Bardari, Domenic

The city needs to be more creative to meet housing shortages and future needs of the community and keep current residents in stable neighbourhoods

You’re tapping into a really important tension here—big players versus the “small, local” side of the housing ecosystem. If Richmond Hill wants more gentle density—duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, laneway homes, small mixed‑use—it needs a policy that treats small actors as partners, not afterthoughts.

support growth in major centres, but not exclusively. Richmond Hill needs a wider mix of small‑scale housing options across all neighbourhoods — gentle density that maintains character, improves affordability, and shares growth fairly.

I support making the permit process faster and more predictable for small, code‑compliant projects. When an application meets all the rules, it should move quickly — with a target like one‑week review where possible — so homeowners and small builders can contribute to gentle, well‑designed growth across the city.

I support reducing minimum parking mandates so builders and businesses can provide parking based on actual demand rather than rigid rules. This lowers costs, improves land use, and supports more flexible, community‑friendly development across Richmond Hill.

I support improving local transit, walking, cycling, and first/last‑mile connections — even when those improvements require reallocating some road space or parking — as long as changes are data‑driven, well‑designed, and responsive to community needs.

Yes. I support physical street redesigns — narrower lanes, better crossings, curb extensions, protected bike lanes, and traffic calming — prioritized by safety data, piloted quickly, and evaluated transparently to make Richmond Hill safer and more livable.

I support prioritizing a more walkable, vibrant downtown and strong main‑street‑style economic development. These areas create lasting economic value, support local businesses, and strengthen community identity, while large car‑oriented edge projects should be evaluated carefully to ensure they don’t undermine the city’s core.

I support a comprehensive approach to public safety: better lighting and street design, stronger coordination with York Regional Police, neighbourhood‑level prevention, modernized City infrastructure, and active community programs. These steps help reduce crime and make residents feel safer across Richmond Hill.

I support targeted public‑safety cameras in high‑risk areas, paired with strong privacy protections, clear oversight, transparent reporting, and coordination with York Regional Police. Cameras should improve safety and investigations — not create blanket surveillance.

Richmond Hill should take a disciplined, long‑range approach to funding infrastructure — parks, roads, water systems, public facilities, and growth‑related obligations — so the city can maintain high‑quality services without placing unpredictable burdens on residents or businesses.
As the city grows, the goal should be stable, transparent, and diversified funding, paired with strong asset management and careful planning.

I support reducing or waiving development charges only when the City identifies a stable replacement funding source. We can improve housing affordability, but we must also protect long‑term infrastructure needs so roads, parks, water systems, and public facilities keep pace with growth.

I support treating public squares, parks, street trees, libraries, and community spaces as essential infrastructure. Investing in them strengthens community life, supports local businesses, improves health and climate resilience, and ensures Richmond Hill grows in a livable, connected way.

I support stronger, sustained action to expand Richmond Hill’s tree canopy, increase shade, improve stormwater management, and strengthen climate resilience.
These are practical, local measures that directly affect safety, comfort, and long‑term infrastructure costs — especially as extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and flooding become more common.

I support stronger transparency: clear voting records, accessible explanations of development negotiations, and easy‑to‑find information on major projects and trade‑offs. Residents should be able to understand how decisions are made and hold their government accountable.