We asked each of four local candidates the same four questions about issues of concern to the Prince Edward District Women’s Institute. Here are their replies. We think you’ll find some interesting responses.
Erica Charlton, Green Party of Canada
With over 800 kms of shoreline, Prince Edward County is particularly vulnerable to flooding. What steps would you take ensure environmental protection?
The Green Party is committed to reduce by 60 percent our carbon emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050 and to transition workers to the green economy. These steps should help to mitigate the worst effects of the climate crisis. Locally, I am committed to protecting wetlands throughout the Bay of Quinte to help mitigate and buffer extreme water level changes that are exacerbated by climate change. These steps should also help us protect our natural biodiversity.
The rapidly increasing price of real estate had made housing unaffordable for many residents of Prince Edward County. How would you address this problem?
Nationally we need to declare housing a crisis, and appoint a minister of housing who would be accountable for overseeing the completion of our housing initiatives. We need to incentivize builders to build affordable housing options. We need to enable cooperative and co-funding housing solutions. We need to create diverse multi-family housing alternatives by working cooperatively between the Federal/Provincial and Municipal levels of government. We want to create livable and sustainable communities with local transportation options, accessible daycare, healthcare, shopping and workplaces and decrease the amount of urban sprawl.
Food security is increasingly becoming an issue in a region that is known for its food production. How could the federal government alleviate this need?
Federally we want to support farmer’s and people interested in becoming farmers by a number of income supports from paying for cover crops to subsidizing initiatives to allow farmer’s to follow best practices in soil CO2 sequestration. Getting small scale producers onto shelves is a top priority if we want to localize our food industry. This would reduce the ecological impact for this section of our economy. Breaking down barriers that impede a local producer’s ability to compete with international imports starts with creating more opportunities for indoor and outdoor community markets, encouraging distributors to prioritize Canadian and local producers, as well as subsidizing access to commercial kitchens. Additionally, new programs to assist farmers transition through the rapidly changing climate as they continue to produce food for our nation that would help to mitigate the financial burden of crop loss.
What do you think is the single most important issue facing our community, and what does your party intend to do to address it?
The number one issue in our area is inequality, which is seen in financial instability, accessibility to social services, food insecurity and affordable housing issues. The climate crisis will exacerbate these inequalities so it is important that we act now to both address the climate crisis and support our most vulnerable people with a social safety net. This would include a guaranteed livable income which will take the pressure off of provincial and municipal governments so they can better provide social services, pharmacare for all and universal child care.
Neil Ellis, Liberal Party of Canada (incumbent)
With over 800 kms of shoreline, Prince Edward County is particularly vulnerable to flooding. What steps would you take ensure environmental protection?
Our water ways attract Canadians from all over. It is important that we not only protect our waterways, but those who live in the surrounding regions.
The Liberal government has been active and agile in responding to regional flooding, and will continue to support communities adapt to our changing climate by:
- Modernizing the Canada Water Act to reflect new realities, including addressing climate change
- Strengthening the Freshwater Action Plan, with $1 billion over 10 years, to protect & restore large lake and river systems
- Committing to: Support retrofits and upgrades to protect against extreme weather; Work with Provincial and Territorial governments to develop flood maps for high-risk areas; Create a national flood-ready portal to provide vital information to Canadians; Create a national low-cost flood insurance program; Expand eligibility requirements for CMHC deep home retrofit program & the Canada; Greener Homes Grant to include more climate resilience measures; and Finalize Canada’s first-ever National Adaptation Strategy to set clear targets and measure progress on adaptation. \
The rapidly increasing price of real estate had made housing unaffordable for many residents of Prince Edward County. How would you address this problem?
It is deeply important to me that home ownership become accessible for all those in our riding. I envision a Bay of Quinte where home ownership is attainable for all those who wish to purchase a home.
