Our Town: Exploring the Decisions That Have Shaped Owen Sound
An Owen Sound resident examines how past decisions and economic trends may have contributed to growth challenges and community change.
OUR TOWN | OPINION
Our Town is a limited series of columns by Owen Sound resident David McLeish. This column reflects the analysis and evidence-based opinions of the author and is part of an ongoing opinion series. It is not news reporting.
Like many, I have witnessed many changes to our fair city and have found myself trying to make sense of it, to figure things out.
Why are more people experiencing homelessness?
Why does population growth appear to be stagnating?
And why do some local policy decisions seem to run counter to evidence and long-term community interests?
These are not new questions, but they are becoming harder to ignore.
In recent months, I’ve been examining whether government policy decisions — locally and beyond — have contributed to rising levels of homelessness, food insecurity, and substance use challenges in our community.
While this work is ongoing, the evidence I’ve reviewed so far suggests there may be a clearer line between past decisions and present outcomes than is often acknowledged.
This series is an attempt to trace that line and contribute, in some small way, to more informed decision-making in the future.
What started off as a bit of research quickly led to more questions and more data. For the most part, these articles are based on verifiable data (e.g. Census Canada), reliable information (published reports), and focus on interpreting that information.
I understand and recognize that I may be susceptible to various biases (conformation, anchoring, hindsight), but have done my best to present and interpret the data as objectively as possible.
In short, the question is how the City’s history, private sector job market, and decisions at the local, provincial, and federal levels have combined to shape the community we see today.
Were some of those decisions made without sufficient forethought, or have there been unintended consequences no one could reasonably have anticipated?
Were policies grounded in evidence, or influenced more by ideology?
And to what extent were those decisions based on clear and objective analysis of the available data?
This series is a call for evidence-based decision-making rather than approaches driven primarily by ideology.
The tools already exist: data to inform decisions, methods to evaluate outcomes, and frameworks to ensure transparency and accountability. There is also value in examining what has worked — and what hasn’t — to better inform the next set of decisions.
When decisions aren’t grounded in evidence, it becomes easier for politics to drift into ideology, especially during election cycles. That can come at a cost, particularly when public funds are involved.
In other sectors, there is clear evidence that data-driven decision-making improves outcomes. While government is different, the principle still applies: better information can lead to better decisions.
This series is intended to contribute to that conversation. It may be useful to those considering running in the next municipal election, and to voters assessing the performance of current council. Where conclusions are drawn, phrases like “this suggests” or “it appears” are used to signal interpretation rather than statement of fact.
In this series, I explore Owen Sound through the eyes of a relative newcomer. I’m not “from here” and have only lived in the area for 33 years, nine of which have been in the City proper.
It draws on history, statistics, and available research to better understand how the community has evolved. Sources include Statistics Canada, government policies and legislation, municipal and county materials, consulting reports, local archives, historical directories, published works, and other publicly available data, along with personal observations and surveys.
The series is titled Our Town. While Owen Sound is a city, it often feels more like a town, where people wave from passing cars, stop to chat, or take a moment to say hello. As Stuart McLean once put it, “We may not be big, but we’re small.” It’s a sentiment that captures something familiar about life here.
These articles are intended as a starting point — a “springboard into the literature” — inviting others to bring forward additional data, perspectives, and ideas to broaden the discussion.
In the inimitable words of Mike Skinner (The Streets):
“Brace yourself, ‘cause this goes deep
I’ll show you the secrets, the sky and the birds
Actions speak louder than words
Stand by me, my apprentice
Be brave, clench fists”
We’ll begin by looking at how manufacturing has shaped Owen Sound. Stay tuned.