Sue Sherban

Sue Sherban

Ward 6 Councillor Sue Sherban is seeking re-election, saying Stouffville needs to keep new development in step with pools, ice pads, libraries, and other facilities and services while growing the commercial tax base to ease pressure on homeowners.

She also prioritizes traffic safety measures, supports “smart, gentle density,” and says any changes to Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine policies must put protection first.

• Pace of Growth: Residential growth should come once recreation facilities are in place, she said, noting that capacity expansion is lagging behind an increasing population.
• Balancing the Tax Base: Wants more commercial investment and jobs to balance residential taxes and fund amenities and services.
• Traffic Safety & Transit: Also calling for more YRT service, Sherban backs radar speed signs, raised crosswalks, safer school zones, and lit multi-use trails.
• Main Street: Wants to see on-time reconstruction and more parking, and she would explore supports for impacted businesses but did not commit to direct financial assistance.
• Council’s Record: Credits Council’s economic development push but said facilities should have come before new housing.
• Greenbelt & The Moraine: Says any policy changes must put protection of green space and the Moraine first.

Ward 6 Councillor Sue Sherban is seeking re-election with a focus on keeping new development in step with the facilities and services that support it. She is also hoping to further build Stouffville’s commercial tax base to ease the load on residential property taxpayers.

Citing eight years at the Council table, she says traffic safety remains her ward’s leading concern and that there is still work to do.

In a recorded interview with 102.9 Whistle FM and written responses to Bullet Point News’ candidate questionnaire, Sherban said she is running “to serve my community again.” Her priorities include attracting new corporate businesses, protecting the environment, and delivering affordable housing.

Facilities Before Homes

Responsible growth, Sherban said, means approving new development only once the facilities and services needed to support it are available.

“I struggle with approving these new developments, knowing that we still are behind in the number of open spots for families to participate in our pools, libraries, ice pads,” she said, noting that those programs and facilities offer activities that inevitably help keep streets safe.

Residents at the door have asked Council to “slow down” and “keep pace,” she said, calling it her “number one concern” for the next term.

Stouffville has grown from around 28,000 residents to between 55,000 and 60,000 over roughly two decades, Sherban added. Looking at projected population growth, she said trying to repeat that level of expansion in half the time will not create “a successful, well-balanced community” without the needed amenities.

That approach will compete with pressures stemming from the Province’s assigned housing targets, something she appreciates as the only Member of Council who voted against accepting them before they were mandated.

On development applications, she wrote that “smart, gentle density” and strong urban-design standards will guide her considerations and decisions, and that growth “must fit our existing neighbourhoods, not the other way around.”

She also wants to push for “responsible and affordable housing,” noting that addressing housing affordability in Stouffville is one of her reasons for running.

A Commercial Answer to Tax Pressure

Like many other candidates in the 2026 election, Sherban’s main response to financial pressure on homeowners is driving commercial growth. Her top financial priority, she wrote, is a better balance between what residents and businesses contribute in property taxes, with new investment and jobs also benefiting the Town’s ability to fund new amenities.

To attract employers, she said, Stouffville must market its employment lands, offer predictable planning processes, advocate for more public transit, and position itself as a full-service town with theatre, arts, and affordable housing.

“Spending must be kept careful and responsible to maintain stable tax rates,” she told us. “By funding enhanced amenities through a growing commercial tax base, we reduce the direct tax burden on residential property owners.”

Looking Back at Council

Asked what Council got right in its last term, Sherban cited its focus on economic development, including ecotourism and the opening of industrial and commercial properties in Gormley. She credited deliberate efforts by both Council and Town Staff to facilitate their expansion.

Re-emphasizing her earlier concerns, she said Council erred in not adequately planning for and providing public facilities before approving new housing.

“Infrastructure, traffic safety measures, and community amenities [must] keep pace with the speed of residential growth,” Sherban said. “Moving forward, we must ensure growth pays its way, and that accountable, on-time execution is enforced on key municipal projects.”

Traffic & Road Safety

Traffic safety has been the leading concern in Ward 6 for the last five years, Sherban said. The ward is mostly built out, she noted, so residents are also focused on affordable housing in other parts of town that would let families stay in Stouffville.

Her written priorities include radar speed signs, raised crosswalks, safer school zones, and connected, lit multi-use trails. Because road capacity has limits, she wrote, the Town should emphasize alternatives such as York Region Transit expansion alongside traffic calming and safer road design.

Main Street Reconstruction

Sherban, who chairs the Village of Stouffville Advisory Committee, is pushing for “accountable, on-time” reconstruction work to minimize disruption. She also wants to see more parking in the Downtown and a “pleasurable walk” from the Latcham parking lot to Main Street to help maintain foot traffic to local shops.

On financial help for businesses losing revenue because of the work, she said she supports exploring “all available municipal toolkits and business support measures” but did not commit to direct financial assistance.

Once the work is complete, Sherban expects a vibrant, walkable Downtown with adequate parking and strong urban design that encourages residents and visitors to shop locally.

Greenbelt & The Moraine

Strong conservation policies are essential to protecting the municipality’s natural environment, agricultural lands, and “Country Close to the City” character, Sherban wrote.

With overdue provincial reviews of the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine conservation plans on the horizon, any regulatory changes “must prioritize protecting green spaces, environmentally sensitive areas, and the Oak Ridges Moraine,” keeping growth within responsible urban boundaries rather than “sprawling into sensitive lands.”

Due to technical difficulties, Sue Sherbans interview did not include a video feed