The Liberal Government has a National Housing Strategy, investing $72 billion to build supply. To build on the work we’ve already accomplished, the Liberal platform includes:
- Investing $4 billion in a new Housing Accelerator Fund, to allow municipalities to grow housing supply faster
- Working with municipalities to identify vacant or underused properties to convert to housing
- Permanently increasing funding to the National Housing Co-Investment fund by $2.7 billion over 4 years, with funds dedicated to help affordable housing providers acquire land and buildings
- Committing to building 100,000 middle class homes and 20,000 affordable rental units, and ensuring 130,000 units are revitalized from states of disrepair
- Introducing a new rent-to-own program to make it easier for Canadians to get on the path to home ownership while renting
- Creating a new tax-free home savings account, allowing Canadians under 40 to save up to $40,000 for their first home, and withdraw it tax-free
Food security is increasingly becoming an issue in a region that is known for its food production. How could the federal government alleviate this need?
As Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, food security was an issue I tackled personally and advocated for dearly.
Food banks and charities in the Bay of Quinte were able to directly use our Liberal Government programs. For instance, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, the fund supported many community-based non-profits and charities facilitate access to safe and nutritious food to vulnerable populations. Going forward, a re-elected Liberal government proposes:
- Investing $1 billion over 5 years for a National School Food Policy, to work towards a national school nutritious meal program
- Creating a new No-Waste Food Fund to build a circular food economy, preventing food waste
- Continuing to partner with and support community-based food security organizations to make sure all Canadians have access to healthy food
What do you think is the single most important issue facing our community, and what does your party intend to do to address it?
One of the greatest issues facing our Bay of Quinte community, and one that has been important to me since my time as Mayor for the City of Belleville, is access to primary heath care.
Rural communities like ours deserve greater supports for family doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and mental health resources.
A re-elected Liberal government will increase the maximum debt relief by 50% that family doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses are eligible for under the Canada Student Loans forgiveness program.
On top of that, the loan forgiveness program will expand the list of eligible professions to include dentists, pharmacists, dental hygienists, midwives, social workers, psychologists, teachers and early childhood educators, allowing rural communities a full suite of health and social services. Health care professionals just starting their careers will be eligible for a one-time income tax deduction of up to $15,000 for their first 3 years of their practice.
Ryan Williams, Conservative Party of Canada
With over 800 kms of shoreline, Prince Edward County is particularly vulnerable to flooding. What steps would you take ensure environmental protection?
- Establish a residential high-risk flood insurance program.
- Devise a national climate adaptation strategy and a natural infrastructure plan.
- Appoint a national disaster resilience advisor to the Privy Council Office.
- Invest an additional $3 billion by 2030 in natural climate solutions focused on management of forest, crop and grazing lands and restoration of grasslands, wetlands and forests.
- Devise a national climate adaptation strategy and a natural infrastructure plan.
- Reach a target of conserving 17 per cent of Canada’s land and water with a goal to work towards 25 per cent.
- Restore funding to the National Wetland Conservation Fund; the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnership Program.
The rapidly increasing price of real estate had made housing unaffordable for many residents of Prince Edward County. How would you address this problem?
- Build a million homes in three years by switching 15 per cent of federal real estate to housing; incentivize the private sector to give land for affordable housing; require higher density near federally funded transit.
- Alter the “mortgage stress test” requirements to help contractors, casual workers etc.; remove stress test for homeowners switching mortgage lenders.
- Create a federal residential ownership registry.
- Stop foreigners who don’t live in or aren’t moving to Canada from owning homes for two years.
Food security is increasingly becoming an issue in a region that is known for its food production. How could the federal government alleviate this need?
- Implement a food security strategy that would include redirecting federal agricultural research funding to partnering with the private sector to grow more crops in Canada year-round in greenhouses.
- Lower food prices by increasing the maximum fine for price-fixing food from $24 million to $100 million, introducing criminal penalties for executives price-fixing food, and implementing a “tough code of conduct” to protect suppliers and promote grocery competition.
