By Janice Arsenault
Every four years Hamilton residents head to the polls to vote for the people who will make the decisions and set the policies for our city over the next four years.
On October 24, 2022, Hamilton voters will cast their vote and elect the people who will fill the offices of Mayor, 15 City Counsellors and 22 School Board Trustees.
Be an informed voter.
Know where the candidates stand on important issues in Hamilton. Ask the candidates questions on the issues that are most important to you. Do the candidates support neighborhood specific solutions? How do they plan to keep connected to the community? Base your vote on their responses to your questions not on name recognition.
Some examples of the issues that may affect you and the questions you may ask are:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: What are their views on the housing crisis that our city has? What policies would they support or put forward to bring more units of affordable housing to Hamilton?
ROAD MAINTENANCE: Hamilton’s Barton Street East was recently voted one of the top 10 worst roads in Ontario. What do the candidates plan to do to improve the road conditions in Hamilton?
LRT: LRT is a hot topic for many Hamilton residents. Where do the candidates stand on this issue? Are they for it or against it? If they are against it what other solutions do they propose to address public transportation in: our city?
SAFE STREETS: Safe streets in our city are important. What are the candidates’ thoughts on bike lanes, speed reduction measures, two-way conversions of main streets, and heavy traffic routs through the city? Do their views line up with yours?
CIYT PARKS: Hamilton has many parks in our neighborhoods. What policies do the candidates support to ensure that they remain clean, safe and functional? How do they plan to address the repairs and maintenance of the park grounds, play structures and splash pads and wading pools?
HOMELESS IN HAMILTON: The number of homeless residents in Hamilton is on the rise in line with the rising cost of housing in the city and inadequate shelter space to accommodate the homeless population. What solutions do the candidates propose to address this issue and the increasing number of homeless encampments in all areas of the city including our parks?
EDUCATION: Many voters are parents or grandparents of children in our local schools. Our school trustees are the link between the community and the school board. How do the candidates propose to address the issues of school violence, safety and ensuring that all students receive the best education possible in these changing times?
Your vote is your voice. Know your voting location and make your voice heard by casting your ballot for the candidates that best represent your views on October 24th. How our city evolves over the next four years will be decided by everyone who votes. Be one of the decision makers. You can view an informative video at https://youtu.be/92If5A95Wkc
