A Practical Path Forward for Harrison Hot Springs

Harrison’s future depends on realism, not slogans. Protecting our lifestyle and stabilizing our economy requires focusing on what actually works.

Guiding Principles

  • Infrastructure before expansion

  • Environmental stewardship without economic self-harm

  • Transparency, accountability, and measured decision-making

  • Local resilience over symbolic policy

Economic Reality

Canada—and Harrison by extension—does not fail overnight. It weakens through poor productivity, rising costs, and policy driven by ideology instead of outcomes. Affordability matters. Economic strength funds everything else.

Climate action must be pragmatic. Policies that raise costs without delivering results hurt residents and reduce our ability to adapt.

Environment: What Actually Works

  • Forests matter. They capture massive amounts of carbon—but only if managed. Wildfire, pests, and neglect can turn them into net emitters.

  • Technology has a role, but it isn’t magic. Carbon capture works best for hard-to-abate industries—not as a blanket solution.

  • Resilience beats symbolism: watershed protection, fire mitigation, flood prevention, and infrastructure hardening deliver real benefits.

Infrastructure: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

Nothing works without reliable systems:

  • Water and sewer

  • Storm drainage and pump stations

  • Dikes and flood protection

  • Emergency preparedness

Delaying these costs more later—financially and socially.

How Infrastructure Is Paid For

There is no free money. Sustainable funding uses a mix of:

  1. User fees – utilities reflect real costs

  2. Development Cost Charges (DCCs) – growth pays for growth

  3. Senior government grants – earned through solid planning

  4. Prudent long-term debt – for long-life assets

  5. Taxes – last resort, not the default

Miss any one of these, and residents pay more.

Growth Done Right

Harrison needs right-sized, resident-focused growth:

  • Housing that fits infrastructure capacity

  • Businesses that support year-round stability

  • No speculative overbuild that strains services

Governance Matters

Good outcomes require:

  • Written reporting, not verbal spin

  • Clear priorities and timelines

  • Measurable progress the public can verify

Transparency builds trust. Trust attracts investment.

The Goal

A Harrison that is:

  • Safe

  • Affordable

  • Environmentally responsible

  • Economically stable

  • Governed with discipline and honesty

No shortcuts. No ideology-first decisions. Just steady, practical work.