In an effort to promote discussion on key issues during the current election period, we are giving candidates the opportunity to answer a number of questions that may be of interest to local voters.
Everyone receives the same questions, and their answers are presented with minimal editing for format purposes only.
Here is the candidate profile for Belleville Council Candidate for Ward One (Urban) Barb Enright Miller.
Election day is October 26th.
First and Last Name
Barb Enright Miller
What position are you seeking in the upcoming municipal election on October 26?
Ward 1 Councillor
Question 1 – Why are you running and what are your main priorities if elected/re-elected?
I am running for re-election because I genuinely care about Belleville, its people, and the future we are building together. Four years ago, residents placed their trust in me, and I have never taken that responsibility lightly. I came to Council with over 30 years of business experience, a strong work ethic, and a desire to make a difference. Today, I bring something more, four years of municipal experience, a deeper understanding of the challenges we face, and the knowledge of how to navigate them. These past four years have taught me that governing a city is not about making promises that sound good. It is about making difficult decisions, understanding the financial realities, asking tough questions, and always remembering that behind every decision are real people, families, seniors, businesses, and taxpayers who depend on us to get it right. My priorities remain clear: responsible financial management, community safety, affordable and attainable housing, continued doctor recruitment, protecting our infrastructure and green spaces, accessibility, and supporting thoughtful economic growth. We must balance the needs of a growing city with the very real financial pressures our residents are facing. Every tax dollar matters, and every decision must be made with both compassion and accountability. I am proud of what we have accomplished, but I also recognize there is much more to do. I will never pretend that every decision has been easy or that we have gotten everything right. I believe residents deserve honesty, even when the truth is difficult, and leadership that listens, learns, and is willing to make tough decisions. My compass has always been the people of Belleville. Not politics, not personal recognition, but doing what I believe is right for the community I am privileged to serve. I am not running because I believe my work is finished. I am running because I believe the experience I have gained, the relationships I have built, and the commitment I have demonstrated can make a meaningful difference over the next four years. I have always believed that good leadership requires minds that think and hearts that feel. That is how I have approached my first term, and that is the promise I make to residents if given the honour of serving again.
Question 2 – How do you balance budgetary restraint with continuing increases in many areas of the municipal budget?
As Chair of Belleville’s Finance Committee, I have learned that balancing a municipal budget is about far more than numbers on a spreadsheet. Behind every dollar is a service our residents rely on, infrastructure we must maintain, and a household or business that ultimately pays the bill. I understand the frustration residents feel when property taxes continue to rise. I hear it, I respect it, and I share their concern. We cannot simply expect taxpayers to absorb every increasing cost. What many people may not realize is that by the time Council begins its annual budget deliberations, significant financial commitments have already been made throughout the year. Contractual obligations, policing, emergency services, infrastructure maintenance, previously approved projects and inflationary pressures all influence the starting point. Many of these costs cannot simply be eliminated without consequences. One of our greatest challenges is balancing today’s affordability with tomorrow’s responsibilities. Belleville has a ten-year capital plan that identifies the infrastructure our growing city needs, but we cannot afford to fund every project at once. Deferring necessary investment may save money today, but it can also create much greater costs for future taxpayers. I believe responsible financial leadership means questioning expenditures, establishing clear priorities, finding efficiencies, pursuing provincial and federal funding, and being prepared to make difficult decisions. It also means understanding the difference between what we would like to provide and what we can realistically afford. Fiscal responsibility is not simply about spending less. It is about spending wisely, protecting essential services, and ensuring we do not leave the next generation with the cost of decisions we were unwilling to make today. I will never promise residents that taxes will not increase. That would not be truthful. But I will promise to scrutinize spending, challenge assumptions, advocate for fair funding from other levels of government, and always remember that the money we are entrusted with belongs to the people of Belleville.
Question 3 – Infrastructure projects are a huge strain on local budgets, especially when it comes to water/wastewater. How can we address/reduce these costs moving forward and mitigate the impact for ratepayers/taxpayers?
Infrastructure projects are a huge strain on local budgets, especially when it comes to water/wastewater. How can we address/reduce these costs moving forward and mitigate the impact for ratepayers/taxpayers? Infrastructure is one of the greatest financial responsibilities we have as municipal councilors, and one that residents don’t always see until something stops working. Our water and wastewater systems, underground pipes, pumping stations, treatment facilities and roads represent decades of investment. Much of that infrastructure is aging, and replacing it today costs considerably more than when it was originally constructed. As Chair of Finance, I understand that our responsibility goes well beyond balancing this year’s budget. We must ensure we are putting sufficient money into reserves to repair and replace the infrastructure we already own, while recognizing that every new subdivision and development brings additional infrastructure that the City will eventually be responsible for maintaining and replacing. Growth is important to Belleville’s future, but growth must also be financially sustainable. Development should contribute its fair share toward the infrastructure it requires, while recognizing the financial pressures builders face and the need to encourage new housing. We need to make better use of the infrastructure we already have, encourage responsible infill development, coordinate road and underground servicing projects to avoid repeatedly digging up the same streets, and invest in preventative maintenance before minor problems become expensive failures. We must also continue advocating for predictable, long-term infrastructure funding from provincial and federal governments. These are essential public services, and the financial burden cannot continue to fall disproportionately on municipal ratepayers. There is no simple or inexpensive solution. Deferring necessary repairs may keep rates lower today, but it risks leaving future residents with much larger bills. At the same time, we cannot expect families and businesses already struggling with affordability to shoulder every cost immediately. Our responsibility is to find that balance: maintain what we have, plan carefully for what we build, save responsibly for future replacement, and make every infrastructure dollar count. I believe the measure of good financial stewardship is not simply what we can afford to build today, but whether we can afford to maintain it for the generations who come after us.
