Campaign Platform for Scott Crone

East Gwillimbury

CAMPAIGN
PLATFORM

FOUR PILLARS: Affordability. Community Safety. Responsible Growth. Economic Development.

ONE VISION: A Plan to build a Safer, Stronger, more Affordable East Gwillimbury.

1 Affordability

East Gwillimbury should be a place anyone can afford to stay.

Affordability isn’t just what shows up on your tax bill once a year; it’s the sum of everything a household spends to live here: utilities, transportation, recreation, and the everyday services that keep a family running. A resident who saves a hundred dollars on property tax but loses that same amount and more to a longer commute, a pricier permit, or a costlier rec program hasn’t actually gotten ahead.

That’s why I look at affordability as a full picture, not a single line item. Every decision at the council table, whether it’s a permit fee, a transit route, or a new development, has a real cost of living attached to it for the people who call East Gwillimbury home. If we’re serious about keeping East Gwillimbury affordable, we have to weigh all of it, not just the number on the tax notice.

We are fortunate that East Gwillimbury is one of the few municipalities in the GTA that has healthy reserves and zero debt. This keeps pressure off property taxes. As Mayor, I will build on this foundation and commit to you, without hesitation, to continue to protect EG’s position as having the lowest relative property taxes in York Region.

That’s not a slogan; it’s fiscal discipline. It means spending every dollar with the same scrutiny I’ve applied throughout a career in financial oversight and risk management: protecting taxpayers while still investing in what our growing town actually needs and providing cost-effective services for EG residents.

My Common-Sense Platform (Affordability policy) is deliberately fiscally responsible. My platform is affordable and disciplined, and these are the kind of commitments I can keep without putting East Gwillimbury’s finances at risk and increasing the tax burden on our residents. That’s pragmatism. It’s respect for the people who’ll be asked to pay for it.

Every tax dollar is your dollar, and as Mayor, I will treat it with the respect it deserves!

Commitments

Protecting EG’s healthy reserves and our position as having the lowest relative property taxes in York Region.
A pragmatic approach to reviewing the EG’s programs, processes and staffing with the purpose to find savings and cost effectiveness.
Responsible Growth: Growth pays for growth; developers, not residents, bear the cost of development, and development charges are structured to fund infrastructure fairly without needlessly inflating the cost of a home.
Economic Development: Focus on taking the pressure off the residential tax base.
Reducing or waiving fees for essential permits, so small repairs and everyday responsibilities don’t require a budget line.
Insisting that York Region expand meaningful transit options for our residents.
Keeping recreation fees low, access to affordable recreation programming, and expanding subsidized membership access.
Working with our library to expand its lending offerings, because libraries are affordability infrastructure.
Working with the province, federal government, and development industry to expand truly attainable housing units across household income levels.

East Gwillimbury should be a place anyone can afford to stay, not just afford to visit, or afford to leave. I have the experience and integrity to understand both the limits of the job and the real leverage it holds, to get these commitments done and to see them through! I will use every bit of that influence to keep East Gwillimbury a place our children can still afford to call home.

Affordability, Responsible Growth, Community Safety, and Economic Development aren’t competing priorities. They’re the foundation for a safe, strong, prosperous East Gwillimbury community, and we must deliver all four!

As a sixth-generation East Gwillimbury resident and as Mayor, I will build a community that grows on our terms, for the people who already call it home and for future generations. That’s what I’m fighting to protect!

2 Community Safety

Safe Homes. Safe Streets. Safe Public Spaces. No Compromises.

Community Safety isn’t something we can be reactive about. It requires foresight, sustained investment, and a willingness to fight for our town at every level of government. That’s the approach I’ve brought to Council for 8 years and my Results speak for themselves. And it’s the approach I’ll continue bring as Mayor of East Gwillimbury!

Commitments

Deliver a Fourth Fire Station for Sharon with full-time Firefighters.
Continue Expanding the full-time Firefighter complement to our other Emergency Services Fire Departments in EG, so response capacity keeps pace with our population.
Continue to invest in the East Gwillimbury’s Fire Stations and the Firefighter’s Health, Safety and Training along with the necessary Apparatus, Equipment, Resources, and Public Education to keep pace with future growth.
Deliver a Dedicated Police Sub-Station for East Gwillimbury.
Continue to improve in Real Traffic Calming Solutions for EG.
Keeping Children Engaged, Active and Connected: strengthening meaningful opportunities for children to participate, connect, and thrive in East Gwillimbury.
Getting Ahead of E-Bikes and E-Scooters: develop a clear, practical street safety strategy for e-bikes and e-scooters in EG.

