Aurora—our current Animal Service Provider—has an off-leash dog park, and Newmarket has one too. However, the Town of East Gwillimbury does not have any municipally owned off-leash dog parks. Do we need one? Absolutely. I believe we need off-leash dog parks for each community across East Gwillimbury, starting with our first-ever dedicated space!

As our town grows, optimizing day-to-day municipal services for local families means providing practical amenities that everyone—including our four-legged residents—can enjoy. As part of my commitment, I will advocate for practical infrastructure upgrades, including the creation of dedicated off-leash dog parks across our communities.

East Gwillimbury is incredibly blessed with beautiful natural heritage, rural charm, and woodlands. We can responsibly utilize these abundant natural spaces to establish a dedicated, accessible off-leash park for each ward, ensuring every neighbourhood has a safe, local space to gather, play, and connect.

Building these spaces is only one part of the equation; how we care for our animals as a municipality matters just as much. The recent "Justice for Heiniu" campaign has highlighted an urgent need for trust, transparency, and accountability regarding animal welfare. Because of this, I see a clear need to review our animal services and determine what is truly best for our town. When residents ask for accountability, our official response should not simply start with, “The Town of Aurora provides Animal Services to the Town of East Gwillimbury.” We must take ownership of the services our taxpayers rely on.