7gn_logo.gif (4124 bytes) Townships

 

North Dumpfries; Wellesley; Wilmot; Woolwich

 

North Dumpfries candidates: Mayor, Wards: 1, 2, 3, and 4

 

Mayor

Kim Denouden – acclaimed – did not respond

Back To Top                     Back To Main Competition Page

 

Ward 1

 Candidates did not respond

Heidi Ostner  

Rick Currie

Sue Foxton

 

Back To Top                     Back To Main Competition Page

 

Ward 2

Urban Planning

Questions

Ben Benninger 

did not respond

Randy McLean

Jeff Stager

did not respond

Do you support:

1.       -  stopping development on the Waterloo Moraine groundwater recharge areas on the West Side of Kitchener and Waterloo

 

Happenstance is not a good idea.  Planning is always better.

Y: This is not a smart thing to do considering this is a ground water society and well fields are closing due to contamination, on a regular bases.

 

2.        -  stopping development of Hidden Valley

 

Y

 

 

3.        -  increasing urban intensification and brownfield development

 

Y: Especially in this region.  More time has to be spent on planning, both long term and short term.

 

4.        -  a defined urban border to prevent further greenfield development

 

Y

 

5.        - more Environmentally Sensitive Landscape (ESL) designations in the Region

 

Y: The concept is good, however I believe this soft restriction will have to be tested in the courts.  Off to a bad start

 

6.        - recreational and commercial facilities in all neighbourhoods

 

Y: More stimulus for developing our youth.  We do not need more malls.

 

Climate Change:

Do you support local emissions control through:

  1. - municipal practices and purchases

 

N

 
  1. - building codes

 

U

 
  1. - appropriate land use plans and policies (e.g. reduced parking requirements for developments providing bike racks)

 

Y

 
  1. - the use of alternative energy sources (e.g. solar)

 

Y

 
  1. - changes in local codes and bylaws to encourage alternative energy sources

 

Y

 

Heritage:

Do you support:

-preserving heritage buildings, especially through innovative re-use for lofts/office space?

 

Y

 

Waste:

Do you support:

  1. - stronger waste recycling program for the Region

 

U

 
  1. - technologies that re-use construction material

 

Y

 
  1. - a “green-box” programme for compostables

 

Y: Vermin may gather if this is not managed properly

 

Water:

Questions

Ben Benninger 

Randy McLean

Jeff Stager

Do you support:

  1. - financial or other incentives to encourage water conservation measures for local business and homeowners

 

Y

 
  1. - stricter groundwater protection bylaws

 

YY

 

Green Space:

Do you support:

  1. - increasing expenditures to obtain parks and natural areas in the Region or your municipality

 

Y

 
  1. - not allowing motorized transportation on trails in municipal parks

 

YY

 

Procurement:

Do you support:

  1. - the community obtaining goods and services locally to limit transport-related pollution and maximize local economic opportunities

 

Y

 
  1. - policies that will (within existing legislation) encourage local procurement of materials and services for  your municipality

 

Y

 

Pesticides:

A Region-wide bylaw, effective 2007, requires signs and notification of all pesticide applications and prohibits only the use of herbicides in July and August. It is supported by a $0.5 million campaign to educate people on pesticide alternatives.

  1. Should the bylaw be more restrictive?

 

Y: Bylaws not enforced are useless.  There are organic pesticides that decompose over a short period.  How will the enforcement consider industrial vs. organic?

 
  1. Do you support the education cost?

 

Y: Most of the money will stay inside the community

 
  1. Do you think the Region should stop the use of larvicides (insecticide) in catch basins for West Nile Virus carrying mosquitoes?

 

Unsure

 

Air Quality:

Poor air quality is a major issue for Regional residents and contributes to premature death for some and respiratory distress for everyone.

- What measures do you propose to alleviate this problem?

 

Reduce vehicle use, enforce WHMIS regulations, increase vegetation cover of open areas, plant more walnut and other pollutant reducing vegetation

 

 

Transportation:

Questions

Ben Benninger 

Randy McLean

Jeff Stager

To limit global warming, pollution and gridlock, alternatives to personal car use must be found. Do you support:

  1. Increased bus service

 

U: Cambridge Transit has the filthiest buses I have ever seen

 
  1. Light rail

 

Y

 
  1. Streetcars

 

Y

 
  1. Airbus

 

U

 
  1. Monorail

 

Y

 
  1. Other 

 

Y: Home office connected to main office.  No commute

 
  1. - increasing both on-street as well as off-street commuting and recreational bike and walking trails

 

Y: Canadian winters may limit this.  Remember if you need a vehicle occasionally they it has to be ready all the time.

