Jody Mitic

Background

A- My name is JODY MITIC, I am 49 and Dad to two amazing teenage daughters. I spent 20yrs in the Canadian Army as an Infantry soldier. In 2007 I was wounded in Afghanistan and lost both my feet to an IED. After my recovery I was trained and employed in liaison, public and media relations. I retired from the Army in 2014 and was honoured to be elected by the voters of Innes Ward 2 to sit on Ottawa city council. I served as the Ottawa City sports commissioner and Veterans advisor to the Mayor and sat on multiple committees including Community and Public safety, Environmental committee and the Community Housing Board. I relocated to Cornwall with my small company, Green Army Coffee (greenarmycoffee.ca) and I will be opening a coffee shop with my partner, who was born in Cornwall. I was a cast member of the Amazing Race Canada season 1, placing 2nd. I have two published best selling books. My autobiography from 2015 called “Unflinching the making of a Canadian Sniper” and “Everyday Heroes” a collection of first hand accounts of military personnel. You can reach me at @JODYMITIC on instagram and Facebook and @jodymitic1977 on X/Twitter

Top Priorities

A- My top three priorities are; 1- Protect the Taxpayer 2- Plan for the Future 3- Lead by example and advance Term Limits

1. The 2026 Budget & Property Taxes: The 2026 municipal budget passed with a 5.41% increase to the property tax levy, bringing the "average" residential property tax bill to nearly $3,270. As a City Councillor, how will you approach future budget deliberations to balance the necessity of maintaining essential city services while ensuring the commercial tax rate remains competitive enough to attract new investment?

A- The information I can find indicates that the residential tax rate is 1.9% and the commercial tax rate is 2.8% to 3.9%, Which makes my Priority holding the line on anymore tax increases of 2% or far less moving forward. I believe Cornwall as a corporation can function very well if it reduces borrowing and spends on core city functions. We must avoid the obvious trap of interest payments being heaped on our grandchildren.

2. Red Tape & Business Licensing: The City has been working to modernize its Business Licensing By-law to consolidate decades-old regulations and reduce licensing categories. If elected to Council, what specific steps will you champion to further streamline the permitting, zoning, and licensing processes and reduce the administrative burden on small business owners?

A- I can’t give you specific steps I can champion beyond that I am all for streamlining and reducing time spent idle on any business opportunities. Time is money and the money will move on if we cannot modernize and adopt a more welcoming and positive attitude towards those willing to invest their time and and money in Cornwall. I assume it is being done but I would also like to see the permit process be as easy as using a drop down menu of questions loaded into an Ai app/program that can guide users and City staff on how to successfully and speedily apply and also approve permits and have businesses open and generating revenue as quickly as possible.

3. Infrastructure Prioritization: The City's Asset Management Plan indicates a significant backlog of infrastructure renewal projects. Which specific municipal infrastructure investments (e.g., road maintenance, transit expansion, water/wastewater upgrades) will you advocate for as an immediate priority over the next four years to support local industry and residents?

A- The specific municipal infrastructure investments I would focus on is road maintenance and community housing. Current data indicate that water and wastewater systems are aging but in fairly good condition for now. Our roads must remain in good condition to allow for commerce and tourism to flourish. As well Cornwall Community housing must maintain a high standard of living to help ease some of the pressures due to a lack of affordable housing.

4. The Port Lands Development: The 16-acre Port Lands, jointly owned by the municipality and the Akwesasne First Nation, is a major waterfront asset. What is your vision for the future development of this parcel, and how will you work within Council to ensure the partnership fosters mutually beneficial economic growth for the region?

A- My vision for the future development of the Port Lands will be guided by the input of all involved. Currently the Cornwall Harbour development corp and the Akwesasne Harbour Development Corp have an RFP (PL-2026-001) that recently closed, for The Port Lands, Master Planning and Site Design. I would like to see what comes of it and use it to form more of an understanding of the project. That said, I am incredibly keen to see it continue to be developed as a mixed use with increased access to the St Lawrence for all residence and future tourists.

5. Housing Supply & Affordability: Cornwall is facing a critical housing shortage across all income brackets. What specific municipal actions will you advocate for at the Council table (e.g., zoning amendments, targeted development incentives, utilizing city-owned land) to accelerate residential development and ensure a mix of affordable options?

