From hydro and jobs to cannabis and communication, Orillia’s Ward 4 candidates were put to the test Tuesday night.
It was the final all-candidates meeting for councillor hopefuls; those running for mayor and school board will be in the spotlight Wednesday night.
The six candidates were asked whether they supported selling the Orillia Power Distribution Corporation to Hydro One after an audience member cited a “cloak of secrecy” surrounding the potential deal. Ed Novosky and Richard Weese said they would need more information, since much of the discussion has taken place in closed-door meetings.
Peter Hislop said he supports the sale but was not happy with the decision to sell land to Hydro One before an agreement could be reached.
Incumbents Pat Hehn and Tim Lauer reiterated their support for the sale, though Lauer acknowledged it was an “awkward” process from the beginning, as there was a confidentiality agreement after the city was approached by Hydro One.
Stephanie Kenny didn’t hesitate with her answer.
“I’m not in favour of it for many, many reasons,” she said, agreeing with Hislop’s concerns about the land sale and cautioning against selling public assets, using Highway 407 as an example.
Asked what the plan is if the deal falls through, Hislop suggested calling in a former Orillia resident, Don Tapscott, a well-known authority on technology and changing economies, to provide some advice. He also said the city should “focus on enticing big data centres, biotechnology, business that don’t rely on raw materials.”
Novosky said the city should keep an eye on what post-secondary students are studying while in town and consider recruiting industry that would encourage those students to to stay and work here.
If the Huronia Cultural Campus can establish an arts and culture hub in town, that would change the dynamics of employment and arts and could result in more jobs, Hehn said.
One topic that has, for decades, been a staple of discussion during elections is the recreation centre. Now that it’s under construction, it has been largely absent from these debates, but it made an appearance Tuesday. A resident asked how candidates planned to pay for the operating costs.
Hehn said money has been put aside over the years to go toward covering those costs, and she’s banking on rentals and the sports tourism the centre could generate to help out.
Novosky suggested a concession space in the centre be leased to a franchise.
It was Richard Weese’s response that got a reaction.
“I presume the city had a plan to fund the facility once it’s built,” he said to laughter from the audience.
Earlier in the day, a panel discussion on youth homelessness took place at Orillia Secondary School. Efforts to create transitional housing for youth in Orillia have been underway for years. The candidates were asked how they would address the issue. Each suggested partnerships – with various levels of government, with Building Hope, which is working to create a new homeless shelter, and with the County of Simcoe, since it has purchased a former high school site in town to possibly create a social services hub.
The issue of communication also came up at the meeting when the candidates were asked how they would better inform residents about matters that are before council.
Hehn noted she and Lauer held regular ward meetings for residents and she suggested a mail-out might be a good idea.
Automated phone calls and email notifications might also be helpful, Hislop said.
Weese said the onus is on residents to keep up with the issues.
“I don’t think there is any solution to apathy,” he said. “If they’re really interested, they have to be there.”
Lauer had a similar response.
“Until things start actually happening, people really don’t pay attention,” he said.
With cannabis legalization coming soon, the next council will be the one to decide whether to opt out of allowing retail cannabis stores in town. Kenny saw benefits from opting in.
“It may deter illegal sales of marijuana in our community, so I’m in favour,” she said.
Hehn, Novosky and Weese were also in favour, seeing it as a financial opportunity for Orillia.
“We’d be very naive to think our residents wouldn’t (go elsewhere to buy it),” Novosky said, adding retails stores would generate tax revenue.
Lauer wants more details about the province’s plans before taking a position. Hislop, too, wants more information. While it could help fight the black market, he is concerned about where the stores could be set up.
“I’m worried about our children,” he said. “I worry about where these buildings are going to be.”
The meeting for mayoralty and school board trustee candidates will take place tonight (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. at the Orillia City Centre.
