Housing is the most pressing issue facing Clarenville today, particularly for those needing suitable and affordable options. Our research confirms that suitable housing is the most critical issue facing Clarenville. As our population ages, many residents will need affordable, right-sized housing that meets their evolving needs. This is particularly urgent given that one in five Clarenville residents currently experiences housing affordability challenges.

We must carefully consider all housing options, and the Town Council will play a pivotal role in this effort. We'll partner with other levels of government to open up land and install the necessary infrastructure. This will enable private developers to build the housing our residents desperately need

The Corporation of the Town of Clarenville—the entity we simply call "The Town"—is a $12 million annual organization dedicated to serving our residents. We provide essential services like fire protection, snow removal, waste management, and the upkeep of our parks and green spaces.

Our spending falls into two main categories:

• Operational spending: This covers the day-to-day running of the town.

• Capital spending: This funds long-term assets like roads and infrastructure.

To finance major capital projects, the Council typically borrows money and repays the debt over time, allocating a portion of the operational budget each year for repayment.

Funding and Accountability

The vast majority of the Town's funds come directly from you, through the taxation of residential property owners and local businesses.

I am committed to ensuring fair taxation for everyone. When your money is spent, we will guarantee it is managed responsibly, provides the maximum benefit to the community, and is never wasted.

For Clarenville to continue growing, both residentially and commercially, we need available, development-ready land and an efficient and effective regulatory environment. A significant amount of work has already been accomplished by the Town's dedicated staff in this area. I am committed to ensuring these plans translate into concrete action.

The diverse recreational opportunities in Clarenville are a major draw for both new residents and long-time citizens. It's not just our excellent facilities, but also the incredible dedication of the many staff and volunteers who coach, fundraise, operate, and plan events. Their efforts add immense value to our recreational assets, truly enriching life in Clarenville.  

As our climate shifts, our population evolves, and people's interests change, the Town of Clarenville must continuously re-evaluate its recreational needs and how we deliver these vital services. 

Overall, I believe the Town has done an excellent job of supporting our citizens' recreational needs. Going forward, we need to actively ensure we get the best possible benefit for our financial investment in recreation by offering the right mix of services.

Clarenville's rich story is a tapestry woven from its roots in logging, the railway, and boatbuilding, its pivotal role in the groundbreaking TAT-1 cable, and its enduring significance as a strategic service hub. These aren't just historical footnotes; they are the pillars of our town's identity. It's time to create our narrative, prioritize accessibility, and leverage modern platforms to truly honour Clarenville's past.

A dedicated helipad at the hospital would mean:

- No more street closures: Keeping our roads open for other emergencies and daily traffic.

- Faster and safer patient transfers: Every second counts in a medical emergency. A proper landing pad would allow for a quicker, smoother transition for critically ill patients.

- Increased safety: A purpose-built area would provide a lighted, secure and clear space for these large helicopters to land and take off, reducing risk for everyone involved.

Clarenville deserves a modern, safe, and efficient emergency medical system. Let's work together to advocate for this essential piece of infrastructure.

The idea of a Wellness Centre is something many people are interested in, and we know that a lot of residents would love to have a facility with an indoor swimming pool. In fact, the Town of Clarenville has already done a lot of work to figure out what a facility like this could look like, how it would be managed, and how it could be paid for.

What We've Learned So Far

In 2014, the town hired a consultant to study a combined Town Hall/Swimming Pool facility. The study showed that the total project would cost around $21 million, with the pool accounting for about $11-14 million of that cost. The study also projected that the town would need to provide an annual subsidy of approximately $100,000 to operate the pool. Ultimately, the decision was made not to proceed with this plan. Instead, the town selected a lower-cost option that involved renovating the existing town hall and building a new fire hall.

Since then, other towns have built similar facilities, and we've learned more about the operations, community uptake, and the costs. For example, the 35,000-square-foot recreation complex and pool in Marystown, which opened in 2019, cost $16.5 million. The YMCA, which has experience running such facilities, is managing it, and it requires a significant annual operating subsidy.

In early 2025, a council committee was formed to continue investigating the need for a wellness Centre. Through public surveys, a business survey, and focus groups, we gathered feedback from about 2,500 people and 140 businesses. This feedback helped us create a funding proposal for a project feasibility study. Based on what the town heard, a Clarenville Regional Wellness Centre should include a 6-lane competition-style swimming pool, along with other features like a childcare Centre, fitness Centre, gymnasium, pickleball court, and a public library. The annual cost for the facility is projected to be over $1 million.

The Next Step: A Feasibility Study

Our next step is to conduct a feasibility study, which will incorporate information from similar facilities across Newfoundland and Labrador. This study will give the town crucial details on the costs, timelines, and expected annual operating expenses of building a Regional Wellness Centre. It will also tell us how this project might impact the town's annual budget.

The study will also make recommendations on how to connect the new wellness Centre with the Clarenville Events Centre to create operational and energy efficiencies after construction.

A Community Recreation Complex in Context

Council has to consider many aspects of running our town, so the consideration of a Wellness Centre cannot be assessed in isolation. Here are some of the key considerations that all councillors and citizens must think about:

The Town Budget: Clarenville's annual budget is approximately $13.5 million. The three major sources of that money are taxes on residential properties (38%), on commercial establishments (32%), and water (15%).

Capital Project Funding: The town can receive funding for long-lived ‘Capital’ projects, like a wellness Centre, from the provincial and federal governments. This funding is competitive, meaning the province decides what projects it will support. In the past, Clarenville received 80% funding for such projects once they were approved—but this is about to change. As a town's population officially tops 7,000 people, the provincial cost-sharing formula is reduced from 20% town/80% province to 30% town/70% province. In the future, more costs will be borne by our taxpayers.

Water: Water is an absolute necessity and one of the highest priorities in our town. The water treatment plant is now 20 years old, and a recent engineering study outlined a prioritized list of improvements that need to be made to help ensure the operation of our water system. The related cost of this work is approximately $10 million.

Wastewater Treatment: In 2012, the Federal Government enacted Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations. The net effect is that Clarenville will no longer be able to dispose of untreated sewage wastewater into the ocean. The town and other municipalities have been preparing for this, with a 2030 deadline to treat our sewage. In 2019, Clarenville had a consultant complete an engineering study on the installation of a waste management system that would meet the requirements of the regulations. The estimated cost of the project (2019) was $20-27 million, depending on the system chosen.

The concept of a wellness centre is something I personally believe would be a wonderful asset for our town. However, as a councillor, my job is to consider the big picture and determine what is truly in the best interest of Clarenville and the people who will ultimately bear the costs.

To make this a reality, we must first understand the likely costs and establish a clear plan for how we will pay for them. If the upcoming feasibility study can provide me with the confidence that we can do this responsibly—within the context of the other critical issues our town faces—I will do my best to make it happen as soon as possible.