Elect

Rachael Mills

For Ward 4 Councillor

Rooted in Care, Community & Accountability

Rooted

We chose to plant our roots in Harrow because it has everything that makes a place feel like home — a connected community, character and resilience, and a future worth investing in.

Harrow, with its historic town centre, engaged local businesses, vital farmland, natural spaces, strong agricultural and manufacturing community, along with spaces for families, gathering, and recreation, presents an important opportunity to guide and champion thoughtful, sustainable growth. Growth that honours the character, needs, and resilience of this community — serving current and future residents as we evolve together.It's been wonderful connecting with our Harrow community more deeply through volunteering, supporting and attending local events, engaging with Council agendas and meetings, and actively listening to neighbours' experiences and perspectives along the way.

A little about me:

For me, the call to do more for and be more connected to my community and neighbours came into focus with the beginning of COVID shutdowns — a paradigm shift. I planted seeds then that would grow into everything that's followed.Active learning, listening, and treating people and planet with respect are principles instilled in me — they have shaped a winding path, but when I reflect, so many experiences and opportunities make this feel like a natural evolution of my passions and concerns.You'll likely find me outdoors — exploring, camping, or birdwatching in one of our local parks, practicing "the art of noticing." I'm a lifelong learner who loves a good book and expanding perspectives. I studied Cardiovascular Technology at St. Clair College because I wanted a career rooted in helping people — a value that still drives everything I do.I grew up in Essex County, and it's where my partner Greg and I now share our home with two rescue cats, Hazel and Ginger, adopted from TLC Animal Aid, and we love finding ways to explore and give back together. I strive to live with reciprocity, respect, gratitude, courage, and empathy — and I've learned the importance of balance, so I can show up for family, friends, myself, and my community in a way that's sustainable, and one I'm proud of.I truly believe that together we can make our communities more connected, safe, liveable, prosperous, and sustainable. Change is natural, so let's contribute to it and guide how we grow, while protecting and enhancing the qualities and features we love and depend on.

In the community:

Volunteer, community events & initiatives across Windsor-EssexDirector, Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce & Citizens Environment AllianceMember, Co-An Park Committee, Town of Essex Affordable Housing Task Force, Canada South Land Trust, Local Environmental Priorities Coalition, Essex County Field Naturalists' Club & more!Founder, Green Core Restore — A Windsor-Essex Connectivity InitiativeEssex Riding Provincial Candidate, Ontario New Democrats (2025)

Vision

As a community advocate,with experience in healthcare, customer service, and connecting people to opportunity, I bring a grounded, people-first perspective to the decisions that will shape our everyday lives.As your neighbour,I want to help shape a shared future we're all proud of, through my commitment to equity, sustainable housing advocacy, environmental and agricultural stewardship, financial responsibility, and local resilience.

My campaign is grounded in three commitments — Care, Community, & Accountability

Care — for this place, the people, our local businesses, infrastructure, and the services we depend on every day. Invested in and maintained so our community remains resilient and connected now and into the future.

- Champion investments in the community, infrastructure, and services that serve both current and future residents, with safety and long-term sustainability at the centre of every decision.- Advocate for timely, transparent road and drainage maintenance in Ward 4. With a focus on flood mitigation, sustainable practices, and leveraging appropriate upper level of government funding.- Ensure residents, local businesses, and community groups have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them, with practical, compassionate solutions and long-term strategies that balance support and outcomes.

Community — growth that reflects who we are and the community we want to live in, with initiatives and spaces for residents of all ages, diverse and attainable housing options so people can stay rooted here at every stage of life, and development that contributes fairly to the tax base.

- Advocate for a range of housing types and densities that meet people where they are, while ensuring new development contributes fairly to the services and infrastructure it depends on.- Support land use planning and zoning that balances new development with agricultural protection, heritage preservation, and neighbourhood character, resilience, and liveability.- Champion meaningful community consultation by creating spaces for residents to shape decisions and get involved within their capacity.

Accountability — a councillor committed to showing up, asking questions, working collaboratively, and finding sustainable solutions. With transparent, responsible stewardship of public funds and spaces that residents can count on.

- Be present, prepared, and engaged. Showing up for our Municipality and Ward 4 with curiosity, care, and a willingness to ask questions and evolve with new information.- Communicate Council decisions and connect residents to town resources, programs, and supports clearly, consistently, and throughout my term, not just during election season- Ground every vote in evidence, diverse community input, and the long-term wellbeing of Harrow and the town.

Let’s build something thriving, together — with people at the heart, local businesses at the table, and our farmland and natural spaces as the foundation for responsible growth.

What I'll ChampionFlood mitigation support, from individuals to the municipality to upper-level government and our developer partners. I'll advocate for going beyond minimum development requirements to meet the realities of a changing climate, and for subsidies that encourage these actions before new neighbours move in, avoiding higher costs and risks down the line.Intentional, informed management plans for our natural areas and natural infrastructure, working alongside our local partners, and a strengthened commitment to native tree canopy and plantings that add lasting value and benefits to our community.Investment that grows our tax base and local prosperity, aligned with community wellbeing now and long term. This means proactive bylaws and guardrails on AI data centres development; advocating for commercial space when higher-density and mixed-use buildings are developed, to balance vacancy with opportunity. Along with a range of housing options, backed by responsible land use planning, that helps neighbours stay rooted here as their needs and lives evolve.Space to call in local knowledge and lived experience across key topics, with regular pulse checks to keep us connected. Working collaboratively with Council to foster a place where neighbours feel welcome and encouraged to share their thoughts, so we can shape our path forward together.Support for local businesses and local fundraising initiatives that strengthen our community from the ground up, through collaboration and connections that expand opportunities and outcomes.Relationship building and exploring models from comparable communities, and advocacy for upper-level government funding that invests in and contributes to our long-term prosperity.

let's connect!

Not just on election day — now, during the campaign, and throughout my term if I earn your vote.Every conversation we have contributes to what we'll build together.

Text & Call: (226) 215-5533
email: [email protected]

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We're all neighbours, and community is something we build and steward together

What if the tree planting, litter clean ups, community events, and the council meetings are all part of the same thing?Community is built in layers. Some of it happens in chambers, around agendas and bylaws and decisions that shape how we live. And some of it happens outside, boots on the ground, in the moments that remind us why any of it matters. An elected official who does both is building something important. A deeper understanding of the people they serve and the place they are stewards of.They build the relationships, the pride, and the sense of belonging that make a community worth fighting for at any table. These efforts are often the very thing that gets someone through the door for the first time to be more engaged. That makes them feel like they have a place here and something of value to contribute.We should celebrate and acknowledge the positive impacts! Because belonging is powerful. And a community where people feel seen, valued, and connected is one that is more resilient, more engaged, and more ready to face whatever comes next.That’s the kind of community I want to help build. At the table and beyond it. We don’t have to choose between governance and connection. We can and must do both. This is a call in to be the change you want to see in our community

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