LISTOWEL – If the large crowd on hand last Thursday night was any indication, the upcoming Oct. 24 municipal election is one of both interest and importance to North Perth residents.
It was standing room only at the Listowel Agricultural Hall on Oct. 6, as hundreds of people attended an all-candidates meeting to hear from those seeking a spot on North Perth council for the coming term. Hosted by the Listowel Agricultural Society, the gathering featured a variety of questions submitted by the public on a wide range of topics – from preserving prime farmland in the face of rapid urban development, to the increasing concerns surrounding the physician/nursing shortages at area hospitals.
In all, 15 of the 18 North Perth candidates offered their opinions and stances on the topics presented. Not in attendance were mayoral candidate Julian George, and Elma Ward councillor hopefuls David Ludington and Jamie Pynn.
Ludington offered his regrets through daughter Nicole Boneschansker, who spoke on his behalf. Ludington in particular cited a concern with his perception of lack of future planning happening in Atwood.
“When he was on council, future planning was important,” said Boneschansker. “So if elected, he promises to keep an eye on the future so that we can keep moving forward with what is best for all generations.”
In lieu of opening statements, a written document offering a biography on each candidate, their qualifications, and the local issues most important to them was dispersed to each meeting attendee. Listowel Agricultural Society President Elizabeth Johnston served as moderator for the event. She offered opening remarks, and then delivered a series of questions that each candidate had the opportunity to respond to in one minute or less.
“While this can be somewhat daunting, it’s also an exciting opportunity as well,” she told the panel of candidates. “We know that it takes commitment and a passion for your community to do this. So thank you.
“We know that each of you that are here in attendance by virtue of being here, also have a passion for your community as well.”
The public was given the opportunity to hear from North Perth municipal council hopefuls during an all-candidates’ meeting held Oct. 6 at the Listowel Agricultural Hall. Pictured is the capacity crowd in attendance hearing from the panel of candidates. (Dan McNee photo)
Volunteerism
The first question submitted by the public served as an icebreaker of sorts for the candidates, revolving around their volunteerism resumes and how that service would make them ideal candidates.
After giving his track record of volunteering through the church, Listowel Ward councillor candidate Darrell Weber spoke to what helped drive him to run for council.
“My passion is seeing this community thrive under Jesus Christ, the head of the municipality,” he said. “Because He’s the one who really owns the municipality… He’s really got good plans for Listowel.”
Protection of agricultural land
After each candidate had their opportunity to touch on their volunteerism, a question was presented asking them how farmland, one of the municipality’s biggest economic drivers, should be protected in North Perth.
“As a farmer myself, I know how important farmland is,” commented long-time councillor Dave Johnston, seeking re-election in the Elma Ward. “As far as development, we need to make the density in the subdivisions – we need to create more density, make smaller lots. If we have to go up with several storeys on apartment buildings, I believe that’s what we need to do.
“We also need to look – as a municipality, and a county and a province – at not using prime agricultural land, and using more marginal lands for development.”
Like Johnston, Wallace Ward councillor candidate Marc Noordam is also a farmer who has a local dairy operation.
“Ontario is losing 319 acres a day, and that’s pretty well all I farm,” he said. “So it’s easy to envision how much we’re losing. We’re going to have to boost population density and we might have to consider building up versus building out. It’s some of the best farmland around Listowel, just ask a farmer around here how well their beans did this year. We’re going to have to work with developers.”
Municipal traffic infrastructure
The topic of a Listowel truck bypass, as well as improvements to traffic flow and pedestrian crosswalk safety were raised next, and how they would potentially benefit the municipality.
Listowel Ward Councillor Neil Anstett commented that the possibility of a truck bypass has been raised in local council chambers for several decades. And while he believes one is necessary, it shouldn’t come at the expense of local manufacturing companies and downtown businesses that depend on larger trucks entering Listowel’s boundaries.
“I don’t have to tell anybody here who has lived in Listowel any longer than a week that traffic is certainly an issue,” said Anstett, drawing some laughter from the crowd. “Looking at the truck bypass, obviously this has been talked about longer than I’ve been on council, longer than I’ve been alive for that matter. Obviously we need one. We need to remember that we’re respecting everyone involved in our manufacturing – we have a large manufacturing base here in North Perth – to make sure that everyone is still getting where they need to go.”
Wallace Councillor Lee Anne Andriessen spoke to the recent downtown Listowel one-way pilot project conducted for over a year on Wallace Avenue South, and some of the lessons learned from it.
“Solutions are necessary in order to ease traffic in the core. We did try the trial at the intersection of Main and Wallace, and we learned a lot,” she said. “It has helped us look at what we can do next. The truck bypass moving forward needs to be our goal; the groundwork preparation financially and the infrastructure needs to happen in the years of this council coming forward.
“Building a bypass needs to account for our farmers, when moving crops and equipment on this bypass.”
“I believe we’re driving on roads that were designed and constructed in the ‘50s and ‘60s, to accommodate the traffic of the 1970s. And here we are 50 years later,” said Paul Horn, Wallace Ward candidate. “A lot of things have changed. There’s no silver bullet to fix our traffic and pedestrian roads, it’s going to take a combination of a lot of things. I’m in favour of a truck bypass, I’m in favour of a roundabout. But these things will only work if we get public buy-in, and they actually use them.
“Most importantly, the funding. It’s going to take an enormous amount of money to fix this problem.”
