Sault Online Weekly Q&A

Topic: Looming Financial and Affordability Crisis

1.What do you believe the Municipal Government can do to help those in the community to survive amidst failing financial circumstances?

Just as households in Sault Ste. Marie and all across Canada. The municipal government has to rein in its spending, find cost savings and introduce programs that all people can utilize no matter your household income. Examples of concrete steps to offset this financial burden that I will support as a councillor will be:

· Free Public Transit- the fare on public transit is a big deal to the Saultites using it. Furthermore, people and families who are struggling with bills may be able to cut down on the amount they drive, or eliminate a second household car or maybe even go car-free thereby reducing or eliminating their gas, insurance and maintenance costs from their monthly budget.

· PUC bills- the standard delivery fee for services need to be examined. For example last month my household water consumption was $4.50 and the delivery charge was $33.80. So, if we completely stopped our water usage, we could only save our household $4.50/month. Where is the incentive to use less and save money? Delivery charges should be eliminated and replaced with a tiered scale based on usage.

· Not increase taxes- our city taxes are sky high. We need city council to find cost savings and stop approving vanity projects with ballooning costs and little return. We are in an affordability crisis right now and the worst is still coming. Our citizens will be renewing their mortgages over the next 1-3 years at rates double to five times their current interest rates adding hundreds of dollars to their monthly budgets.

2/ What strategies would you put in place to stabilize these households and assist low to middle income families to recover sustainability?

Out on the campaign trail I had the pleasure of meeting Major Sean Furey, Executive Director of our local Salvation Army. I had a great conversation with him about how in the last couple of months more residents of our city have become dependent on the food service that they provide. Currently they support our community with 30,000 tons of food every month. This is the most demand they have ever seen. I was struck by his comment that more people with full time jobs are turning to the food bank. This shook me because if people are already struggling, we as Canadians are in for a world of hurt, because this affordability crisis is just getting started.

I will not raise taxes while people are struggling.

I will support and lobby for free public transit.

I want to reform the PUC delivery charges to accurately reflect and charge for usage.