James Blair — City of Pickering Councillor, Ward 1
Responsible & Transparent Government
To promote accountability, transparency, and openness, Pickering City Council meetings must be scheduled to maximize public participation, both in person and virtually. Important meetings should not be held during standard working hours, when many residents are unable to attend. Council meetings must be accessible and convenient for taxpayers – not just elected officials and city staff.
Growth in Pickering must be guided by the community – not by developers. While responsible development is welcome, it must reflect the city’s social, safety, infrastructure, and financial realities. The proposed high-rise projects along Kingston Road will not solve Pickering’s affordable housing challenges and instead risk placing added costs on taxpayers. Pickering cannot afford to repeat the developer-driven approach seen in North East Pickering, which could leave residents with a burden exceeding $500 million.
Existing property owners and taxpayers must not be used to subsidise developers or land speculators investment portfolios. Development in greenfield areas should not proceed until existing serviced areas have been fully built out. The City of Pickering must follow the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS 24) both in practice and in the spirit of its intended approach when dealing with agricultural lands.
City council must introduce policies that prevent developer-driven planning by city staff. Pickering residents and taxpayers must always be the number one priority. Planning decisions must be directed by Council and carried out by City staff – not influenced by developers. Allowing developers to shape planning decisions for their own benefit, at the expense of taxpayers, must end.
Attracting Industry, Expanding Employment & Reducing the Tax Burden
In 2025, Ontario’s agri-food sector contributed nearly $51 billion to the province’s GDP. Pickering Council should prioritize agri-business, food security, and sustainability over continued sprawl. We must adopt a “use it or lose it” approach to protecting our agricultural lands because every step toward strengthening agriculture is two steps away from unnecessary development. Pickering does not need to follow the path of other GTA municipalities – it needs leadership with long-term vision.
Agriculture and agri-food production are major economic drivers in Durham Region, contributing $354 million annually to Ontario’s GDP and supporting over 871,000 jobs across Ontario’s farming, processing, and food services sectors. With two-thirds of Pickering made up of Grade A agricultural land, protecting these lands is critical for long-term food security, sustainability, and economic growth. It is time for the Pickering Council to take agri-business and agricultural preservation seriously.
The experience in Seaton has shown that growth does not always pay for growth. Expanding into northeast Pickering and the airport lands based on a “build it, and they will come” approach risks repeating the same mistake. If projected growth and tax revenues fail to materialise, existing residents, including those on a pension or fixed income, will ultimately bear the cost through higher taxes, increased fees, reduced services, or further infrastructure delays.
Building Healthy & Safe Communities
Traffic calming measures and enhanced road safety initiatives must be implemented in residential areas and near schools. Having worked, lived, and currently raising my family in the Amberlea area for the past 26 years, these measures will help reduce speeding and discourage out-of-ward commuters from using local streets as shortcuts to and from Highway 401. Securing our community’s overall safety must be an ongoing priority.
Pickering’s youth and seniors should not have to leave Pickering to engage in sports or social activities. The City should collaborate with public and separate school boards to improve shared use of facilities such as gymnasiums, playing fields, and instructional spaces. Maximising the use of existing publicly funded infrastructure will reduce taxpayers’ future costs for unnecessary capital infrastructure while expanding opportunities for youth and seniors alike.
Restrict further development of and intensification on Pickering’s waterfront and Frenchmen’s Bay. We must safeguard public access to this shared community resource.
Collaborate with other municipalities to push for the creation of federal & provincial legislation that protects farmland as a valuable national resource and that addresses other concerns affecting communities across Ontario.
