VIAPIANA, VINCE – WARD 2 – platform, policies and promises

Practical Safety, Honest About Jurisdiction

When residents talk to me about safety, they are usually talking about very practical things: speeding on their street, dangerous intersections, pedestrian crossings, school zones, traffic congestion, traffic calming measures, poor visibility, accessibility and the ability to get around their neighbourhood safely.

I believe these concerns deserve more than a generic response telling residents to contact another department or another level of government. A councillor should help residents understand the issue, identify who has the authority to address it and then follow up.

My almost 19 years of experience with the TTC has given me a frontline understanding of transportation, road users, pedestrians, accessibility, traffic conditions and the everyday experience of moving through a growing community. While a City Councillor does not control every road, transit system or policing decision, I can bring that experience to the table and work collaboratively with City staff, Durham Region, Durham Transit, Durham Regional Police and other partners.

My focus would include:

• Safer school zones and routes to school.
• Practical traffic calming and speed reduction measures where warranted.
• Safer pedestrian crossings, lighting, sidewalks, signage and neighbourhood connections.
• Better consideration of pedestrian and traffic safety when development applications are reviewed.
• Accessibility for seniors, people with disabilities and residents with mobility challenges.
• Working with Regional representatives and Durham Regional Police when an issue falls outside municipal jurisdiction.
• Ensuring emergency response considerations are part of conversations about growth and infrastructure.

I also believe residents deserve honesty about jurisdiction. I will not promise that a City Councillor can fix something that belongs to the Region, Province, police or another agency. I will, however, commit to helping residents get the issue to the right place, advocating where appropriate and following up.

Investing in What Makes Pickering Home

A strong community is not simply a collection of houses and buildings. It is the people who live here, the parks they use, the recreation programs their children participate in, the businesses they visit, the libraries and public spaces they share and the connections between neighbours.

As Pickering grows, we need to make sure that we continue investing in the things that make people want to call this city home.

That means looking at the needs of families, youth and seniors while also recognizing that different generations have different needs. It means maintaining and improving parks, recreation facilities, public spaces and community programming while asking reasonable questions about the cost, timing and long-term operating requirements of those investments.

For seniors in particular, I want to see a City that considers accessibility and connection as part of its planning. A municipal councillor cannot provide healthcare or control provincial seniors’ programs, but there is still an important local role in making sure seniors can participate in community life, access municipal services and remain connected.

I would focus on:

• Accessible parks, recreation and community facilities.
• Programs and spaces that support families, youth and seniors.
• Maintaining strong neighbourhood connections as the city grows.
• Considering accessibility in municipal decisions and infrastructure.
• Supporting local businesses and a healthy local economy.
• Helping residents navigate municipal services and connect with the appropriate Regional or provincial programs when an issue falls outside City jurisdiction.
• Protecting the community spaces and neighbourhood qualities that residents value.

I also believe homelessness and housing insecurity need a compassionate but practical response. Municipal government has an important role, but it cannot solve every aspect of housing, mental health, addiction or homelessness on its own. These are issues that require coordination between the City, Region, Province, service providers, police and community organizations.

My approach is to support practical solutions while also recognizing that public spaces must remain safe, clean and accessible to everyone.

Listen. Take Action. Report Back.

This is the foundation of my campaign.

I believe being elected means being present and available!

Residents should not have to wait until the next election to see their councillor and they should not feel that their emails, phone calls or concerns disappear once they have been acknowledged.

My commitment is simple:

Listen. Take action. Report back.

I want to establish an ongoing relationship with Ward 2 residents through regular community conversations, office hours, scheduled calls, neighbourhood walkabouts and direct outreach.

One of the ideas I have developed is the Vince Listens Program, which would create regular opportunities for residents to speak directly with their councillor.

That would include:

• Monthly community coffee conversations.
• Regular Ward 2 office hours.
• Scheduled calls with residents.
• Community walkabouts.
• Home visits where appropriate for seniors or residents with mobility challenges.
• A system for tracking significant resident concerns and following up.
• Regular community reporting so residents know what has been raised and what action has been taken.

I do not believe accountability means promising everyone the answer they want.

Sometimes the answer will be yes and sometimes it will be no.

Sometimes the answer will be, “This isn’t something the City has the authority to do.”

But residents deserve to know why.

For major decisions, I believe Council should be asking straightforward questions:

• What problem are we trying to solve?
• What will it cost?
• Who pays?
• What alternatives were considered?
• What are the long-term operating and maintenance costs?
• What is the expected benefit?
• How will we know whether it worked?

I call this Taxpayer Value & Accountability.

“Every taxpayer dollar deserves a job!”

That means looking at revenue, spending, growth and outcomes together and not simply looking at whether there is enough money in the budget.

How Do We Grow Responsibly?

I am not anti-growth.

Pickering is growing and growth can bring new residents, new businesses, investment and opportunities.

But I believe residents are right to ask whether our infrastructure and services are keeping pace. (which they’re not)

The conversation should not simply be, “Should Pickering grow?”

The better question is: How do we grow responsibly?

When a significant development proposal comes forward, I believe residents deserve to know how the additional population will interact with the existing community.

That means looking beyond the number of units.

