COST | Inform • Question • Improve
Owen Sound is at a Crossroads
|
|
Owen Sound is facing a defining moment in its history. Economic uncertainty, the loss of
the last of our established employers (RBW),
the closing of our iconic Grain Elevators, growing challenges in our downtown, and mounting pressure
on taxpayers demand a new direction.
Owen Sound cannot afford another term of business as usual.
The Time for Change is Now!
|
|
Our City's Future Is at Stake
Years of economic stagnation, questionable spending
priorities, and a failure to exercise sufficiently strong
and effective governance have left our city increasingly
vulnerable. Now, as the October 2026 municipal election
begins, the consequences of that decline are becoming
impossible to ignore.
RBW: A 120-year legacy at risk
Just two days before voting opened on October 16, we
learned that RBW, a company with a 120-year history in
Owen Sound, plans to close its operations in January.
The potential loss of as many as 400 jobs would be a
devastating blow to local families, small businesses,
and our already fragile economy.
The end of an industrial landmark
In December, Owen Sound is also expected to lose
another important part of its industrial heritage when
our iconic grain elevators cease operations after
101 years. They are more than a familiar landmark on
our waterfront. They are a symbol of the industries
that helped build our community.
These developments deliver a sobering message. The
economic foundations of our community cannot be taken
for granted, and the challenges confronting Owen Sound
demand more than incremental adjustments and familiar
promises.
Owen Sound's best days do not have to be behind us.
But turning
our city around will require decisive
leadership and meaningful change.
COST Believes Owen Sound Can Be Turned Around
We refuse to accept that decline is inevitable.
Owen Sound has significant strengths: a strategic location,
available industrial land, a skilled workforce, natural
beauty, and a quality of life that larger urban centres
struggle to provide. These are genuine advantages.
But they will count for little unless we have a council
capable of turning them into opportunities for economic
growth, renewed prosperity, and a better quality of life
for all residents.
The answer is not simply to spend more money. It is to
govern better, establish clear priorities, demand
accountability, and make every taxpayer dollar work harder.
The incoming council must be prepared to confront
long-standing problems, question established practices,
and work collaboratively with municipal staff while
ensuring that elected representatives set the city's
direction and priorities.
Seven Priorities for Rebuilding Owen Sound
These are seven essential priorities that the new council
must begin addressing from day one.
1
Restore Safety, Order, and Confidence in Our Downtown
Owen Sound's downtown must once again become a
place where residents feel safe, businesses can
thrive, and visitors want to spend time.
Open drug use, persistent public disorder, and
street-level vagrancy cannot be allowed to undermine
downtown vitality. At the same time, people
struggling with addiction, homelessness, and mental
illness must be treated with dignity and offered
meaningful pathways to recovery.
Council must work urgently with Grey and Bruce
counties and the provincial government to secure
funding for additional shelter beds, expanded
addiction treatment and recovery capacity, and
appropriate mental health services.
Compassion without action is not a solution.
Enforcement without support is not a strategy.
Owen Sound needs both.
2
Make Affordable Housing a Citywide Priority
The lack of affordable housing affects workers,
families, seniors, and people experiencing
homelessness. It also makes it harder for local
employers to attract and retain the people they need.
Council must bring together developers, community
organizations, both counties, and the provincial
and federal governments to develop practical,
innovative ways to increase the supply of
affordable housing.
We must explore new financing arrangements,
partnerships, incentives, and opportunities to
make better use of available land and existing
buildings. Owen Sound needs to make a compelling
case for the emergency support required to address
its housing pressures.
3
Right-Size the Municipal Administration
Taxpayers have every right to expect an efficient
municipal administration that delivers quality
services without unnecessary layers of management
or bureaucracy.
COST believes Owen Sound should undertake a rigorous
comparison with Cobourg, a municipality with a
broadly comparable population. The review should
examine staffing levels, management positions,
compensation, service responsibilities, and
organizational efficiency.
The objective is to identify unnecessary costs,
eliminate duplication, streamline decision-making,
and direct resources toward the services residents
need. This is about improving the organization,
not criticizing individual employees.