What do you think is the single most important issue facing our community, and what does your party intend to do to address it?
Housing – see response above!
Stephanie Bell, New Democratic Party of Canada
With over 800 kms of shoreline, Prince Edward County is particularly vulnerable to flooding. What steps would you take to ensure environmental protection?
New Democrats are committed to expanding protections for our natural environment, beginning with enshrining the right to a healthy envirnoment in a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights. We will strengthen the Canadian Environmental Protection Act- building and improving on the government’s Bill C-28 – to better protect Canadians (and other living beings) from toxic substances. We will immediately ban single- use plastics, reducing waste to our landfills but also reducing the waste that washes up on our shorelines and that is ingested by wildlife. We are committed to pursuing a Nature agenda, anchored by our commitment to safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity by protecting minimum 30% of our land, freshwater and oceans by 2030.
As the impacts of climate change are felt across the country, New Democrats believe that all levels of government have to step up to help communities cope with the impacts of extreme weather. That’s why a New Democrat government will expand federal funding to respond to disasters, and support communities in proactively adapting their infrastructure to withstand floods, forest fires and other extreme weather events. We will also partner with Canadians and communities to make serious investments in making buildings more energy efficient, to help families save money and fight climate change.
The rapidly increasing price of real estate had made housing unaffordable for many residents of Prince Edward County. How would you address this problem?
A New Democrat government will create at least 500,000 units of quality, affordable housing in the next ten years, with half of that done within five years. This will be achieved with the right mix of measures that work in partnership with provinces and municipalities, to provide rental support for co-ops, and meet environmental energy efficiency goals. This plan will create thousands of jobs in communities all across the country, jump-starting the economic recovery. To start the construction of coops, social and non-profit housing, we will set up dedicated fast- start funds to streamline the application process and help communities get the assistance they need to get projects off the ground now. We’ll mobilize federal resources and lands for these projects, turning unused and under-used properties into vibrant new communities. A New Democrat government will also spur the construction of affordable homes by waiving the federal portion of the GST/HST on the construction of new affordable rental units – a change that will help get units built faster.
Many families do not have years to wait. That’s why we’ll provide immediate relief for families that are struggling to afford rent in otherwise suitable housing, while we bring forward long term solutions to the housing affordability crisis.
Food security is increasingly becoming an issue in a region that is known for its food production. How could the federal government alleviate this need?
We will support sustainable agriculture, working with farmers to promote sustainable land-management techniques and methods to reduce GHG emissions. We’ll also work with the agricultural sector to help them access low carbon tools and technology, and adapt to climate- induced weather changes and other impacts of the climate crisis, including the associated increase in pests and invasive species.
We’ll work to connect Canadians to farmers with initiatives like local food hubs, community supported agriculture, and networks to increase the amount of food that is sold, processed and consumed in local and regional markets. We’ll also work to put in place a food waste strategy to reduce the huge amounts of food that currently go to waste in Canada. New Democrats will also partner with provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities to work towards a national school nutrition program that will give every child in Canada access to healthy food, and the food literacy skills to make healthy choices for life. We’ll aim to make culturally appropriate food available to children in every community in Canada, so that all children can grow and learn.
What do you think is the single most important issue facing our community, and what does your party intend to do to address it?
Affordable housing, or lack of it is likely the single most important issue facing our community. It’s contributing to our shortage of workers in every sector, and as I have described above in your question on housing, our party has a plan that addresses the many aspects of this issue which we are feeling locally but also an experience shared by many across the country. Still, I want to mention that, for me, Climate Action, or lack of it will very quickly become the issue that we as a community will face, and experience first hand, if we do not take action to mitigate and drastically reduce our emissions, locally and nationally. What use will it be to own a home if it’s underwater? Or if we run out of food because the land is no longer arable? Or if forest fires and extreme weather every season become more and more unpredictable and your home is not safe?
Climate Change is going to be the #1 issue of this century. We need to act NOW!