We should be asking about:

• Road and traffic capacity.
• Transit.
• Water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Stormwater and drainage.
• Parks and recreation.
• Pedestrian infrastructure.
• Emergency services.
• Parking.
• Trees and greenspace.
• Building height, massing and neighbourhood interface.
• Privacy and shadowing.
• Community amenities.
• Infrastructure funding.
• The cumulative effect of multiple developments.

My experience with the Liverpool and Glenanna proposal reinforced for me why these conversations matter. Residents raised concerns about density, traffic, parking, pedestrian safety, neighbourhood interface, privacy, trees, drainage and the overall relationship between a new development and the existing community.

I believe those concerns deserve to be examined on their merits.

At the same time, I believe residents deserve a councillor who understands that development decisions are governed by provincial legislation, planning rules, municipal policies and legal processes.

That is why my position is reasonable growth and not a blanket opposition to growth.

Growth should be properly planned, appropriately funded and supported by the infrastructure and services required to accommodate it.

Every Taxpayer Dollar Deserves a Job

Affordability is not only about housing.

For many residents, particularly seniors and families already dealing with rising costs, property taxes are an important part of the household budget.

I do not believe a municipal councillor can simply promise to “freeze taxes” because municipal budgets involve many factors and one councillor does not control the entire tax rate.

What I can promise is to ask difficult questions about spending and value.

Before asking taxpayers for more money, Council should be examining whether the City is using the resources it already has as effectively as possible.

That includes looking at:

• Operational efficiencies.
• Procurement and purchasing.
• Existing programs and service levels.
• Revenue opportunities.
• User fees.
• Grants and external funding.
• Growth related funding.
• Development charges within the City’s legal authority.
• Commercial and employment growth.
• Vacancies, retirements, attrition and redeployment before considering arbitrary staffing reductions.
• The long-term operating cost of major capital projects.

I am not interested in cutting services simply to make a number look better.

I am interested in asking: are residents receiving the value they should for the money being spent?

That is why my financial philosophy is: Revenue + Spending + Growth + Outcomes

“Every taxpayer dollar deserves a job.”

A Frontline Perspective from 19 Years with the TTC

Transportation is an area where I bring direct frontline experience.

I have spent almost 19 years with the TTC working in a public facing transit environment. I understand the challenges passengers experience and the operational realities that affect service.

As a Pickering City Councillor, I would not pretend to control Durham Region Transit. DRT is a Regional responsibility.

But I can bring my experience to conversations with Regional Councillors, Durham Region, DRT, the Province and other transportation partners.

I would be looking at issues such as:

• Service reliability.
• Route planning and connections.
• Passenger experience.
• Accessibility.
• Connections between growing neighbourhoods and employment areas.
• Traffic related delays.
• Transit considerations in new development.
• The relationship between land use planning and transportation.

My role would be to collaborate, advocate and bring a frontline perspective to the table and not pretend that one City Councillor has authority they do not actually possess.

Getting Concerns to the Right Decision Maker

One of the things I have learned during this campaign is how many issues residents care about cross municipal boundaries.

Healthcare, policing, transit, schools, major roads, housing, homelessness and infrastructure can involve the City, Region, Province, police services, agencies or other organizations.

I believe a good councillor needs to understand those relationships.

When an issue is outside the City’s direct authority, my approach would be: identify the responsibility, connect with the appropriate decision maker, advocate for Ward 2, follow up and most importantly, report back!

Residents should not be expected to understand the entire structure of government simply to get an answer to a legitimate concern.

Present, Accessible, Prepared and Accountable

I am not going to promise that I can fix every problem.

No councillor can.

I am promising something more practical: that I will be present, accessible, prepared and accountable.

If elected, I will commit to:

• Listening to residents throughout the entire term.
• Being visible and accessible in the community.
• Following up on resident concerns.
• Explaining what I can and cannot do as a City Councillor.
• Working collaboratively with Council, City staff, Regional representatives, the Province and other agencies.
• Asking how major decisions will be funded.
• Asking whether growth is being matched by infrastructure and services.
• Protecting taxpayer value.
• Explaining significant decisions and votes.
• Reporting back to residents on issues they have asked me to pursue.
• Continuing to listen even when residents disagree with me.

Leadership Starts with Listening

Four months ago, I made the decision to take an unpaid leave of absence from my job to pursue this opportunity.

That was not a small decision.

I chose to step away from my regular income because I believe serving Ward 2 and the city of Pickering is an opportunity worth pursuing and because I wanted to give this campaign everything I had and the residents of our communities deserve better!

Since then, I have knocked on doors, delivered nearly 12,000 flyers personally, stood on streets and sidewalks talking with residents, listened to concerns, attended meetings and put myself forward for public scrutiny.

I have met residents who have lived in Pickering for decades and residents who are just beginning to call it home.

I have heard concerns about growth, traffic, safety, taxes, affordability, transit, seniors, development, community services and the future of our neighbourhoods.

I have also heard optimism. People care deeply about Pickering. They want to see it succeed.

That is what this campaign has become for me.

Not simply an election.

An opportunity to listen, learn, ask better questions, understand the facts, connections and work toward practical solutions.

I entered this campaign believing that Leadership Starts with Listening.

After everything I have experienced over these past four months, I believe it more strongly than ever.

But listening is only the first step.

If elected, I intend to: Listen. Investigate. Act. Report back.

Because accountability is not about always being right.

It’s about being available, doing the work and being willing to answer to the people you represent.