The Bay of Quinte has a by-election on Thursday September 19.
The riding consists of Ward 1 Urban Belleville, along with all of Quinte West, and Prince Edward County.
We asked each candidate what are the main priorities they are hearing at the door.
Amanda Robertson, the NDP candidate, says education and health care are the two main topics she is hearing from voters. She says one of the major concerns, when she talks to municipal leaders, is the infrastructure deficit.
“We really feel that a lot of these infrastructure needs have been unfairly downloaded onto municipalities. Part of our new deal with municipalities would be to re-upload a lot of infrastructure costs – critical bridges and roads and highways. We are seeing from our municipal partners that they just don’t have the funds.”
Sean Kelly is the Ontario Liberal Party candidate and he says infrastructure priorities are top of mind with municipal partners, but with voters, affordability is front and centre for everyone’s life. He says inflation and cost of living is major – each dollar is less valuable.
The largest cost for the province is health care and Kelly says it is the first thing he hears at the door.
“Health, doctor shortages. So many I’ve met from Prince Edward County, Belleville, Quinte West, they don’t have doctors and the wait times at emergency rooms at the hospitals. People are frustrated with health care.”
For Tyler Allsopp, the Progressive Conservative candidate, he says they have gone to all corners of the riding and been in different socio-economic communities. He says affordability is the underlying issue across the riding.
” Specifically to do with homes, as well as the price of groceries, the price of gasoline. A lot of people are struggling under the current price system. We’re also spending a lot of time talking to people at the doors about health care. Having better quality health care closer to home.”
Mark Snow is running under the Libertarian umbrella. He tells us housing is a critical issue and government creates too many barriers in municipalities.
“So our solution to that is we are going to decentralize Queen’s Parks power and empower each and every MPP to make all the approvals for the both environment, housing, roads, infrastructure.”
Green Party of Ontario’s Lori Borthwick spoke on housing as front and centre. She says offering more options to builders is key.
” … and to legalize fourplexes as a right, which would increase the amount of housing in a gentle density, as well as six- to eleven-storey buildings to be able to build, as a right at transportation hubs.”
For Margaret Schuler, the New Blue Party representative has been contacted and invited to comment. We will insert her comments once received.
NONE AVAILABLE
For John Turmey, the Independent representative has been contacted and invited to comment. We will insert his comments once received.
NONE AVAILABLE
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
