City Hall Has Lost Its Way

Owen Sound taxpayers deserve accountability, not bloated spending and broken promise

Two years ago, Owen Sound voters chose nine citizens to manage our city. Every election, we hope for fiscal responsibility and accountability. Instead, costs rise, priorities drift, and promises fade.

Broken Promises

In 2022, Deputy Mayor Scott Greig pledged to create a Budget Committee to review spending before it reached council: “Any expenditure would go through a budget committee, providing much better oversight.”

That never happened. Instead, we’re funding a $25 million Art Gallery expansion study and $80,000 for a “2050 Vision” consultant. Meanwhile, barriers that prevent ordinary residents from serving on council remain unaddressed—even though council pay is barely half a percent of the city’s budget.

This matters. More than half of Owen Sound households earn under $57,600. When council ignores that reality, it limits who can realistically serve and tilts representation away from working families.

Ignoring the Vulnerable

At the same time, homelessness grows. Yet when asked, the mayor dismissed it as “not my problem—it’s a county issue.” But everyone who lives here, housed or not, deserves a voice in city priorities.

Council has also cut public question periods from five minutes to three, giving the mayor greater power to silence critics. In December, resident Ken Jones was cut off after 1.8 minutes and then lectured by the mayor. Instead of challenging the mayor's behavior, council amended the bylaw to allow it.

Declining Public Input

Councillor Farmer proposed a Town Hall to let residents question their representatives directly. Council reduced it to a staff-run “open house”—a format designed to avoid tough questions. Too many councillors seem unwilling to face open dialogue with the people they represent.

Rising Costs, Growing Bureaucracy

Despite a shrinking population, Owen Sound’s senior management ranks keep expanding. Many more staff now appear on Ontario’s “sunshine list,” with compensation levels that outpace similar municipalities.

I spent seven months reviewing the city’s audited financial statements and identified millions in potential savings, including opportunities to streamline management. I hand-delivered the report to council. It was ignored.  Read my Report Here!

The Real Mistake

The truth is, we—the voters—share responsibility. We elected officials who promised fiscal discipline and accountability but delivered the opposite. The growing number of residents living on our streets is proof council is out of touch with the most basic needs of our community.

While money flows to consultants and cultural projects, families struggle to afford rent and groceries. The cost of consultant studies alone could have provided rent support for dozens of households. Priorities are upside down.

A Call for Change

This is not a call for higher taxes. It’s a call for better management. The city needs:

• A Budget Committee, as promised.

• Zero-based budgeting, where every expense must be justified.

• A right-sizing of senior management.

The savings from these reforms could be redirected to real needs—housing, affordability, and essential services.

Owen Sound doesn’t lack money. It lacks accountability. Next election, we must support candidates who listen, who will challenge the status quo, and who will manage our city with fiscal discipline.

But change won’t happen on its own. It starts with us—speaking up at council meetings, demanding answers, and encouraging capable, responsible residents to step forward as candidates. If we want better leadership, we need to help recruit it. If we want accountability, we must hold council to account every step of the way.

We made a mistake in 2022.  In 2026, let’s make sure we don’t repeat it.

Review our ideas for changing this dynamic at: RemakeCouncil.COM