Incumbent Grey Highlands councillor Tom Allwood wants to see the momentum continue for municipal initiatives and physician recruitment.
Allwood and his wife Carolyn have lived on their 50-acre farm in Markdale for 18 years where they breed, train, and sell quarter horses.
They have two children, Shannon, and Michael and six grandchildren. Carolyn has an accounting business in Markdale.
Allwood has served the past four years on council and is also active in the community. He is Treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Centre Grey Health Services fundraising event committee, a board member of the South East Grey Community Health Centre, a member of the Grey Highlands Probus Club, past president of the Markdale Golf and Curling Club, and a member of Prince Arthur Lodge in Flesherton.
Allwood was formerly executive vice president and general manager of Deluxe Laboratories Post Production Services, which is a Canadian facility that provides services to film and television clients. He was educated at Ryerson, York University and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
“It has been a privilege to have served the residents of Grey Highlands as one of their councillors for this current term. In spite of the issues with COVID, I believe that council was able to work collaboratively with staff and all levels of government to manage the business of our municipality and achieve some remarkable progress on the economic development issue that was central to the last election platforms of the candidates,” he said. “There is still work to be done. This next term of council will be pivotal in continuing the progress we have made. This is why I am running for a second term.”
Allwood’s priorities for the coming term include:
- Responsible fiscal and asset management
- Growth that preserves our rural heritage and the environment.
- Downtown revitalization
- Attainable housing
- The size of the new Beavercrest school
- Continued support for the new hospital and Grey Gables
- Physician recruitment
- High-speed internet access
- Natural gas expansion in settlement areas
“As you may know, I care about our community and access to a primary care practitioner, whether it is a doctor or a nurse practitioner, is an issue I am actively working on. There are over 2,400 non-rostered residents in Grey Highlands,” he said. “A primary care practitioner is a patient’s gateway to our health system. Your doctor or nurse practitioner refers you to specialists, community care, and home care services. Non-rostered patients have to rely on a hospital’s emergency department or a walk-in clinic.”
Allwood said the current situation for many patients is not cost-effective or conducive to a patient’s continuum of care.
“Grey Highlands residents should have access to a primary care practitioner; should, as they age, be able to live independently with community care and home care support,” he said. “We are fortunate to have a new hospital being built that will provide acute and emergency care. We are fortunate to have an excellent long-term care facility, Grey Gables, in our municipality. We are fortunate to have the South East Grey Community Health Centre. I am committed to continuing support of all of these.”
The municipal election is Oct. 24, 2022. To confirm you are on the voter's list, or to find out about advance voting options, visit the Grey Highlands website here.
