It was a night of serious discussion mixed with silly moments as the Halton Hills mayoral candidates gathered in Glen Williams for their first meeting of the election season.
Local residents turned out at the Glen Williams Town Hall Wednesday evening to hear from the five candidates seeking the top spot on council: Bryan Lewis, Ann Lawlor, Norm Paulsen, Robert Gottardi and Ken Paige.
There were a few spirited exchanges between Paige and Lewis, while Paulsen strived to bring some humour to the evening by taking roast-style jabs at his opponents and using props.
The Glen Williams Community Association asked the contenders a variety of questions that were all submitted by local residents on topics that included development in the hamlet, public transit, preserving farmland, flooding concerns and more.
Here’s how they answered a few of the key queries of the evening.
Public transit plan (paraphrased): Why is money being spent on the Steeles Avenue transit route that runs from Milton (through Halton Hills) to Mississauga, and how does it benefit Halton Hills?
Paige: He said he would like to see a built-in-Halton Hills, economical solution for transit that caters to the specific needs of the community.
“The problem for somebody who lives in south Georgetown and has a job in north Georgetown - if you don’t have a car, getting around this town is not that easy,” he noted.
Lewis: “I did not vote for mass transit around our town. We can not afford it,” he said.
He questioned the need to have 16 bus stops across Steeles Avenue.
“I have a tough time understanding how that helps people from Halton Hills get to and from (the employment lands).”
He suggested that “slow and right would be better than fast and wrong” when approaching transit solutions going forward.
Lawlor: She called the new transit route “a bargain” and “an important incremental step that is within budget that will enhance the public transit program.”
She said that business taxes paid by Halton Hills companies along Steeles are covering the cost of the transit route.
She added that transit is “an important business development program” to attract new companies to town.
Paulsen: He said he thinks the Steeles route “really doesn’t benefit anyone in Halton Hills” and expressed concern about the cost of a large-scale transit system.
“I really don’t know what the answer is. There’s GO buses, there’s taxis. But I disagree with big transit,” he said.
“Transit robs the community of its soul and encourages other stuff I don’t want to get into.”
Gottardi: He echoed others in saying that the new Steeles route largely benefits employees in Milton and Peel, and suggested an additional route should be negotiated that loops down into Halton Hills to take local residents out to the employment lands.
“Paying a taxi is not going to cut it,” he said. “I’m for transit, but it has to be measured and it has to be done properly.”
Do you have vested interests in any developments past, present or future in the Glen? Do you have ties or relations with developers, financial or otherwise?
All candidates said no, with Gottardi noting that if he was elected, he would put his investments (which aren’t tied to any developments in Halton) in the care of a third-party management company.
*Gottardi had to leave part way through the meeting for a medical emergency, so he did not answer all questions.*
Have you accepted financial donations from businesses or individuals in this election or any others?
Paulsen and Paige said they’re self-funded, while Lawlor and Lewis said they’ve accepted donations from individuals (Lewis specified this is the first election where he has taken donations). Lawlor noted it’s illegal for candidates to accept donations from businesses or trade unions.
Will you hold the development at 102 Confederation Street and all development proposals to the Glen Williams Secondary Plan?
Paulsen: He told the crowd he’s not familiar with the issue.
Paige: “Absolutely, in terms of sticking to the secondary plan,” he said.
“The secondary plan for Glen Wiliams says we’re going to protect the character of the Glen - that’s what it’s all about.”
He noted the development at 102 Confederation is now headed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) as the Town didn’t make a decision on the proposal within a prescribed timeframe.
“They (the Town) sat on their hands and did nothing when this development came forward?” he alleged. “I don’t understand that.”
Lewis: “I’d like to separate fact from fiction, and you’ve just listened to some fiction,” he said in response to Paige’s assertion.
He explained the Town was taking action and had asked for additional information from the developer as it processed the application. In the meantime, the developer filed an appeal to the OLT.
“It’s not the Town holding it up,” he said.
He added he believes in following the rules laid out in the secondary plan.
Lawlor: She echoed Lewis on the challenges the Town faces when developers appeal to the OLT, which can overturn any planning decision made by council.
She called the Glen Williams Secondary Plan an “excellent planning document,” noting that “council should do what it can to preserve its principles and policies.”
A large portion of the Glen is in a floodplain. Given the potential for future extreme weather events, what actions should be taken to mitigate damage and losses to Glen properties?
The candidates largely shared similar sentiments and pointed to the importance of listening to the advice from experts at local conservation authorities on the topic and referencing their floodplain mapping for guidance.