Community Safety (policy) is not a luxury or an afterthought, it’s a basic human need, and it’s the foundation on which every other measure of quality of life is built. A resident who doesn’t feel safe in their home, on their street, or in their community can’t fully enjoy anything else this town has to offer, no matter how strong our economy or how beautiful our parks are. That’s why Community Safety is one of my priority campaign deliverables. I also believe that Community Safety should be a core deliverable for every elected official at every level of government.

Affordability, Responsible Growth, Community Safety, and Economic Development aren’t competing priorities. They’re the foundation for a safe, strong, and prosperous East Gwillimbury community, and we must deliver all four!

I have spent my life in this community, and as Mayor, I will bring my experience and integrity to get these commitments done and to see them through!

3 Responsible Growth

How we grow will define this town for generations. Let’s get it right.

East Gwillimbury has deep roots and a bright future. But the two aren’t in conflict, unless we let growth outpace our ability to manage it. Residents are rightly concerned about the pace and scale of development in recent years, and they’re right to be.

Responsible growth is about thoughtful planning that supports a sustainable future. By planning responsibly through my responsible growth policy: infrastructure, services, and the environment must lead development, not chase it.

We must protect our green spaces, farmland, and natural heritage while building complete communities where people can actually live, work, and thrive. As Mayor, I will advocate for growth that serves the people of East Gwillimbury first, growth that enhances our quality of life, not undermines it. Growth with purpose. Not pressure.

Commitments

Champion the principle that growth pays for growth; developers, not residents, bear the cost of development.
Defend our Official Plan and fight for it at the Ontario Land Tribunal when necessary.
Pursue a more balanced and diverse mix of housing options throughout the community.
Ensure growth never exceeds our infrastructure capacity to service it responsibly.
Use our water and wastewater allocation as a deliberate, strategic instrument for managing growth.
Keep East Gwillimbury 83% green. I will insist that a environmental lens be applied to ALL development proposals.
Continue to protect our forests, farmlands, wetlands, parklands and trails for future generations.
As Mayor, I’ll say NO to Data Centres in East Gwillimbury.

I made my position clear at my campaign launch when I said, “As Mayor, I will not be a head waiter for the development industry.” I meant it then, and I stand by it now! Eight years on council taught me when to ask the hard questions and when to say NO. East Gwillimbury needs a Mayor that has the Experience and the Integrity to STAND UP to developers. I am that person!

4 Economic Development

A strong, diversified tax base, not one built on your back.

Relying too heavily on residential property taxes isn’t a funding model; it’s a pressure valve. Right now, 90% of East Gwillimbury’s tax base is residential. That means we are carrying the weight of this town on our shoulders. It limits our ability to invest in critical services and exposes residents to the full brunt of economic volatility. The answer is a balanced mix of commercial, industrial, and institutional development that generates local jobs and stable long-term revenue, funding the roads, transit, and emergency services East Gwillimbury deserves without perpetually raising residential taxes.

But there is a line I will draw: I will say NO to Data Centres in EG. As Mayor, you have my commitment to keep East Gwillimbury 83% green! I will insist that an environmental lens be applied to ALL Economic Development proposals. Our forests, wetlands, farmlands, parklands and trails are what make East Gwillimbury distinct and that is why my family and I love living here!

As a councillor, I’ve been relentlessly advocating to strengthen our Economic Development for the past 8 years; as Mayor, my commitment is to shift the tax burden towards commercial, industrial and institutional development.

More Revenue to EG. Less Cost to Residents. That’s not ideology. That’s arithmetic.

Commitments

Expand the Economic Development department to actively attract commercial and institutional business to town. Making sure our “Advantage EG” which is a genuine operational Town commitment is not just a slogan, but backed by staff across all departments, working at peak efficiency to attract and secure new business.
Maximize the full economic spin-off from the newly announced hospital, a generational opportunity we cannot waste.

Responsible Growth: Growth pays for Growth; developers, not residents, bear the cost of economic development, and the development charges are structured to fund infrastructure.
Keep East Gwillimbury 83% green! I will insist that an environmental lens be applied to ALL Economic Development Proposals.
NO to Data Centres in EG.
Hold ongoing Mayor’s Round Table discussions with local businesses to better understand how the town can better improve its processes when dealing with our various departments. What works, what doesn’t and what we need to change so we are continuously keep improving our Town’s processes.
Will continue to support Y-Space that fosters entrepreneurship within our town.
As a founding member of the original EG Chamber of Commerce, I will continue to work with the Central York Chamber to support our local business community.

I have spent my life in this community, and as Mayor, I will bring my experience and integrity to get these commitments done and to see them through!

East Gwillimbury

POLICY POSITIONS

1 Seniors

They built this town. We don’t leave them behind.

Supporting our seniors isn’t charity; it’s a reflection of who we are as a community. East Gwillimbury is home to a growing population of older adults who have invested everything in this place. They deserve to age with dignity, comfort, and purpose. As our town grows, their needs must grow with us, not be an afterthought once the development applications are approved.

