Our priorities

Ward 1 is growing. Real representation for your concerns.

Five priorities, each with a clearly different purpose — and an honest account of what a councillor can and cannot do.

01

Affordability

Every municipal decision affects someone’s household budget.

Homeowners, renters, families, seniors and individuals are facing higher costs across almost every area of daily life. Although municipal government cannot control grocery prices, interest rates or inflation, it does control property-tax decisions, municipal fees, service levels and significant areas of public spending.

Nadea will represent Ward 1 by centring affordability during the decision-making process at both Oshawa City Council and Durham Regional Council.

Nadea will advocate for:

  • Careful consideration of the household impact of tax and fee increases.
  • Greater efforts to find efficiencies before asking residents to pay more.
  • Maximum use of provincial, federal and other outside funding for infrastructure and community projects.
  • Responsible planning that ensures growth contributes fairly toward the services and infrastructure it requires.
  • Clear explanations of how proposed budgets will affect the average resident.
  • Protection of essential services while keeping affordability at the centre of financial decisions.
The evidence: Oshawa’s 2026 budget produced a 1.68% increase in the City portion of the residential property-tax bill. For an average assessed property, the City estimated an increase of approximately $91.12 annually, or $7.59 per month.
Source: City of Oshawa.

What Nadea will not promise

Nadea will not make unrealistic promises that taxes will never increase. Her commitment is to ask whether increases are necessary, whether the amount is reasonable and whether residents are receiving genuine value. Budgets are set by Council as a whole — a single councillor advocates and votes, but cannot decide alone.

Campaign message

Every dollar matters — and residents should remain at the centre of every financial decision.

02

Responsible Municipal Spending

Value for every tax dollar.

Responsible spending does not mean cutting services residents depend on. It means establishing priorities, examining costs, planning ahead and ensuring public money produces measurable community value.

The objective is not simply to spend less. It is to spend wisely, prioritise responsibly and plan sustainably.

Nadea will advocate for:

  • Long-term planning that considers the full operating and maintenance costs of new projects.
  • Stronger efforts to identify efficiencies, partnerships, grants and alternative revenue.
  • Financial decisions that balance today’s needs with the City’s future obligations.

Where the decision sits

Operating and capital budgets are approved by Council. Nadea’s role is to scrutinise proposals, ask for justification and vote — and to explain those decisions plainly afterwards.

The evidence: Oshawa’s 2026 Operating Budget is approximately $206.5 million, while the gross Capital Budget is approximately $44.5 million. Property taxes fund approximately 76.8% of the Operating Budget, making financial oversight one of Council’s most important responsibilities.
Source: City of Oshawa budget.

Campaign message

Strong services. Careful spending. Measurable value.

03

Community Representation

Your voice, perspective and concerns matter to me.

Community representation is how Nadea will work with residents. It is different from simply attending Council meetings or voting on reports. It means building an ongoing relationship between the councillor’s office and the community.

Nadea’s involvement with Oshawa’s Community Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee since 2024 has given her experience listening to different perspectives and helping bring community voices into municipal discussions. In 2025, alongside the committee, she facilitated Oshawa’s first Equity and Inclusion Forum, where residents and community leaders were given a platform to voice their concerns. As Vice-Chair she presented those concerns to City Council in a special meeting, advocating for change and accountability.

Nadea will commit to:

  • Advocating for residents to have an opportunity to raise concerns before major decisions are made.
  • Engagement with homeowners, renters, seniors, youth, families, businesses and community organizations.
  • Ensuring that growing and diverse communities are included in municipal conversations.
The evidence: Nadea’s delegation to Oshawa City Council as Vice-Chair of the Community Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee — listen to the delegation.
Source: Oshawa eScribe meeting portal.

An ongoing relationship

Representation is not a once-every-four-years relationship. These are commitments on how Nadea intends to work, and they are within her control as a councillor.

Campaign message

Representation starts with listening.

04

Stronger Ward 1 Advocacy

Ward 1 is growing — and infrastructure must keep pace.

