Todd McKenzie

Todd will remain deeply committed to fostering a safe, vibrant and fiscally responsible community with sustainable urban planning and attainable housing options.

Todd McKenzie is a current Councillor for the District of Lake Country, bringing almost 10 years of dedicated service to our community.

Asked Lake Country businesses often struggle to recruit and retain employees because of housing costs and availability. What actions would you support to increase attainable workforce housing?

My focus for years has been on attainable housing. We need to support housing that makes it easy for people to live work and play in their own communities.

Asked What are the three most important actions the District should take to support the growth and success of local businesses?

Provide incentives for new project builds and expedite their approval process in places where we have planned growth in town. This is where businesses can thrive on a walkable main street and families can live close to their daily destinations.

Asked What are the three most important actions the District should take to support the growth and success of local businesses?

Supporting our policies that protect the rural landscape, protect our environment, provide places for recreation and create tourist attractions that bring investments into the local economy.

Asked How would you control municipal spending and keep commercial property taxes, business-licensing costs and other municipal fees affordable?

Municipal spending will always be a level of service discussion. If the community wants more services, that requires us to find a way to fund that without placing the entire burden on local taxpayers.

Asked How would you control municipal spending and keep commercial property taxes, business-licensing costs and other municipal fees affordable?

A thriving business community is one way we can help keep all property taxes and associated costs lower. We have been working towards lowering the tax burden the last 10 years and that work needs to continue.

Asked How would you address traffic congestion, parking limitations and transportation challenges affecting employees, customers and commercial deliveries?

The commonwealth connection is the single biggest step towards helping our traffic flow in and around the community. Every project needs to have its own analysis done and where there are problems, we need to address them.

Asked How would you ensure businesses receive adequate notice and meaningful consultation before roadwork, construction or other municipal projects disrupt access, parking or customer traffic?

This would include working during off hours and detours and temporary solutions to make it less impactful on the businesses.

Asked What specific changes would you support to make building permits, development applications, inspections and business approvals faster and more predictable?

We have made numerous changes and improvements to procedures, policies and bylaws already and went from one of the worst in the province to one that developers now want to work with.

Asked What is your plan to attract new businesses and investment while also supporting established locally owned businesses?

The business park was our biggest project to encourage new businesses. Also, the new OCP has a focus on supporting businesses and welcoming investors to spend in our community.

Asked How should the District work with the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce and local businesses when developing policies, budgets and long-term economic plans?

The DLC has always encouraged collaboration and feedback from the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

Public safety is always a focus in DLC policies and must never be relaxed.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

We need to make sure we have adequate police officers on the job locally supporting the coverage during the evenings and those times when businesses are closed.

Asked What steps would you support to improve public safety, cleanliness and security in Lake Country’s commercial areas?

Building the projects with public safety in mind will also prevent future problems. Adequate lighting, fencing and other safety features are just a couple examples.

Asked At the end of your four-year term, what measurable results should Lake Country businesses use to determine whether you successfully improved the local business environment?

I believe we always need measurable results and have been a proponent for setting those goals my entire term on Council.

Asked At the end of your four-year term, what measurable results should Lake Country businesses use to determine whether you successfully improved the local business environment?

Right after the election, the new Council will need to establish those objectives based on what the majority of the group decides on.

Asked How should the District work with the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce and local businesses when developing policies, budgets and long-term economic plans?

The OCP was a great example of listening first and then developing or altering the policies.