Where I Stand
Where Zulfi Stands
Ward 7 does not need another councillor who waits to see which way the wind blows. It needs someone who walks in with a clear position, defends it with evidence, and answers to residents — not to developers, not to political convenience.
These are not talking points. For each issue: here is my position, why I hold it, what I will specifically do, and how you can hold me accountable.
Issue 1
Safety Is Non-Negotiable
Why This Matters
Every resident of Ward 7 deserves to feel safe on their street, in their park, and at their front door. Speeding, poor lighting, and inadequate enforcement are not minor inconveniences — they are failures of local government.
What I Will Do
- Push for traffic calming on North Park Blvd, 16 Mile Drive, and Trailside Drive
- Advocate for improved lighting in parks and along pedestrian routes
- Establish a direct resident-to-councillor reporting line for safety concerns
- Demand quarterly reporting on by-law enforcement response times
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will publish a public safety dashboard tracking response times and completed projects every quarter."
Issue 2
Growth Must Be Controlled & Earned
Why This Matters
Oakville is growing fast along the Dundas Corridor. That growth must serve existing residents first — not developers' bottom lines. Infrastructure, schools, and services must come before approvals, not after.
What I Will Do
- Vote against any development that outpaces infrastructure capacity
- Require traffic impact studies before every major development approval
- Make infrastructure capacity a standing condition of all significant rezonings
- Publish my position on every major development application before the vote
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will maintain a public Development Tracker showing every application, my position, and the outcome."
Issue 3
Schools & Daycare Before Subdivisions
Why This Matters
You cannot approve thousands of new homes and then shrug when families have nowhere to send their children. School sites and licensed daycare capacity must be conditions of growth — not afterthoughts.
What I Will Do
- Demand school site reservations as a condition of major subdivision approvals
- Advocate for licensed daycare spaces proportionate to new residential density
- Work with the school board to flag capacity issues before they become crises
- Oppose developments that would worsen existing school overcrowding
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will report annually on school capacity data and any development approvals that affect it."
Issue 4
Facilities Proportionate to Population
Why This Matters
Community centres, libraries, recreation facilities, and transit must scale with the people who need them. Ward 7 should not be left behind while other parts of town are served first.
What I Will Do
- Fight for capital investment in Ward 7 proportionate to our population
- Advocate for a new community facility in the growing north end of the ward
- Scrutinise every capital budget to ensure Ward 7 receives its fair share
- Push for expanded pickleball, recreation, and green space amenities
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will track Ward 7's share of capital spending and publish a comparison every budget cycle."
Issue 5
Services That Reach Every Resident
Why This Matters
Seniors, newcomers, young families, and people with disabilities all depend on community services that actually show up. No resident should fall through the cracks because of where they live in the ward.
What I Will Do
- Scrutinise every budget line to ensure Ward 7 receives its fair share of services
- Advocate for improved transit connections to community service hubs
- Push for accessible programming at all Ward 7 recreation facilities
- Hold regular open office hours in different parts of the ward
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will hold quarterly resident meetings and publish a summary of issues raised and actions taken."
Issue 6
Transparency at Every Vote
Why This Matters
Residents deserve to know exactly why their councillor voted the way they did. Closed-door decisions and vague explanations are not acceptable when public money and neighbourhood character are at stake.
What I Will Do
- Publish a plain-language explanation of every significant Council vote
- Attend every Council and committee meeting — no proxy votes
- Hold regular open sessions so Ward 7 residents can ask questions directly
- Disclose all meetings with developers, lobbyists, and special interests
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will publish a monthly accountability report — votes, meetings, issues raised, and progress made."
Issue 7
Proposed data centre in Oakville: Listen to Residents, Establish Strong Safeguards — Then Decide
Why This Matters
Many residents have asked about the proposed data centre in Oakville. Their concerns are reasonable: Will it increase our electricity bills? Will there be noise? What about water use, the environment, and the possible impact on surrounding neighbourhoods? Mayor Rob Burton has stated that the proposed facility would not draw electricity through Oakville Hydro's local distribution system. At the same time, residents deserve clear answers about the broader costs and impacts before any major project moves forward. Data centres are becoming an important part of our digital world — supporting AI, cloud computing, banking, health care, research, and government services. Canada is also placing greater importance on keeping critical computing infrastructure within our own country. But the quality of life of Oakville residents must come first.
What I Will Do
- Require a thorough and independent assessment of electricity and household cost impacts before any approval
- Mandate developer-funded studies on noise, neighbourhood impacts, and water consumption
- Ensure environmental effects, traffic, and infrastructure requirements are fully evaluated
- Demand transparent reporting on local economic benefits and employment created
- Support Oakville Council's interim control by-law approach — study the issues before establishing permanent rules
- Hold the line: no approval without strong, enforceable safeguards that protect residents, not just the developer's timeline
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will not support any data centre approval without a completed independent assessment and a public consultation process. Every commitment made by an operator will be recorded in a binding agreement — not left as a promise."
You Asked for Specifics. Here They Are.
Smart Growth, Strong Neighbourhoods
A Ward 7 resident challenged every candidate to give a clear, non-generic position on the issues that actually affect this ward. Below are my answers — specific enough that you can hold me to them.
Traffic
No Approval Without a Current Traffic Study
Why This Matters
Ward 7 has absorbed significant subdivision growth while roads and transit have lagged behind. Cumulative traffic impact — not just per-development modelling — is the critical gap in how growth gets assessed.
What I Will Do
- Vote against draft plan approvals where the traffic study is more than three years old or models the development in isolation
- Publish a single public page listing every approved-but-unbuilt development in Ward 7 and the road capacity it will consume
- Bring formal motions directing staff to request Regional road improvements in writing — so there is a public record of what was asked and what the answer was
- Prioritise fixes within Town jurisdiction: signal timing, unsignalised intersections, missing sidewalks, and school-zone safety
How to Hold Me Accountable
"I will publish the Ward 7 development pipeline and road-capacity data annually. Every Regional advocacy request will be on the public record."
Hold Me to These Commitments
These are not aspirations — they are commitments with specific actions and accountability measures. If I am elected, you will be able to measure my performance against every one of them.