Issues and Concerns
Kingston is a wonderfully diverse city, which means that the issues affecting one resident aren’t necessarily those affecting another. As your candidate for City Council, it’s important that I focus on what matters to you most – not what matters to me.
After spending some time going door-to-door, chatting with my fellow residents in the District, and hearing your concerns, I’ve found that there are a few common ones most of us share.
Roadways
We need to invest in keeping our roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks in good repair. Potholes are not only incredibly inconvenient, but they also pose a serious safety risk. And yet, our roads are deteriorating faster than we can fix them.
A review must be done to determine (a) why this is a consistent issue; and (b) how we can move to a proactive system, rather than a reactive one, when it comes to maintaining our roads.
I have also heard your concerns about the construction debacle on King Street/Front Road. I agree that we need to figure out why this mess occurred and determine ways to prevent this from happening again. Additionally, it has stressed the need for a significant improvement in communication from City representatives to those in affected areas. If elected, I’ll ensure that constituents are notified through a variety of means, including social media posts and mailing lists, to ensure that everyone in the district has an opportunity to be kept informed.
Housing
There is an undeniable housing crisis in Kingston that cannot be solved by any one level of government alone. Instead, it is going to involve collaboration between municipal, provincial, and federal governments. Even with such collaboration, there is no one catch-all solution that will fix everything; rather, solving this crisis will require a multi-faceted approach including an examination of property taxes and rental rates.
If elected, I will work tirelessly with our local MP and MPP to find ways we can address this crisis, to the benefit of all in Kingston.
Doctor Shortage
Everyone should be able to access the health care they need, when they need it. Excessive wait times lead to huge delays in treatment – often to the point where various ailments and illnesses are made worse, and become more expensive to treat, solely because of the wait. Unfortunately, the doctor shortage faced by Kingston has lead to just that – the inability of those who live here to access adequate health care in a timely manner. Even those who are fortunate enough to have family doctors are faced with massive delays in treatment.
This issue is caused by the way the Province allocates funds for physicians. The fact that a large number of doctors in Kingston do not treat the general public is irrelevant to the Provincial Government.
If elected, I will work with our local MPP to address the current way funds are allocated.