There is a by-election taking place in ten days.
Urban Belleville, along with all of Quinte West and Prince Edward County will usher in a new Member of Provincial Parliament.
Quinte News contacted Prince Edward County Mayor Steve Ferguson, Mayor Jim Harrison in Quinte West, and Mayor Neil Ellis in Belleville to get a handle on the major priorities they look to convey to the candidates.
Harrison tells us that infrastructure is front and centre.
On top of the waste water plant, Harrison says they are also looking at building a new water line from the west end of Trenton right to the plant.
“Water or waste water, our waste water system, big money and we need support from both levels of government (provincial and federal). Our waste water plant needs $60 or $70 million.”
Ferguson says housing and doctors would be a common thread among the municipalities that make up the riding.
He says for Prince Edward County to have any chance at expanding, financial support needs to come for water and waste water projects, along with roads. He says without those, no housing expansion can take place.
“County Road 49 has been the subject of conversation for years. As each day goes by, it continues to be in disrepair. We can’t afford to invest $30 million in that roadway.”
If the County of Prince Edward were to pay for County Road 49 on its own, it would mean a bill of about $1,500 per individual tax payer in the municipality.
Neil Ellis says infrastructure is critical, but so is help with the homelessness crisis and opioid epidemic.
“Homelessness looks like it’s going to double by 2027 and there doesn’t seem to be any end to it. Second thing would be doctors. We’ve been recruiting doctors. We’re still at about 10,000 orphan patients. Then the third thing and probably the most important is infrastructure.”
The candidates in the Bay of Quinte by-election are (alphabetical by last name)
PC Party of Ontario – Tyler Allsopp
Green Party of Ontario – Lori Borthwick
Ontario Liberal Party – Sean Kelly
Ontario NDP – Amanda Robertson
New Blue Party – Margaret Schuler
Libertarian – Mark Snow (also leader of Ontario Libertarian Party)
Independent – John Turmel
