Platform
— Communication:
Encourage transparency, citizen input, dialogue, responsiveness and politeness.
* I see Council moderating an online Q/A session for 48 hours following Council mtgs. (And revitalized Customer Service outlook, see below in City Services.)
— Collaboration:
Increase engagement with other governments, including First Nations.
* Many issues rely on other government’s cooperation and support. Council can collaborate with others to call for, and secure, appropriate regulations and resources. I have worked with many politicians and bureaucrats; I can do this.
* 80% of Timmins homeless are First nations. Regional First nation governments and agencies must be involved in addressing local homelessness, addictions, and public conduct. I bring to Council considerable historical knowledge, and experience consulting between First Nations and colonial institutions, achieving neighbourly solutions.
— Homelessness:
Pursue complete spectrum from prevention to safe, homed living.
* The city must marshall supports for each kind of needed attention. Prevention includes anti-drug campaigning, promoting skill-building, confidence, timely mental health care, addiction recovery. Technology can assist voluntary monitoring of participating individuals, and rapid-response to issues and crises.
* Graduated levels of housing with supports can enable and incentivize progression toward fitting, stable, off-street living.
— Living Space:
Pursue 24/7 programming…for needed help and reduced street presence.
* The city, everyone, has struggled to identify an alternative, viable location. I can assist any search and movement toward a compelling solution
* But regardless, no matter where LS stays or goes, an urgent priority is comprehensive 24/7 programming including adequate security and constant invitation and availability for addiction treatment.
* I stop short of favouring forced treatment including opportune use of Power of Attorney for legal and practical reasons. Results seem mixed and broken trust dissuades someone from more successful voluntary treatment. So, personal freedom seems unhelpfully and unnecessarily transgressed and medical resources ill-deployed. A fully functioning Living Space and full spectrum approach to homelessness can significantly help people and reduce transience.
— Housing:
Reduce city fees for homes/units under 2000 sq ft (above ground), promote geared-to-income housing, seniors housing and long term care.
* 2000 sq ft? A different threshold might make more sense. Point is, the city fees became an attractive revenue source as provincial costs were downloaded to cities and they present a barrier to building new economical housing. The city can reduce this barrier and encourage more private, much-needed development…which will deliver property taxes for many years.
— City Services:
Raise Customer Service standard…throughout organization including road maintenance.
* Events and public discourse seem to have raised a besieged outlook at the city: good people working hard with reduced transparency, determined planning, and operations to long-standing standards…while the Chamber of Commerce clamours for more progress-reporting, not great for morale
* The city already functions with performance plans and measures but the past decade especially customer service expectations have evolved beyond front desk courtesies. City Council can assert a need to transform and the city staff can own their break-throughs. No reports are needed for face-value results; builders can detect quicker permitting, residents will see fewer encampments, or fewer potholes or obstructing snowbanks etc
* P.S -Taxpayers are NOT shareholders. All residents are clients of city services
—Safety and Security:
Vigorously assert consequences for repeat offences. Pilot check-stops and delivery services checks for drug trafficking. Mid-north cities are advantaged with limited entries.
* Small Ownership Landlords of Ontario (SOLO) has successfully established with some police forces an understanding that where ‘professional tenants’ (those who chronically do not pay rent and/or damage property) commit an offence with three landlords in a row, they can be charged with fraud, or more. The experience is instructive.
* Checklists with agreed-upon, sturdy criteria can guide police and courts to seriously isolate repeat offenders, reducing the ‘revolving door’, and crimes.
—Immigration:
Advocate to restore regional skilled workers’ stays and to suppress unwarranted rule-changes and deportations.
* Fair to say this federal responsibility was mishandled 2018-23. The Immigration department has since over-reacted by not only greatly reducing immigration, but also by changing regulations and practices for newcomers everywhere including here in our region.
* Meanwhile, the demographic forces of boomers aged out of workforce, fewer children and grandchildren, and the perennial draw of hinterland youth toward the metropolitan centre are all still in play. Northern Ontario, and Timmins, continues to strongly need manageable immigration.
