Almost every response from Penetanguishene candidates was cordial and encouraging, except in one small sentence by a mayoral runner.
At the virtual all-candidates meeting for the town of Penetanguishene on Monday night, a good complement of 12 candidates were in attendance with three absent to field resident questions selected and provided by hosts Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber president Peter Kostiw was master of ceremonies, keeping the candidates to a relatively tight time-frame for their responses. Everyone was allowed 60 seconds for an opening remark, followed by four questions rotated through the roster at 60 seconds each, and a concluding remark at 60 seconds; everyone kept in that limit on the Zoom forum.
In attendance: Mayoral candidates Doug Rawson and Jill St. Amant; deputy mayoral candidates Brian Cummings and Dan LaRose; and council candidates James Dalzell, Bonita Desroches, Lindsay Duquette, current Penetanguishene mayor Doug Leroux, incumbent Debbie Levy, Suzanne Marchand, and incumbents Michel Mayotte and George Vadeboncoeur. Absent were council candidates Mike MacRae and Robert Malfara; Bill Waters was also absent but provided written responses in advance to be shared aloud by Rawson.
Question 1: What plans are in place to attract and support interesting new businesses to the downtown?
Throughout the event and as rotation of the respondents rolled from one to the next, many of the ideas compiled into a resonant chorus by the candidates who shared many answers.
For this question, several candidates pointed to the town’s community improvement plan and Economic Development Corporation of North Simcoe (EDCNS) as primary resources, and much focus was placed upon revitalization of the downtown component of Penetanguishene.
St. Amant, a current member of town council, noted new property standard bylaws introduced which would provide maintenance guidance, while Rawson noted phasing out the property-tax credit for vacant commercial properties which was also echoed by Levy.
Cummings pitched hiring a dedicated business development officer for the town similar to the EDCNS; LaRose opted to reallocate the facade project funds to a joint-marketing venture for all businesses; Leroux cited the current and upcoming businesses; and Vadeboncoeur suggested rent deferral as a tool.
Newcomer Dalzell offered an “out-of-the-box” suggestion to reinvigorate the town’s commerce through a return to large festivals and events, which was agreed on by Waters, and Duquette noted that mobility issues on Penetanguishene’s large hill put businesses at the lower flats in better location for attraction.
Question 2: What do you think would be the best option for the future of the former hospital site in Penetanguishene?
Almost all candidates informed residents watching the event that the town had no control over who buys the former Penetanguishene General Hospital property nor what could be developed on the site; council could only affect zoning changes if needed.
With that, it became a wish list of what could be done if the future developer were listening. The overwhelming majority of candidates stated affordable housing would be its best use. Duquette felt it could stay as a health hub, and Dalzell suggested it could become a buzz-generating brewery.
Question 3: What specific steps would you take to make rental housing more affordable in the area?
Once again, many candidates pointed out that affordable housing was a problem spread across the region and province with many facets required through all levels of government. Desroches laid out several technically extensive responses in the meeting, and on this question she noted that “solving it isn’t impossible” with an answer focused on increasing housing supply; that was the answer provided by many others.
The council incumbents referred to new bylaws put into place by the municipality recently which residents might not have known about. Marchand urged lobbying the governments with a North Simcoe collective to affect change.
Rawson stated an action plan to see the town’s tax levy at one per cent next budget, and followed through with an off-script addendum of the Central North Correctional Centre increase in policing costs, throwing shade at the current council and specifically to mayoral rival St. Amant for approving the motion a year prior.
St. Amant made no reaction and her response regarding the establishment of a North Simcoe task force was calm and collected.
Question 4: What specific steps would you take to protect water quality in the bay, and manage waterfront development?
Partnership and support with the eight-member municipality Severn Sound Environmental Association was the popular response by many, who praised efforts by the joint group to provide studies and keep the waters of Penetanguishene Bay as clean as possible. The incumbents spoke to sewage plant upgrades, as well as a focus on recent water/wastewater infrastructure.
Regarding development, several respondents shared that the waterfront had been filled with little exception. St. Amant stated that undeveloped land was owned by either the town or the province; Cummings pointed out that only the brownfield of Ojibway Landing could be developed with proper respect.
The closing remarks contained thanks to the Southern Chamber of Commerce for hosting, to fellow candidates, as well as to the residents attending alongside an urge to vote in the municipal election.
All-candidate meetings for the 2022 municipal elections across North Simcoe are available for viewing on the YouTube channel for the Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce.
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Municipal election information for Penetanguishene is available on the elections page of the town website.
For Penetanguishene residents:
Visit voterlookup.ca, call 705-549-7453, or visit Townhall to be sure you are on the Voters List and that your information is correct. You will not receive a voter letter if your name does not appear on the voter list. In addition, any changes to your household (children who have moved away, tenants who have moved in or out, etc.) should be updated through voterlookup.ca which is maintained by MPAC.
Voter Letters which will include your voter ID and PIN are being sent by mail to homes during the last week of September to arrive to Voters on the list the first week of October. If you don't get a letter, call, visit or email Townhall to get one. You may need to attend in person to show ID.
Voting by phone or internet opens on Tuesday October 11, 2022 at 10:00 am and goes until Monday October 24, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. The voting website and phone number will be provided on the voter information letter.