Commitments

Deliver on a dedicated Seniors Centre.
Ensure greater diversity in housing options that allow seniors to downsize and age in place with dignity.
Support accessory dwelling units so families can keep aging parents close, without leaving the community.
Push for transit options that meet seniors’ needs and reduce dependence on personal vehicles.
Ensure sidewalks, crosswalks, and public spaces fully meet accessibility standards, no exceptions.
Push for expanded health-care access and services within East Gwillimbury.
Establish a Mayor’s Round Table on Senior Needs to keep their voice at the centre of decision-making.
Ensure recreation programming genuinely reflects and serves the needs of our senior residents.

2 Municipal Governance

Open government isn’t a feature. It’s a requirement.

I’ve spent years pushing for reforms that make local democracy more accountable and more accessible, a ward system, live video of council meetings, and a deputation process that actually works for residents. Our community is growing and evolving. Our democratic institutions need to keep pace.

Commitments

Introduce a Lobbyist Registry, transparency on who’s talking to whom, and about what.
Offer virtual and hybrid participation options so that geography, disability, work schedules, and caregiving don’t exclude residents from their own government.
Launch a bi-annual community survey to benchmark progress on the issues that matter most to residents.
Require recorded votes on any decision involving expenditures of $500,000 or more.
Continue to champion and support the Ward System and ensure it continues to meet resident’s needs.
Post councillor remuneration reports on the town website, clearly, searchably, and without delay.
Make all declarations of conflict of interest immediately and readily available to the public online.
Post all lobbyist gifts and contacts on the town website.
Work with regional counterparts to explore best practices for improving voter turnout.

3 Respecting the Environment

83% green, and we’re keeping it that way.

Protecting our environment isn’t just a responsibility, it’s a promise to every generation that comes after us. Our forests, wetlands, farmland, and green spaces are what make East Gwillimbury distinct. They are not negotiable. Environmental stewardship must be built into every planning decision, every infrastructure investment, and every development proposal that crosses this council’s desk.

Commitments

Maintain East Gwillimbury’s commitment to being 83% green, non-negotiable.
Support the expansion of the EV charging network throughout the community.
Seek increased fines and consequences for individuals and organizations that pollute our town.
Continue to expand our parkland and trail strategy.
Apply an environmental lens to every development proposal, as a matter of course, not an afterthought.

4 Fiscal Responsibility

Every dollar is your dollar. Spend it like it matters.

Taxpayers deserve a local government that treats every dollar with respect, spent wisely, transparently, and with long-term value in mind. As East Gwillimbury grows, so do the demands on our infrastructure, services, and budget. That’s precisely when experience matters most.

With over two decades of experience overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets in the private sector, I bring the financial discipline to make strategic decisions for this town, without passing unnecessary costs onto residents. Fiscal responsibility isn’t an attitude. It’s a skill set. And I’ve been doing it my entire career.

Commitments

Maintain East Gwillimbury’s position as the lowest relative property taxes in York Region.
Initiate a comprehensive program review across the entire town organization.
Implement a Kaizen-based process review focused on continuous efficiency improvements.
Continue building reserves so the town is prepared, not reactive, when challenges arise.
Conduct an organizational review to ensure we have the right people in the right roles.

5 A High School for East Gwillimbury

We will get this done. But we’ll get it done right.

“East Gwillimbury deserves a high school. No exceptions. We are a growing community with growing families, and we will have a high school. I’m confident of that.”

Here’s what’s also true: the path to that high school runs through the school board and the Ministry of Education. It runs through sound business cases, capital planning, and the kind of patient, unglamorous work that doesn’t generate a single headline. A new high school costs approximately one hundred million dollars. That money isn’t distributed on passion. It isn’t unlocked by a petition. The math is the math, and no amount of political theatre changes it.

We’re going to get this done. The right way, by doing the work, building the relationships, and treating our neighbours as partners, not props.

Commitments

Advocate for a high school with a broad program offering that sets our children up for genuine future success.
Lead a collaborative approach, not one that pits community against community.
Explore opportunities for shared municipal and school board spaces, including a community theatre.

6 Leadership

Consensus. Judgment. Stability. Experience.

I am not a career politician. I’m a sixth-generation East Gwillimbury resident who grew up on a family farm, built a career leading at the executive level, including as Vice President of Underwriting & Distribution, overseeing nearly half a billion dollars in capital, and have spent eight years serving this community as a Ward Councillor. I have advocated for a ward system. I pushed for live-streamed council meetings. I’ve done the work, not just spoken about it.

The leadership style I’ve tried to exemplify, consensus-building, sound judgment, stability, and a relentless focus on what actually serves residents, is exactly how I will lead as your Mayor. Not louder. Not flashier. Better.