Halton Hills’ five mayoral candidates met for the last time this week to make their case for the top seat in the municipality.
The Acton Town Hall Centre was packed Wednesday evening with citizens who came to size up their potential representatives during a meeting hosted by HaltonHillsToday, with Sean Ryan of Heritage Acton moderating the session.
Local residents asked a variety of questions, via email before the meeting and in person, on topics ranging from truck traffic to housing and homelessness.
But it's comments made by candidate Norm Paulsen that have created quite a stir since the meeting.
In response to a question about how the candidates plan to use social media to communicate with residents, Paulsen said, "You can send me an email, you can send me a female - doesn't matter, I'll respond."
A post in an Acton Facebook group with over 12,000 members takes Paulsen to task for the remark, with several other local residents expressing their offence and displeasure in the comments.
Concerns have also been raised about Paulsen's reference to young people and seniors as "newlyweds and nearly deads" when talking about the need for housing options in the the community.
Paulsen did not respond to HaltonHillsToday's requests for comment by publication time.
The event was live-streamed on our Facebook page, and the video is still available for viewing.
Controversy aside, here's what Paulsen, Robert Gottardi, Ann Lawlor, Bryan Lewis and Ken Paige had to say in response to a couple of the top questions.
What is your plan to divert heavy truck traffic from downtown Acton? How can we, at the same time, attract shoppers and patron to Acton?
Lawlor: She acknowledged the issue of truck traffic as a significant one in downtown Acton and noted that the road is a provincial highway, so it's not controlled by the Town. She was critical of Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, saying that she “was not particularly interested in the significant suggestions that we’ve had” to address the problem.
She pointed to the Town’s efforts to inspect trucks and work with quarry operators to establish truck routes.
“There is work we can do around the edges. But unfortunately it’s a continuing battle. One that I would certainly continue as mayor.”
Lewis: “We need the Province to step up,” Lewis exclaimed. “We need a route that is for trucks only. Be creative and come up with a road that says, ‘this is for trucks only.”
Council voted last month to restart its advocacy for a truck bypass that would divert trucks away from downtown Acton. Their previous push was characterized as a low priority by Mulroney.
Lewis declared his firm belief in a bypass. “They (trucks) don’t need to be here, and let's do everything we can to keep them out of the downtown core.”
Paige: He emphasized the importance of forming relationships with other levels of government to “engage them in a way that ensures they understand what the problem is, but that they also come to the table with solutions.”
He put forth advertising and transit as a solution for attracting shoppers to downtown Acton.
“We need a made-in-Halton-Hills strategy about transportation that allows us to have people who can not only get around within the town that they live, but also between the important towns within our town.”
Paulsen: He echoed his fellow candidates with a short and sweet answer, saying, “We need a bypass. We need the Province to pay for it. And yeah, it might be in your backyard.”
Gottardi: Breaking from some of his fellow candidates, he said that “a bypass may negatively affect businesses in Acton by driving traffic that may have stopped in Acton away from Acton.”
He promised to consult with the concerned parties – such as councillors of the area, residents and businesses – to “get the whole picture.”
“If a bypass is what’s needed, I will personally go see the premier.”
He suggested turning a potential bypass into a toll road to ensure ordinary drivers avoid it and come through the downtown. He also called for a transit options to create more mobility.
If elected, what would your plan be to expand (public) transportation and make it more accessible for residents of Halton Hills?
Lewis: He pointed out that a transit plan was being implemented by the Town, but it got put on hold by the pandemic.
“The process is underway already,” Lewis said. “Let’s put it into effect.”
He also proposed using one of the ActiVan vehicles as a regular transit bus when it's not being used by seniors or those with disabilities.
"Let's be creative," he said.
Paige: He expressed puzzlement at the belief by some people that “if we put transit in, somehow it’s going change the character of our town and it’s going to allow the infiltration of people that don’t live in Halton Hills…”
“But the people who live here are the ones that need it the most.”
He repeated his call for a “made-in-Halton-Hills solution” that's not about a big, expensive transit system, but rather things like small vans and Uber-type options.
Paulsen: He appears to have changed his tune on the topic of public transit. At an Oct. 4 forum, Paulsen said, “public transit doesn’t work” and that he wanted to “build the 413. We need it.”
“I would encourage ActiVan, or a small van type service," he said during Wednesday's meeting. "Run it between Acton, Milton, Hornby and Georgetown.”
Gottardi: He praised the potential for transit to grow the economic base. He also highlighted how the Province can help subsidize any transit service Halton Hills explores.
He was critical of the new Steeles Avenue transit route and suggested an additional route should be negotiated that loops down into Halton Hills to take local residents out to the employment lands.
Lawlor: She expressed pride in the taxi scrip program for the youth as well as the ActiVan service. She also said she's proud of the Steeles transit route, and the ActiVan route that takes local residents to the hospital in Oakville.
“I’m confident that we’ll continue with the plan that we have in place. It will be kickstarted, I believe, by Vision Georgetown when significant growth is going to happen.”
