JAY PEMBER
for Woodstock City Councillor
Get to Know Jay
Candidate for Woodstock City Council
I am a lifelong resident of Woodstock. I was raised by my mother Alice who was a nurse, and paramedic, father Joe who owned/operated Woodstock ambulance, and was a City Councillor and Mayor of Woodstock. I have an older brother Joe and a sister Heather. My wife Kathy and I have 2 sons and 3 grandchildren whom we love spending time with. We also have a fur family member our chocolate lab pup, Bowie.
I have been in service to the citizens of Woodstock and Oxford County for 32 years as a front-line paramedic. I have worked as a primary care and advanced care paramedic, been on the training team, and public relations group, and am currently a member of the Honour Guard. For the last 15 years, I have
been an Operations Superintendent.
The Pember Platform
Governing for the People
The Pember Platform
1 / Transparency
I would like to ensure that what is happening at city hall is known to the community quickly, effectively, and in clear and concise language.
2 / Common Sense Leadership
I want to see that what happens at the council is in the best interest of the citizens and the city of Woodstock. I endeavor to handle each issue on its own merit for the
betterment of the community.
3 / Advocacy
I hope to engage with all of the citizens of Woodstock to learn your perspective on political issues and problems within the City of Woodstock and use this knowledge to help address those problems with honest and open discussion.
Attracting & Maintaining Jobs/Business in Woodstock
The Pember Platform
4 / Local Businesses
As a lifelong resident, I remember the days of shopping downtown going from store to store for everything you needed. I want to help find and support initiatives that bring businesses back downtown and improve the city core to attract Woodstonians and visitors to come and shop in our downtown community.
Local businesses are the life of any community, be it the small storefront or large industry. They provide jobs, goods, services, and taxes in the community. I would like to attract business back into the downtown core, business in the overall community, and industry to the city. We are fortunate that we already have a strong and solid foundation of new and long-term businesses to build upon.
Support for the Citizens of Woodstock
The Pember Platform
5 / Homelessness & Housing
Housing costs and homelessness have skyrocketed over the pandemic. The effect of these 2 intertwined issues is well known in the city, county, and province. I would like to see these both decrease. I want to:
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find avenues to affordable housing
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support housing projects that make sense and are affordable
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find and support both short-term and long-term solutions
6 / Mental Health & Addictions
Although these are 2 separate issues on their own they share some similar and combined services. I would like to work with community partners on improving access to mental health and addiction services and programs, and work to bring the services to those who need them but would not normally seek or access those services.
7 / Community Services
The City of Woodstock has many great services and programs, I would work to support these services and
programs available to the community from young children to the elderly by ensuring they have the
tools, equipment, and staffing to do so.
8 / Emergency Services
I have had the privilege of working with both the Police and Fire services over the last 3 decades. I have seen firsthand the commitment and dedication they have to our community. They have seen an increase in the need for these services with the growth of our community and an increase in criminal activity and drug addictions. I want to ensure these services have the staff, tools, and training to serve the community even better.
