When I stepped back from Council, I did so with clarity and optimism — not just about where our cities were headed, but about the role planning could play in shaping our future. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, politics, and community, as a mayor, consultant, and researcher. I’ve seen the power of good planning to create liveable, inclusive, future-ready places. I’ve also seen how easily it can be derailed by short-term thinking — and how costly that can be for clients, communities, and councils alike. Greiss Planning exists to bring clarity, rigour, and steady leadership to the approvals process, so good projects can move forward with confidence.
Stay in the loop!
When I first stepped into the role of Mayor, I understood that it carried significant responsibility. What I did not fully anticipate was how frequently it would also require reflection. Reflection on our shared values, on the direction of our city, and on my own approach to leadership.
Each Mayoral Minute I have delivered since 2022 responded to something tangible. A need within our community. A moment deserving recognition. A challenge that required resolve. At the time, each address served a practical purpose. Looking back, however, they reveal something more enduring. They reflect what matters to me, how I approach complex issues, and the principles that guide my decisions.
Some Minutes called for firm advocacy on behalf of our city. Others paused to acknowledge quiet service and collective effort. Together, they form a record not only of the issues we have faced, but of the leadership I have sought to practise. Leadership that is people focused, grounded in place, and guided by principle rather than impulse.Over the coming months, I will share a short reflection on each of these Mayoral Minutes. Each post will include a link to the full address, a selected quote that captures its spirit, and a considered reflection on why that moment mattered.
My hope is that these posts offer more than a summary of events. I hope they provide insight into the work of your Council, into the deliberations undertaken on your behalf, and into the values that sit behind those decisions.
Leadership does not begin and end in the chamber. Much of it unfolds quietly, in thought, in listening, and in careful judgement. In revisiting these Minutes, I am reminded that public service is as much about reflection as it is about action.
It is in that spirit that I share them with you.
Thank you for reading and for walking this path with me.