With more than four decades of experience in law, public service, healthcare governance, and community leadership - Joe Neal has dedicated his career to serving the Clarington community and supporting the needs of all residents. Joe served as Regional Councillor for Wards 1 and 2 in Clarington from 2014 to 2022, following his term as Local Councillor for Ward 1 from 2010 to 2014. His commitment to public service began earlier as a Catholic School Board Trustee for Clarington from 1997 to 2003.
A practicing lawyer with Neal Law since 1984, Joe has built an extensive legal career focused on serving individuals, families, and the community. His experience also includes leadership in healthcare, having served as Chair of the Research Ethics Board at Lakeridge Health Corporation from 1999 to 2004.
In 2023, Joe founded Senior Care Planning, an organization dedicated to helping seniors and their families navigate important health and legal needs. Drawing on his extensive background in law, government, healthcare, and community service, he brings a unique perspective to helping seniors plan for the future and make informed decisions during important stages of their lives.
Throughout his career, Joe has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service, advocacy, and improving the well-being of individuals and families in the community.
ON THE ISSUES
Taxes:
Courtice Waterfront:
As a councillor representing the residents of Ward 1 for 12 years, both as a local councillor and as a regional councillor, I never caved to pressure to approve development that is not for the long term good of Ward 1 residents.
I am asking for your support, and that you vote for Joe Neal for Local Ward 1 Councillor.
When I was last on Clarington council from 2018 to 2022 the following were the increases in the Clarington portion of your municipal taxes:
2019 - 2.20%
2020 - 2.20%
2021 - 2.04%
2022 - 2.11%
Compare that to the increases in the last
4 years since I was on council:
2023 - 4.60%
2024 - 4.14%
2025 - 5.39%
2026 - 3.92%
One of the reasons why annual Clarington tax increases have basically doubled in the last 4 years compared to when I was last on council is there is no council oversight on the budgeting process.
As a councillor I would spend several weeks each year poring over the detailed municipal budgets, and looking at the numbers, and challenging the mayor and staff to find savings, and eliminate unnecessary spending. That didn’t happen over the last 4 years, and the budgets I have looked at are long on glossy pictures, and short on budget details. Spending has gone through the roof, and the results are self-evident.
I will work to restore council oversight on the municipal budgets, and bring back accountability as to how your hard earned municipal tax dollars are spent.
When I was a Councillor for Clarington from 2010 to 2022, one of my biggest priorities was getting a waterfront park built for Courtice. In 2022 the plan for the waterfront park was as follows:
The 2022 plan would have allowed the developer, who owns the land to the north of the future park, after transferring land for the park to Clarington, to build residential buildings up to 6 storeys high. In January 2026 council was considering a change to the 2022 Plan, and in fact they shrunk the area of the park, and they approved up to 15 storey buildings right next to the future park:
This high density residential development makes no sense right next to a waterfront park. I opposed this at council, and after speaking against this, the current ward 1 Councillor proposed an amendment to reduce the height of the buildings, only to turn around and withdraw his amendment, and in the end he voted to approve the proposal for up to 15 storey buildings.
The high density development right next to the waterfront park will create numerous future conflicts with users of the park, not the least of which is that visitors to the high density development will monopolize the parking which is intended for Ward 1 residents trying to use the park with their family.
Lastly, there is a “land agreement” between the developer and Clarington which has not been made public, and I had requested in a letter to Clarington that any agreement involving land transfers from Clarington to the developer be done as part of a public process, which is required under the Clarington land transfer bylaws:
The land hatched in red was owned by Clarington as of January 2026, and it appears that there is residential development approved for land Clarington owns, and there will be stormwater management ponds servicing the residential development located on lands owned by Clarington.
This request was ignored by Clarington council before they approved the changes to the 2022 plan, and to this date Clarington has refused to make this land agreement public. I am currently seeking the release of the land agreement though the Information and Privacy commissioner, which Clarington is opposing. The public has a right to know what agreements involving the transfer of Clarington land are being made by Clarington council with the developer.