Question 4 – What measures can the municipality take to address the issues of affordability and housing security?
Affordability and housing security are about much more than the cost of a home. They are about people being able to live with dignity, raise their families, remain in the community they love, and feel secure about their future. I recognize that many residents are struggling. Seniors on fixed incomes, young families trying to purchase their first home, renters facing rising costs, and individuals who are working hard but still cannot make ends meet. These are real people facing difficult choices, and they deserve more than promises. As municipal councilors, we must also be honest about what we can and cannot control. We cannot single-handedly fix housing affordability, interest rates, construction costs or the broader economic pressures affecting households. But we can make a meaningful difference. We can encourage a greater variety of housing options, including smaller homes, secondary suites, multi-unit developments, rental housing and responsible infill that makes better use of existing infrastructure. We can reduce unnecessary delays in the development approval process, examine opportunities to repurpose vacant buildings and surplus schools, and work collaboratively with builders to make housing projects more achievable. We must also recognize that affordable housing means different things to different people. What is affordable to one household may be completely out of reach for another. Simply building more homes is important, but it does not automatically mean those homes will be affordable to the people who need them most. Housing security also means helping people remain housed. That requires strong partnerships with Hastings County, which administers social housing and homelessness services, along with community organizations and senior levels of government. Municipalities cannot reasonably carry the financial responsibility for these complex social challenges alone. I believe we must balance compassion with practical solutions and financial responsibility. Every decision to invest public money must be carefully considered because the residents we are trying to help are also the taxpayers funding those investments. A successful community is not simply one that builds more houses. It is one where people of different ages, incomes and circumstances can find a place to call home. My commitment is to continue supporting responsible growth, removing barriers where we can, protecting existing neighbourhoods, and advocating for the partnerships and funding needed to make housing more attainable. Because at the heart of this issue is something very simple: everyone deserves the opportunity to feel safe, secure and at home in their own community.
Question 5 – Homelessness has become a major issue for most local communities. What would you do to address this issue and what needs to happen to have a meaningful impact?
Homelessness has become a major issue for most local communities. What would you do to address this issue and what needs to happen to have a meaningful impact? Homelessness is one of the most heartbreaking and complex challenges facing our community. Behind every person experiencing homelessness is a human being with a story, and often circumstances none of us could fully understand until we have walked in their shoes. I believe we must approach this issue with both compassion and accountability. While housing, mental health, addictions treatment and income supports are largely responsibilities of other levels of government, we cannot simply say this is outside our municipal jurisdiction and turn away. My moral compass tells me that when people in our community are suffering, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution. But compassion alone is not a strategy. We need coordinated, adequately funded solutions that include supportive and transitional housing, accessible mental health and addiction treatment, outreach services, and programs that prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. Belleville must continue working with Hastings County, our community partners and the provincial and federal governments, while advocating for those governments to fulfill their responsibilities and provide sustainable funding. Municipal property taxes alone cannot solve a crisis of this magnitude. We must also recognize the legitimate concerns of residents and businesses who deserve safe, welcoming neighbourhoods. Compassion for those experiencing homelessness and public safety are not competing priorities. We have a responsibility to both. There is no quick fix, and I will not pretend otherwise. Meaningful progress requires moving beyond managing homelessness to helping people find a pathway out of it. I believe we should be judged not simply by how we respond to homelessness today, but by how many people we help regain stability, dignity and hope for tomorrow.
Question 6 – What message do you want the voter to know about you and your campaign and your priorities for the next four years?
Four years ago, the people of Belleville placed their trust in me, and I have never taken that responsibility lightly. Every decision I have made, every committee I have served on, and every difficult conversation I have had has been guided by one simple principle: the people of Belleville must always come first. I came to Council with over 30 years of business and financial management experience. Today, I bring something equally valuable: four years of firsthand municipal experience, a deeper understanding of the challenges we face, and the knowledge of how to navigate them. I have had the privilege of chairing our Finance and Accessibility Committees, serving as Vice-Chair of the Police Services Board, and contributing to Planning, environmental stewardship and other important areas of our City. These responsibilities have taught me that good leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the difficult questions, listening carefully, doing your homework and having the courage to make decisions that may not always be popular, but are necessary. I will never tell you what I think you want to hear simply to earn your vote. You deserve the truth, even when it is difficult. I will not make promises I cannot keep or pretend that the complex challenges facing our City have simple solutions. Over the next four years, my priorities remain clear: responsible financial management, keeping taxes as affordable as possible, community safety, attracting doctors, addressing housing and homelessness, protecting our infrastructure and green spaces, improving accessibility, and supporting thoughtful growth that benefits both today’s residents and future generations. I know that many people are struggling, and I know there are decisions Council has made that not everyone agrees with. I respect that. I don’t expect residents to agree with every decision I make. But I do hope they recognize that those decisions come from careful consideration, integrity and a genuine desire to do what is right for our community. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, but I also recognize how much work remains. I am not asking for another four years because I believe the job is finished. I am asking because I know how much more there is to do, and I believe the experience I have gained will help me serve you even better. Public service, to me, has never been about a title or a seat at the Council table. It is about showing up, being accountable, treating people with respect, and remembering that behind every decision are real people whose lives are affected. My compass has always been the people of Belleville. My commitment has always been to serve with both a mind that thinks and a heart that feels. That is who I was when you elected me four years ago. That is who I am today. And that is who I promise to remain if you entrust me with another four years. I cannot promise to get every decision right. But I can promise that I will never stop caring, never stop listening, and never stop working for the City and the people I am so proud to represent.