Oshawa’s growth will create opportunities, but it will also increase pressure on roads, transportation, parks, municipal services and community infrastructure. This growth should be balanced with respect for our greenbelt and farming communities.

New communities need proper infrastructure in place before owners move in. Traffic signs, sidewalks and school bus stops are safety necessities. Several main arteries are routinely congested, and need urban planning solutions that will relieve the problem.

Because Nadea is seeking a Regional and City Council seat, she would have a voice at both levels of municipal government.

Nadea will advocate for:

  • Roads and intersections that can safely accommodate population growth.
  • Better coordination between development approvals and infrastructure delivery.
  • Transportation and transit improvements that reflect Ward 1’s changing needs.
  • Parks, trails, recreation and public spaces alongside new neighbourhood development.
  • Safe sidewalks, crossings, traffic-safety measures and pedestrian connections.
  • Infrastructure planning that addresses drainage, stormwater management and long-term maintenance.
  • Meaningful consultation before significant development decisions.
  • Public updates on major Ward 1 projects and anticipated timelines.
The evidence: Durham Region is already studying the reconstruction and widening of 1.75 kilometres of Ritson Road North between Taunton Road and Conlin Road. The Region identifies operational deficiencies, road safety and increasing traffic volumes as reasons for the project.
Source: Durham Region.

City, Region, or neither

Roads, transit and water are largely Regional responsibilities; parks, sidewalks and local planning are largely the City’s. Some projects also depend on provincial funding or approval. A Regional and City Councillor can advocate at both tables — but timelines and approvals rest with those bodies, not one member.

Campaign message

Planned communities. Responsible growth for Ward 1.

05

Accountability and Transparency

Know who is responsible, what was decided, and what Nadea did about it.

Oshawa residents receive one property-tax bill, but the City does not retain all the money. Because municipal responsibilities are divided, residents can easily be passed between different departments or levels of government.

Nadea can distinguish herself by helping residents understand who is responsible, what decisions are being made, and what action she has taken.

Nadea will commit to:

  • Plain-language summaries of important votes and decisions.
  • Updates on concerns raised by Ward 1 residents.
  • Transparent communication when timelines change or a requested outcome cannot be achieved.
  • Accessible information about upcoming meetings, consultations and public delegations.
The evidence: In 2026, approximately 40 cents of every residential property-tax dollar went to the City, 46 cents to Durham Region and 14 cents to the Province for education.
Source: City of Oshawa.

What accountability does and does not mean

Accountability does not mean claiming that one councillor can deliver every requested outcome. It means being honest about what can be done, showing what actions were taken and clearly communicating the outcomes.

Campaign message

You deserve honesty and clear communication.

Alongside the five priorities

Employment & Social Services

Youth engagement

Many youth express concerns around difficulties finding a sense of belonging within their community, whether through lack of social programs or scarce job opportunities. We want to find solutions to bridge these gaps to continue to build the future of Oshawa. Ongoing discussions will help to shape the extracurricular programs offered and supports needed, to continue to cultivate positive spaces for our youth.

Elderly

Partnerships and programs that provide ongoing supports and opportunities to our elderly residents.

Job creation

Many Oshawa residents commute out of our city every day for work.

Oshawa already has cost efficient policies in place that make it more affordable for companies and manufacturers to construct and open businesses here. Highlighting these affordable advantages for offices, commercial retail or industrial square footage rates that are currently significantly lower in Oshawa and Durham Region in comparison to other parts of the GTA.

Making intentional plans to bring in more commercial and industrial companies will increase the number of local jobs available to residents.

The unified platform

Ward 1 is growing. Real representation for your concerns.

Nadea Clarke will bring:

  • An affordability lens to every decision.
  • Responsible stewardship of public spending.
  • Representation that begins with listening.
  • Strong advocacy at the City and Regional level.
  • Accountability residents can see.

Nadea Clarke believes strong representation means listening to residents, protecting affordability, asking difficult questions and reporting back with honesty. Ward 1 deserves a councillor who will be present in the community, prepared at the council table and persistent in advocating for results.

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