* City Council needs to collaborate with other northern communities to call for federal and provincial cooperation in easing restrictions and restoring programs to facilitate immigration of young, skilled workers and their families to this region. (Not the notorious Temporary Foreign Workers plan, but for example the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
— Economy:
Support diversification, especially tourism, agribusiness, regional hub.
* Timmins can diversify its economy to weather better the rises and falls of mined commodities and to widen the services and jobs which a larger more stable community can provide.
* Climate change, technology advancements and market economics are driving increased (re) clearing in the clay belt east and north of Timmins. The city can collaborate with others to encourage improved agribusiness, transportation, communications, training and other supportive services in the region.
* Did you know from 2001 to 2024 a jet flew weekly to/fro Whitehorse (pop. 30,000) and Frankfurt, Germany? Timmins represents a rare gateway city to Arctic waters and Germanic peoples adore North American ecotourism…thinking… Or perhaps our ‘far northeast region’ could benefit from some branding, along with other Ontario regions, in the manner of the Quebec tourism regions? Or a “101 Activities” concept originating in North Bay could deserve renewed attention, resonating with our key highway. Or all three, or more. Timmins has so much potential.
* Timmins has under-tapped potential to secure a fuller foothold as a regional hub for transportation and services. Can more freight travel on the Northland railway? Can a flight to Winnipeg open regional travel with the US, Mexico, Western Canada and beyond? Can more commerce be done through a James Bay port? With a growing, diversifying economy will these vectors be increasingly realistic, needed and helpful? City Council can be in a position to test assumptions and inspire ambitions.
—Health:
Establish two city-run, walk-in, general-practice clinics in Center, and West. Boost Health Services access and let Hospital address emergencies better.
* Medical staffing is in short supply across Canada, definitely in the North, and certainly in Timmins. The city is making progress with physician recruitment, yet this is slow, and many retirements are also underway. We likely need to widen the portfolio of operating models, including city-run units where a doctor needn’t be so concerned with staffing and billing (something the city already does well). Possibly mobile clinics led by a nurse-practitioner can do service. My own family was without a doctor for two years upon arrival here and I understand well the concern for good health services access…and the need to reduce the burden on hospital emergency services.
— Recreation:
Build a central state-of-art sports complex including pool. Build a scalable Arts Centre for music, dance, drama, and visual arts of all kinds and cultures. Build a cricket pitch as soon as practicable.
* The Sportsplex has seen a lot of discussion. It is decision-time. Besides serving Timmins current residents, this can also enhance the city’s ‘hub’ appeal, and contribute to a reassuring list of amenities in which any prospective new resident might be interested. This kind of investment is ripe for regional industry support to help make it happen
* Ditto, a dedicated arts facility.
* Aaaand…ditto a cricket pitch. Last year’s proposal was ill thought out, competing with another popular recreation installation, and being expensive, and with no clear, assisting donation. The concept needs to be revisited, revised and, if practicable, supported. It is a popular game among new Canadians who are trying to make Timmins their home, lends itself to visiting tournaments, is ripe for donor support, can possibly be installed in a phased manner…and again, conveys some sign of welcome, openness and commitment to multiple cultures which can reassure anybody anywhere that Timmins is a cool place to be.
—Youth:
30 years working closely with a few thousand youth, 14-24, provides insights and a discerning ear. Timmins’ 3,000 teenagers (M of Ed enrolments) (excluding International) need outlets they can ‘own’ and many find them in sports, arts, volunteering and employment. Let’s pilot a fund to support activities and enrichments which youth propose.
—Taxes:
Do not raise taxes. Conserve, avoid negative debt, widen the support portfolio with Social Development Bonds, Municipal Foundation, grants, regional collaborations.
—Platform Results:
“The above efforts can boost civic trust and resources, help people to be well housed, reduce debilitating drug use and its effects, ensure great local jobs and quality of life for all ages, and present to the world an attractive, safe city with opportunity, capability, and flair…in which to settle. Let’s get ‘er done!”
VOTE! (Please.)
There is a well known game called Call of Duty.. and lots of movies with heroes striving for justice. This is YOUR modest and absolutely REAL moment: be a live hero and Vote on OCTOBER 26th.