4
Bring Municipal Spending Under Control
Owen Sound taxpayers deserve a municipality that
lives within its means and demonstrates value
for money.
Council should establish a three-year expenditure
reduction and efficiency program, using credible
comparisons with similar municipalities to
identify achievable savings without compromising
essential services.
This should include a review of departmental
budgets, management costs, contracted services,
procurement, and programs that no longer deliver
sufficient public value. Zero-based budgeting
should be considered, requiring departments to
justify expenditures rather than simply carrying
forward previous budgets.
Progress must be measured and reported publicly.
Fiscal discipline is about protecting taxpayers,
restoring confidence, and freeing resources for
investments that can rebuild our city.
5
Attract New Businesses and Investment from the GTA
Owen Sound cannot rely on existing employers alone
to sustain its economic future. We must actively
compete for new investment.
The Greater Toronto Area represents a significant
market of businesses facing high operating costs,
expensive real estate, congestion, and limited room
to expand. Owen Sound should promote itself as an
attractive alternative, offering industrial land,
a skilled and willing workforce, and a more
affordable operating environment.
A targeted marketing and business development
strategy should include direct outreach to
prospective employers, an inventory of available
industrial properties, streamlined development
processes, and a designated point of contact for
businesses looking to establish operations here.
Success must be measured by investment secured,
businesses attracted, jobs created, and a
strengthened local tax base.
6
Position Owen Sound as a Destination for Retirement Living
Owen Sound has many qualities retirees seek:
natural beauty, recreational opportunities, a
welcoming community, and an alternative to the
pressures of the big city.
We should capitalize on these advantages through
a targeted marketing campaign directed at
prospective retirees and seniors in the GTA.
Attracting retirees also requires attention to
housing options, healthcare access, transportation,
recreation, and community services. A well-designed
strategy could attract new residents, support
local businesses, and contribute to a more diverse
economy.
7
Make Public Transit Work for the Whole Community
Public transit must be designed around the needs
of residents, not simply maintained without
sufficient regard for ridership or cost-effectiveness.
Council should review existing routes, schedules,
operating costs, and ridership patterns to
determine how the system can better connect
residents with employment, shopping, healthcare,
education, and essential services.
Practical connections between residential areas,
major employers, the hospital, and downtown should
be priorities. Partnerships with local employers
and school boards should also be explored.
Clear performance targets should measure ridership,
cost per passenger, reliability, and community
satisfaction. The objective is a reliable,
accessible, and financially responsible system
that provides a genuine alternative to driving.
Leadership Must Begin on Day One
These seven priorities are not an exhaustive recovery
plan. They are a starting point for the serious work
that lies ahead.
The next council must establish clear objectives, assign
responsibility, set measurable targets, and report
progress openly to the public. It must be prepared to
make difficult decisions, challenge entrenched practices,
and insist that municipal resources are directed toward
the priorities that matter most to residents.
Municipal staff have an important role in implementing
policy and delivering services. But the responsibility
for setting priorities, establishing policy, and holding
the administration accountable rests with elected
representatives.
A New Standard of Municipal Leadership
- Clear priorities and measurable objectives.
- Transparent budgets and public reporting.
- Accountability for spending and results.
- Constructive cooperation across council and staff.
- A sustained focus on economic growth and quality of life.
We cannot control every economic force affecting Owen
Sound. But we can control how effectively our city
responds, how responsibly it manages public money, how
aggressively it pursues new investment, and how
determinedly it addresses the problems affecting residents.
The Choice Before Owen Sound
The closure of RBW and the impending shutdown of the grain
elevators should serve as a wake-up call. Our city needs
a new direction built on sound financial management,
effective governance, economic renewal, public safety,
and accountability.
Change will require councillors with the courage to
question established practices,
the vision to pursue
new opportunities, and the determination to deliver
measurable results.
This election is about more than choosing councillors.
It is about choosing the future of Owen Sound.
We can continue along the path of economic decline and
growing frustration, or we can
demand a new approach
that puts residents first and begins rebuilding
confidence in our city's future.
Owen Sound deserves better.
The time for excuses has passed.
The time for change is now.
CONCERNED OWEN SOUND TAXPAYERS (COST)
Inform • Question • Improve
