2022-Oct-11
Suggested Questions for Your Prospective Municipal Candidates
Ontario voters are going to the poll on October 24, 2022. We encourage all GBA members to question prospective municipal candidates for the upcoming Ontario municipal elections on their commitment to protecting Georgian Bay, providing the local services that you need and maintaining strong financial controls. Often your local community (cottage) association will interview candidates and make recommendations to their membership, but you may have the opportunity to ask questions directly yourself.
Accordingly, we have put together a number of suggested questions which we would ask you to consider:
- The population of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is projected to grow by 41.3% from the current 7.1 million to over 10 million by 2046 – over 100,000 each year. This growth will continue to bring significant development pressure to bear on Georgian Bay, particular in the southern parts of the Bay.
- With regard to planning regulations, controls and enforcement within the Municipality, do you support protecting the integrity of the municipality’s planning regulations, particularly with regard to ensuring environmental protection provisions are not compromised by development or construction projects?
- Do you think that Georgian Bay would benefit from a coordinated, consistent approach, such as establishing a planning resource that would provide expertise and knowledge for all Georgian Bay municipalities?
- Are you satisfied with the way the Municipality administers and controls planning matters, including applications for variances, severances, and amendments to the Official Plans and/or Comprehensive Zoning Bylaws? If not, what improvements would you recommend?
- Do you support the municipal regulation of floating cottages, particularly with regard to garbage, grey and black water disposal, proper taxation, and mooring/location?
- Do you believe that the Municipality is providing sufficient support for the control and eventual eradication of the invasive plant species Phragmites (Australis), or do you think more could be done? If so, what additional actions do you think the Municipality should be taking?
- Do you believe that the waste and recycling services provided by the Municipality are adequate, or do you believe they need to be improved? If so, what improvements would you recommend?
- Do you believe that the Municipality has good procedures in place regarding fire safety (such as timely introduction of fire restrictions at the appropriate level) as well as the enforcement of bylaws (such as noise, fire, boat speed/wake and light pollution)? If not, what improvements would you recommend?
- Are you satisfied with the current measures/programs being undertaken by the Municipality to help improve water quality in the township, including water quality testing and the inspection/maintenance of residential septic systems? If not, what additional action would you recommend?
- There are many stakeholder groups in Georgian Bay that are active or reside in the Municipality, including First Nations communities, community (cottage) associations, Georgian Bay focused organizations, other environmental bodies, and provincial and federal government agencies. Are you satisfied that the Municipality is doing enough to work together cooperatively and productively with these stakeholders, or do you believe that improvements are needed, for instance in communications? If so, what improvements would you recommend?
- Do you believe that the financial controls in place in the Municipality are adequate and protect taxpayers from unnecessarily high taxes? What are your views on additional expenditure and potentially higher taxes to provide improvements to the services, protection etc. (see above questions) that taxpayers might want?
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