Putting Renfrew First, Focused on Community, Committed to Affordability.
A Call for Change on Town Council
My Home Town: A Vision for Renfrew's Future
Renfrew, Ontario, is a beautiful town with a rich history and a wonderful natural setting. But a strong community is built not just on its past or scenery—it relies on the vision, fiscal discipline, and dedication of its leaders. For Renfrew to thrive as a place where every resident feels heard, valued, and confident in the future, we need a renewed commitment from Town Council.
It is time for a fundamental shift in how local government operates: moving toward leadership that demonstrates deep, enduring care for our residents, practical stewardship of public resources, and a clear plan for our shared future.
From "Council Knows Best" to Genuine Community Engagement
The biggest change required is a move away from insular decision-making to authentic community partnership. A council that truly serves its people does not simply hold mandatory meetings; it actively seeks out and incorporates the voices of its residents.
- Proactive Public Consultation: Host regular, informal town halls across Renfrew and deploy accessible online surveys before major decisions are finalized—particularly on development, infrastructure investments, and municipal budgets.
- Accessible Leadership: Ensure the Mayor and Councilors are visible and responsive by maintaining publicized office hours and engaging directly with community inquiries rather than relying solely on one-way press releases.
- Transparency and Plain-Language Governance: Publish council deliberations, financial statements, and project proposals openly, with clear, jargon-free explanations of costs, timelines, and trade-offs.
Balanced Capital Stewardship and Sustainable Growth
For Renfrew to grow sustainably, Council must treat debt reduction, asset preservation, and economic development as interconnected priorities. Deferring essential repairs creates compounding future liabilities, while unmanaged borrowing restricts our long-term operating flexibility.
- Proactive Over Reactive Infrastructure: Shift away from emergency patching toward disciplined preventative preservation. Routine structural maintenance, road resurfacing, and utility renewals extend asset lifespans and significantly lower whole-life cycle repair costs.
- Dedicated Capital Renewal Funding: As existing municipal debt tranches mature, redirect those freed debt-service dollars directly into dedicated infrastructure renewal reserves rather than absorbing them into general operating expenditures.
- Risk-Weighted Project Prioritization: Rank capital works through a standardized matrix focused on public safety, regulatory compliance, and the daily cost of deferred action, ensuring core structural and utility baselines are secured before funding discretionary upgrades.
- Balanced "Pay-As-You-Go" Financing: Reserve long-term borrowing strictly for major intergenerational assets, funding routine repairs and equipment replacements through annual operating revenues and targeted reserves to maintain a healthy credit profile.
- Attainable Housing and Business Growth: Support sustainable expansion by modernizing zoning for diverse housing options (such as mid-density townhomes and apartments), cutting red tape for local entrepreneurs, and investing in downtown streetscapes that attract commerce.
Cultivating a Culture of Respect and Collaboration
A Town Council that cares about Renfrew must reflect that respect in how it governs and collaborates. Strong communities require unified, professional leadership.
- Ending Divisive Politics: Keep council sessions focused on evidence-based debate and constructive problem-solving, prioritizing community outcomes over personal disputes or political infighting.
- Empowering Town Staff: Trust and support the municipal workforce by providing clear strategic direction, adequate resources, and the operational autonomy needed to deliver town services efficiently.
- Visionary Regional Leadership: Champion Renfrew proactively to secure provincial and federal infrastructure grants, attract sustainable commercial investment, and build strong regional partnerships.
Renfrew has immense potential. By combining authentic community engagement with disciplined debt management and forward-looking infrastructure planning, we can protect our financial independence and build a vibrant, resilient town for generations to come.
About Me
Scott Miller
Co-Owner of Pinnacle Cremation Services
Scott, along with his business partner Sheila Roche-Sweet, opened Pinnacle Cremation Services Ltd. in Renfrew in October 2021. Their goal was to provide a more affordable alternative for funeral, burial, and cremation services in the community. Although the business name highlights cremation, they offer a range of funeral services.
Deep Roots in Renfrew
Renfrew is Scott's hometown. His family moved here from Montreal in 1974 when his father became the General Surgeon at the Renfrew Victoria Hospital. He attended local schools, including St. Thomas the Apostle School, St. Francis Xavier School, St. Joseph's High School, and graduated from the Renfrew Collegiate Institute (RCI) in 1987.
Extensive Career in Funeral Services
Scott began his career in funeral services at a young age, working part-time for the late John Steele at McPhail & Perkins in Renfrew. This experience inspired him to pursue it as a career. He graduated from Humber College in 1989 with a diploma in Funeral Service Education and became a licensed funeral director.
His career included a significant 22-year period in Toronto, where he began working for the G. H. Hogle Funeral Home in 1986 and then in 1999 he became the manager of the Humphrey Funeral Home - A. W. Miles Chapel and served several notable Canadian families. In 2009 he moved back home to Renfrew, working in Ottawa for Hulse and Playfair and later Cole Funeral Services.
Leadership and Advocacy
Scott has been heavily involved in the regulation and advancement of the funeral services profession in Ontario for over 25 years. His roles have included:
· President of the Ontario Funeral Service Association (2012 - 2013).
· Appointment to the Ontario Board of Funeral Services (1998 -2002).
· Chair of the Funeral and Transfer Services Advisory for the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO), a government board that oversees and regulates the profession (2016 - 2022)
· He also founded Funeral Strategies in 2020, a consulting firm aimed at helping independent family-owned funeral homes and cemeteries.
· Board Member on The Renfrew Hospital Foundation (2026)