In 2020, Get Concerned Stratford and Small Change Fund were part of the battle for accountability at Stratford City Hall, working to stop the Xinyi Corporation from building a huge, polluting, and inappropriate glass factory on 173 acres of prime farmland. Due to strong opposition demonstrated by the entire city, the glass plant was blocked. You can learn more about this battle in the new book by Sam Demby and Mike Balkwill, A Winning Campaign.

Working against Xinyi taught us a lot about problems at Stratford City Hall: we realized that in stopping the project we had only dealt with part of the problem, and we began to learn more about the misuse of process in the City’s environmental decisions. Our investigation revealed violations, illegal secret meetings, and a troubling attack on free speech. With the support of the Small Change Fund, we’ve launched legal action to promote democratic, transparent and responsive municipal governance in Stratford.

Each local action we take deepens our understanding of municipal procedures, and we do all we can to share our insights and experiences with other groups in southwestern Ontario.

Join us to protect our environment by standing up for transparency and fairness in municipal governance. Your support will help us continue our work, ensuring that community voices are heard and respected. Together we can uphold our rights and hold our leaders accountable. Every contribution counts towards building more accountable and sustainable local government.