to get through it together. 

Protect our water, farmland, rural heritage and trails

There are several major challenges facing rural municipalities in Ontario today, and Mono is no stranger to those challenges. Growth targets set by the province often exacerbate very real infrastructure deficits, which are now increasingly falling on local homeowners to rectify. Mono has already succeeded at challenging a development proposal at the Ontario Land Tribunal, because there was not a satisfactory plan for water supply. There are already issues with pumping stations, arsenic in local water lines, and septic quality in some neighbourhoods and adding further development without careful consideration would be challenging. While there is a crucial need for affordable housing in Dufferin County, I will work with other members of the County Council and staff to promote creative housing strategies within neighbouring Orangeville that do not place increased strain on water sources either in Mono or Orangeville. 

We want to ensure everyone living in Mono today continues to have high quality core services, a sustainable and fair taxation rate, and maintain our rural community. Our farms are a key piece of that, and we need to ensure that our farming community remains vibrant, supported, and preserved. New conversations at the provincial level around data centers in rural communities are certainly alarming, in particular due to land and water use considerations. While at this time Mono does not appear to be at threat of having a data center proposal, I will advocate against them across Dufferin County due to the demands they put on both land and water. 

Keeping your tax dollars accountable

As a small business owner with 15 years of experience, I understand that responsible spending and careful budgets are essential for the resilience and longevity of a company. As your Deputy Mayor I will carry on the practice of responsible spending, keeping budgets aligned with the core needs of our town, and ensure that any money spent yields high value for everyone living here. There are real budget shortfalls due to the cuts in grants from the Provincial government and increased costs, but we can seek new revenue streams and ensure that we take advantage of every grant that remains available to supplement our spending on capital and maintenance costs. I also want to ensure that there is continued transparency around spending and encourage public engagement on budget issues, using social media at the town-level to keep people up to date. 

Champion Mono’s voice at the County Table & Building Community 

We need to care for one another. At the County level, I will support and expand on efforts to keep our vital services functioning for years to come. Whether in long term care, mental health, or housing, Dufferin County needs to build resilience in the context of a volatile global economy so that nobody in our community is left behind.  

I want to explore what’s possible for no-to-low cost community activities. Our wonderful facilities (both the Mono Center community center and the Monora Park pavilion) are ideal locations for more recreational community classes. Partnering with community builders and encouraging people to come and join in will create bonds between our rural areas and our suburban ones. We want to get to know one another and build bridges where we share interests! Winter Fest is an excellent event that shows how we can connect with one another. But we need more frequent and smaller scale opportunities to connect in a simple format.

Our recreational plan needs some more attention. We have fabulous forest tracts and incredible groups of volunteers who keep trails cleared and functioning for hikers, equestrians, and mountain biking. The tracts, the Bruce Trail network, and the Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, help to make Mono a destination for both locals and people from outside of Dufferin County. We need to ensure that we are building on what we already have to offer, and supporting the volunteer networks who keep things functioning.