I grew up in Oak Ridges, but my family's roots in East Gwillimbury go back five generations. When I was 18, as Oak Ridges continued to grow and change, our family made the decision to move to East Gwillimbury. We were looking for something we felt Oak Ridges was beginning to lose — a smaller community and that small-town sense of belonging.
Carmen and I made East Gwillimbury our home, and it's where we raised our children. Our kids grew up here playing hockey and soccer, and our family became very much a part of the community.
I became heavily involved in minor hockey, serving on the executive, managing and coaching teams, and working as a referee. During a three-year work assignment in Ottawa, I continued that involvement and served as a Referee-in-Chief.
My parents and siblings have also made their homes in East Gwillimbury, and my brother served our community as a member of the East Gwillimbury Fire Department for more than 24 years. Today, we have nine grandchildren, and we love having them visit and experience the same small-town atmosphere and sense of community that has meant so much to our family.
For the past 35 years, I have worked in the environmental abatement, demolition and excavation industry. I have managed projects and companies, managed people and budgets, developed schedules, taught courses, solved problems and spent much of my career being responsible for meeting commitments and getting the job done.
My career has also taught me the importance of working as a team. Managing people and projects means listening to different opinions, dealing with disagreements and finding solutions that allow everyone to move forward. We don't always have to agree, but we do have to be willing to work together.
I would bring that same approach to Council. Regardless of who is elected Mayor or who sits around the Council table, I am prepared to work with anyone. There will be times when we disagree, and I won't be afraid to stand up for what I believe is right. But at the end of the day, Council has a responsibility to find workable solutions and move our community forward.
As my parents have grown older, I have become increasingly aware of the challenges facing seniors. The people who helped build our community should be able to afford to remain here. At the same time, younger families should have a realistic opportunity to make East Gwillimbury their home. I believe we need more attainable and affordable housing, but growth must be responsible and supported by the infrastructure and services our community needs.
East Gwillimbury will continue to grow and change. The question is how we manage that change.
I want to help shape our future while preserving the heritage, character and small-town sense of community that brought my family here and has kept us here for generations.
Practical priorities for a growing East Gwillimbury.
Strengthen fire and emergency services and work toward faster response times and the resources our growing community needs.
We need safer roads and neighbourhoods, particularly around schools and areas where children and families walk and cycle. When legitimate safety concerns are identified, reasonable improvements should not be unnecessarily delayed.
Growth must be supported by infrastructure. Roads, water, sewer and essential services need to be planned, funded and in place ahead of development — not years later as communities struggle to catch up.
Growth must be responsible and supported by the infrastructure and services our community needs. We also need housing opportunities that give our children and future generations a realistic chance to afford a home and remain in East Gwillimbury.
Residents work hard for their money, and their tax dollars need to be treated the same way. Spending should be questioned, priorities clearly established, and residents should receive good value for the taxes they pay.
Listen to residents, communicate openly and make it easier for people to participate in local government.
Residents should have a clear understanding of budgets, spending, contracts and Council decisions. This information should be clearly presented and easily accessible on the Town website.
Good government requires open communication, accountability and a willingness to explain how and why decisions are being made.
Our parks and trails should be safe and enjoyable for everyone. East Gwillimbury needs a clear, modern policy identifying what motorized, motor-assisted and micromobility devices are permitted on our trails and where they can be used.
Rules need to be clearly posted and consistently enforced, with appropriate speed limits and restrictions where necessary. There also needs to be an effective way to address unsafe riding and repeated violations.
Technology is changing quickly, and our policies need to keep up. Safety must come first for children, pedestrians, cyclists and everyone who uses our parks and trails.
Construction is necessary as East Gwillimbury grows, but it needs to be better managed, safer and more accountable.
Contractors should be held to approved schedules, construction areas must remain safe and accessible, and unnecessary disruption to residents and businesses should be minimized.
When contractors cause damage, create unnecessary delays or fail to meet their obligations, they need to be held accountable. Residents deserve clear communication, realistic schedules and proper oversight of projects happening in their community.
I love living in East Gwillimbury, and I want to help ensure it remains a community our families are proud to call home.
As our town continues to grow, that growth needs to be responsible and properly planned, with the roads, infrastructure, fire and emergency services, and community services needed to support it.
I want East Gwillimbury to remain a community where our children can grow up and one day afford to buy a home and raise their own families here.
I want safer roads and streets for our children and families, stronger fire and emergency services, responsible management of our tax dollars, and greater transparency and accountability at Town Hall.
Most importantly, I believe residents deserve to be heard, respected and represented.
That's what “For the People” means to me.
A Daughter’s Endorsement. A Community’s Future.
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David Blyth
Candidate for Ward 1 Councillor
East Gwillimbury