A- As City Councillor for Cornwall I will advocate for any responsible actions that will mean more housing starts more often in Cornwall. I like that idea of targeted incentives and building on city owned land, perhaps in a PPP situation to pad the Community Housing stocks and increase available land for density projects. I am also a big fan of zoning amendments to allow for more creative and functional designs in places that don’t necessarily “meet zoning” but can be otherwise developed responsibly.

6. Addressing Homelessness: Complex social issues like homelessness affect vulnerable individuals and impact the downtown business community. As a Councillor, what is your strategy for ensuring the municipality effectively supports collaborative community initiatives (like The Stepping Stone project), and what specific city resources or policies will you commit to reducing the number of unhoused individuals?

A- I believe Homelessness is a complex issue and must be approached from a Holistic mindset. Many homeless are transient and often have health issues that most likely led to their situation. As your Councillor I will seek to ensure that we are acting to connect and enable the programming and organizations that will account for our unhoused and put them on a sustainable path to recovery, reintegration and self reliance. I will also do my part to ensure that community housing receives proper funding to increase its stock.

7. Youth Retention & Workforce Development: A common challenge for local businesses is attracting and retaining skilled talent. How will you use your position on Council to work with local institutions like St. Lawrence College and the business community to encourage youth to build their careers in Cornwall rather than relocating to larger urban centers?

A- As city councillor I will use my position in a liaison manner to ensure that we are not leaving anything on the table between jobs available and those willing and able to work them. I would ensure, to the best of my positions abilities, that the college and other institutions in our area offer the proper training and experiences that match the available careers that are already here in Cornwall. I would also like to see a massive push by the city, to encourage and facilitate more of our youth to build and grow their own businesses right here in Cornwall.

8. Industrial Expansion & Logistics: Cornwall has a strong history as a logistics and industrial hub, recently seeing investments like the Michelin Distribution Centre, but the city must remain competitive. How will you support the transportation sector and advocate for infrastructure improvements that meet the evolving needs of local industry?

A- As I have stated earlier I will maintain the roads and upgrade them where necessary to encourage local industry to remain and expand in Cornwall and to attract new investments in the evolving logistics and transportation industry. It would be a shame to miss out on something because we are unable to think about and anticipate future technologies (such self driving cargo trucks) and business models of the industries we already serve well.

9. Tourism, Events, & Local Initiatives: Tourism is a significant economic driver for our local hospitality and retail sectors. How can City Council better support local events, festivals, and community initiatives to drive tourism, and what municipal resources or support do you believe should be provided to ensure their success?

A- City Council can support local events by providing help in kind and providing as safe, clean and well serviced a city as possible. Tourism is a whole city effort that must be coordinated and optimized to bring momentum and excitement at every opportunity. I believe it is useful to reassess and ensure that the events and festivals in Cornwall are current and align with our future goals as a community.

10. Council Dynamics & Community Voice: The 2026 municipal budget was passed utilizing provincial "Strong Mayor" powers. Regardless of your stance on those specific powers, how will you ensure that as a City Councillor, you effectively represent the voice of the public and the business community in major municipal decisions, ensuring accountability and transparency at City Hall?

A- My role as a City Councillor gives me a choice. Will I become a shill and frontman for the Tax collector or will I protect the Tax payer from the Tax collector? I have stated from day one that I will be a Protector of the Tax Payers in Cornwall. I have the experience and the back bone to stand in front of bad ideas and argue for an open process. I believe in accountability and transparency as SOP or Standard Operating Procedure. I would also advocate for term limits and mandatory referendums for more contentious and involved decisions.

11. Maintaining Decorum and Handling Misinformation: City Councillors are increasingly subject to intense public scrutiny and are often the target of misinformation or disinformation spread across social media. Additionally, this scrutiny can sometimes escalate into harassment or abusive language. The City’s Code of Conduct requires Councillors to treat everyone with respect and maintain professional decorum, even when facing hostile or factually incorrect public discourse. How will you personally handle the pressures of social media, combat local misinformation without escalating conflicts, and ensure that your interactions—both online and offline—foster a respectful, constructive environment that upholds the integrity of City Council?

A- I will personally handle the pressure of social media just fine. I have always had a significant social media presence and I was trained in media liaison and public relations by the Army. The biggest thing I always try to remember when dealing with online discourse is that at least half of those commenting negatively are not real or likely spam accounts. That said, online social media feedback and participation is a modern privilege that can be used to great efficiency to communicate with politicians and voters alike.