Questions and Answers
1. Does the City/Region need more regulations for new and future businesses to protect groundwater?
Carl Zehr: I believe we need to enforce the new regulations, established recently by the Region, which control the type of businesses that may operate in specified areas of our community. We also need to work with the Province to ensure their new standards are complied with.
2. Do you support a bylaw restricting the non-essential, cosmetic use of pesticides (for lawn and garden care)?
Carl Zehr: I strongly support the current plans for an aggressive and comprehensive education program to reduce/eliminate the use of non-essential use of pesticides.
3. The issue of a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is still simmering. What is your preferred solution? (ie leave existing road as is? widen existing highway? put in commuter train between K/W and Guelph? build new highway, etc.)
Carl Zehr: I have supported the building of a new controlled access highway between Kitchener and Guelph. I believe that both a new highway and alternative modes of transportation will be required in order to meet the critical mass/demand for our growing population.
4. What are your recommendations for alternate transportation (ie bike/hike trails, buses, LRT, GO train)
Carl Zehr: I have supported the expansion of bike/hike trails, bike lanes and bus routes. As a long-term solution I have been supportive of the LRT proposal and the extension of GO into the Region.
5. What are your solutions for gridlock?
Carl Zehr: There is no doubt that we have traffic gridlock within our community at several times of the day. The solution to the problem will require a multi-pronged approach that includes several modes of transportation.
6. Do you support defining an urban border that puts an end to urban sprawl to protect farmland and natural areas?
Carl Zehr: I have been very supportive of the "hard edge" that has been included in the most recent Regional Growth Management Strategy (RGMS). This will go a long way to ensuring that we do not have urban sprawl that is evident in some parts of Canada and the USA.
7. Do you believe that our size should be limited to our carrying capacity (ie groundwater resources, geographical barriers, impact on natural environment)
Carl Zehr: We obviously must live within our carrying capacity for as long as possible. I believe the RGMS speaks to this issue, in particular to the intensification of the cores of our Cities.
8. What measurable initiatives can you take to improve air quality locally?
Carl Zehr: I have been a promoter of the anti-idling program and intend to continue to seek broad public support for it. While I have personally been conscious about idling, I have found myself speaking to people about it.
9. How do you envision reaching zero waste?
Carl Zehr: It may seem overly simplistic, but we need to put a renewed emphasis on the 3 R's. This may mean revisiting regulations by all three orders of government.
10. How do you see the City/Region 20 years from now?
Carl Zehr: Regardless of specific measures, the Region will have increased its population significantly with a great deal of it coming through intensification efforts. The public will better accept public transit and ridership will have increased at a greater pace than population.
11. Should Cambridge fit into the Region's future? If yes, how?
Carl Zehr: Cambridge definitely should continue to play a major role within the geographic area comprised by the Region of Waterloo. My public position, which is well known, is that the entire region should be one governance with a strong emphasis on neighbourhoods/communities. Until that happens, all Municipalities must expand their level of co-operation with each other.
12. How do you propose to obtain the maximum level of forest coverage for this area?
Carl Zehr: We are already blessed with a well-treed community. Where it is practical, we need to restrict clear cutting of large areas. As well, we need to increase our efforts in the planting of native species to increase their population.
13. How can you best work with community groups and concerned citizens to achieve environmental sustainability?
Carl Zehr: I have been open to and will continue to talk with groups of people who have environmental concerns, with the intent of creating sustainability within our planning processes.
14. How would you support and develop lifelong environmental education in the City/Region?