Event moderator and Listowel Ag. Society President Elizabeth Johnston presents a question to the North Perth municipal election candidates on Oct. 6. (Dan McNee photo)
Youth retention
The next question asked candidates how they proposed to keep local youth either in the area or coming back to the area following post-secondary education opportunities.
“That’s a very loaded issue,” commented Elma Ward Councillor Matt Duncan. “Many of the youth go away to school and don’t come back simply because they find bigger and better things away from our community. The biggest thing we have to do is work on the affordability of living in our community; we need jobs here to attract them back, and we need extra-curricular functions for people to continue joining.
“I think there’s a lot of work to do yet, but I also think that we’ve made great strides towards a plan for youth retention here in the municipality.”
Listowel Ward candidate Sarah Blazek, a mother of children in grades 4 and 8, said that youth engagement is the key when determining solutions for retention.
“I think that it’s really important that we engage our youth right now. Ask them what they want,” said Blazek. “Ask them what’s going to get them back here after they go off to school, or trades school or apprentice. I think it starts with asking them.”
Diversity
Candidates were then asked how they planned to represent North Perth’s diverse community – whether it be ethnicity or sexual orientation – regardless of their own personal beliefs or values.
“Well ladies and gentlemen, as you can see I represent diversity,” said Yasmin Vanos, one of six candidates running for Listowel Ward councillor. “I am part Portuguese, I’m part French, and I’m West Indian. That’s what makes Canada this wonderful country, and the best country in the whole world. I came here as a child and I’ve never looked back. Inclusiveness and diversity is very, very important for us.”
Elma Ward Councillor Allan Rothwell spoke to a recent experience he had with a group of elementary school students. One had asked him, ‘How many bosses do you have?’
“Every resident is technically our boss. They have the opportunity to talk to us as councillors, to be their voice around the council table,” said Rothwell. “It doesn’t mean we have to agree with everything that we’re being told by those individuals, we have to listen. That’s how we get to understanding – first by listening, as opposed to by speaking first.”
Todd Kasenberg, seeking a second straight term as mayor, spoke to his motion at Perth County council in late 2020 to create an anti-racism and inclusivity charter, and the initial lack of support it was met with.
“I’m the guy who stuck his neck into some of the diversity issues at the County of Perth,” he said. “I can say that while there was some pain associated with that, the county grew, because we created a charter that speaks to the corporate commitment and invites other organizations in our community to buy into the notion that we are all kin. That we have inherent worth and dignity, and it needs to be respected.”
Deputy mayor candidate Colin Burrowes suggested a simpler approach when it came to diversity at the local level.
“It’s not about accepting LGBTQ people, it’s not just about accepting People of Colour,” he said. “It’s about respecting them. That’s all there is to it. We just have to respect each other.”
Homelessness
The growing number of those ‘living rough’ in the municipality has noticeably increased over the last couple years, and candidates were asked their positions on people erecting structures and tents on municipal lands.
“It’s a very difficult topic to cover,” said Listowel Ward Councillor Matt Richardson. “There are services that are available, we can all do our best to encourage those folks to take advantage of those services the best they possibly can. As far as being able to build structures and tents on municipally-owned property… it’s something that is not allowed for everyone else, some concessions could be made, but I don’t think they should be permanent going forward.”
“I believe the number of people living rough is four at the moment, and I think I know them all,” commented Burrowes. “I work with them sometimes at It Takes A Village. HOPE Links is doing amazing things for them. We’re failing people in many ways; there are some services that are doing great things, but we need more mental health and addiction services – not just here – but probably right across Canada.
“ I would like it if there was no need for tents or homelessness, but that’s the reality we’re dealing with.”
“Community is about taking care of one another,” added Deputy Mayor Doug Kellum. “How we support those most at need within our community will define how others will view, interact, reside and invest within.”
Municipal growth, strained services
The common thread relating back to nearly every question raised at the meeting was rapid municipal growth, and how North Perth planned to solve some of the larger bullet point issues associated with it.
Services under siege like school capacities, hospital emergency department closures, volunteer fire department recruitment and sufficient policing were lumped into the final question directed at every candidate, and how these ‘growing pains’ could be eased in the short-term.
“A hospital shouldn’t have an ‘open’ and ‘closed’ sign on it. This is a problem that is happening in pretty much all of North America right now, including North Perth,” said Richardson. “This is something that we’re going to have to work with for doctor and nurse recruitment, and we’re going to have to beg, borrow and steal everything we can from the province and the feds to help mitigate this for everyone concerned.”
“As North Perth continues to grow, doctor recruitment must remain a high priority for this council,” stated Kellum.
Duncan, a current member of council, spoke about sitting down for a strategic planning exercise four years ago, with everyone at the table agreeing that North Perth had to somehow maintain its small, rural community charm in the face of such unprecedented growth over the last two decades in particular.
“After all, that’s what attracted many of the people who wanted to move here, right?” he said. “In regards to doing that, as a council we need to sit down and we need to manage the growth each year, to a manageable level so that our services can keep up with that growth. And we need to move our services ahead, to make up for the shortfall that we currently have.”
At the conclusion of the question period, each candidate was given the opportunity to make closing statements.
“Kudos to everyone on stage for keeping North Perth great,” said Grace Harper, a candidate for Listowel Ward councillor. “A municipal councillor is the closest link between government and the people.
“A citizen once quoted, ‘you should never run for council unless you walk with community.’”
“Please get out and vote,” urged Blazek. “Please encourage your friends and neighbours to vote. Democracy only works if we participate in it – that is how we can help make the changes we all want to see.”