 
  1. - installing more bike racks in the core urban areas

 

U

 
  1. - promoting membership in the People’s Car Co-operative (i.e. car sharing) and promoting carpooling through Carpooltool.com, in combination with developing carpool parking lots (e.g. along Victoria Street in Kitchener)

 

Y

 
  1. - GO Train or similar facilities coming to the Region

 

Y

 

Gravel Extraction:

Do you support:

-stronger regulations for gravel extraction?

 

YYY: GWO has been fighting for enforcement for years.

 

Agriculture: 

Do you support:

  1. - policies that will help local and organic farmers to market their produce in the Region

 

Y

 
  1. - stronger measures to reduce non-point source agricultural pollution (pesticide/fertilizer run-off, nutrient mismanagement) into our water

 

Y: NO3 levels in the ground water of Waterloo Region are typically 14.5 ppm while 10 ppm is the upper limit under Provincial Drinking Water Guidelines.

 

 

Questions

Incumbents Only:

What environmental issues did you champion during your previous term(s)?

 

What environmental issues do you intend to champion if re-elected?

 

 

 

Back To Top                     Back To Main Competition Page

 

Ward 3

Candidate did not respond

Gordon Taylor

 

Back To Top                     Back To Main Competition Page

 

Ward 4

Candidate did not respond

E.L Higgins

 

Back To Top                     Back To Main Competition Page

 

Wellesley candidates: Mayor, Wards: 1, 2, 3, and 4

 

Mayor

Urban Planning

Questions

Joe Nowak

did not respond

Ross Kelterborn (I)

Do you support:

7.       -  stopping development on the Waterloo Moraine groundwater recharge areas on the West Side of Kitchener and Waterloo

 

If lands are within development areas in an official plan the city has the ability to make a decision as to it’s plan, that’s what happened here.  I shall wait for Mr. Horne’s investigation for my final position

8.        -  stopping development of Hidden Valley

 

 

9.        -  increasing urban intensification and brownfield development

 

Y: This helps Wellesley preserve our agricultural land base for future generations.

10.     -  a defined urban border to prevent further greenfield development

 

Y: We are an agricultural township, our objective is to conserve prospective growing land.

11.     - more Environmentally Sensitive Landscape (ESL) designations in the Region

 

Y: I favour ESL designations when it relates to situations they are not invasive to property owners.

12.     - recreational and commercial facilities in all neighbourhoods

 

Depends on costing to the municipality.

Climate Change:

Do you support local emissions control through:

  1. - municipal practices and purchases

 

Y
  1. - building codes

 

Y: As long as code items are reasonable and factual.

  1. - appropriate land use plans and policies (e.g. reduced parking requirements for developments providing bike racks)

 

 
  1. - the use of alternative energy sources (e.g. solar)

 

Y: Absolutely, we have included wind generation in Zoning By-law
  1. - changes in local codes and bylaws to encourage alternative energy sources

 

Y: Absolutely, same as solar question

Heritage:

Do you support:

-preserving heritage buildings, especially through innovative re-use for lofts/office space?

 

Y: This helps Wellesley Township conserve the land required to feed the urban areas.

Waste:

Do you support:

  1. - stronger waste recycling program for the Region

 

Y: If it is cost effective and provides additional protection to our environment.
  1. - technologies that re-use construction material

 

Y: I was brought up this way have been doing it for 67 years – not new information
  1. - a “green-box” programme for compostables

 

Y: Cost effective – I am in favour

Water:

Questions

Joe Nowak

Ross Kelterborn

Do you support:

  1. - financial or other incentives to encourage water conservation measures for local business and homeowners

 

Y: I support other incentives for water conservation, education is the way to conserve.
  1. - stricter groundwater protection bylaws

 

U: I have to know what they are and how they are going to be enforced.

Green Space:

Do you support:

  1. - increasing expenditures to obtain parks and natural areas in the Region or your municipality

 

N: We can do this through existing subdivision controls and the 5% Park Fund dedication.  I am not in favour of spending tax dollars to purchase land.
  1. - not allowing motorized transportation on trails in municipal parks

 

Y: Parks are physical family environment special areas specifically for only motorized vehicles would be acceptable

Procurement:

Do you support:

  1. - the community obtaining goods and services locally to limit transport-related pollution and maximize local economic opportunities

 

Y: If it’s competitive price wise and provid