St. Catharines, Ontario · Ward 2
City Councillor, Ward 2
St. Andrews Ward's Champion of Accountability
I encourage you to vote for Matt Harris, who is seeking a fifth term as Councillor. Matt’s experience in both the private and public sectors, combined with his 16 years of service on Council, makes him an outstanding and highly effective representative for our ward… Read the endorsements →
Please browse this section for all press releases, articles and information about Ward 2 and City Hall. If there is any information you would like to see included in the News section please let us know by contacting Matt. Browse the news →
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Niagara This Week St. Catharines Hydro Generation Inc.
Read the article at Niagara This Week →Change … or More of the Same.
For too long, politicians have paid lip service to 'smart growth'. To this end, I am against using green space development to compensate for the decay of our industrial and commercial revenue bases. My commitment is to provide leadership that responsibly manages sustainable growth for St. Catharines, while at the same time, nurtures a strong economy, along with stronger neighbourhoods. Common sense dictates that we either embrace 'smart growth' or we can stick with the status quo and watch our property taxes triple.
One St. Catharines for all taxpayers.
Residents of St. Catharines have always led by example and now we are faced with an opportunity to usher in a new era for the future success of St. Catharines. By abolishing the outdated ward system and replacing it with at-large elections of councillors, we can harness a council united — not divided — to move vital files forward for our city and region. The time to end a house divided with Councillors rowing in different directions should be upon us if we want a better quality of life for all.
Financial Leadership for a change.
As a successful businessperson, I know City Hall can be helpful in creating the right conditions for economic health, which creates employment opportunities for our residents. However, if we fail to prioritize our ideas or abdicate our responsibility when presented with concrete initiatives to rally investment, or improve an economic environment for all types of businesses, we will continue to fail our residents. Now more than ever our St. Catharines needs individuals who have the capacity and determination not to shrink from making the right decisions for the economic health of St. Catharines for years to come.
Policies for today's challenges.
It is important to note that no public policy is able to stand the test of time. As such, it is imperative that the next city council provide due diligence in examining and identifying wasteful spending stemming from archaic policies or pork-barrel politics. We have an opportunity to prioritize a full service review of our municipal departments to ensure taxpayers are benefitting from their hard earned tax dollars they send to city hall. Lest we forget that today's policies matter since they are shaping future decisions made by our government.
