Ward 3: Roads, policing and safe-injection sites among top issues

CBC Hamilton asked all candidates running for Hamilton city council to share their priorities and speak to an issue that stands out to them as needing to be addressed in their ward. Their answers are left here in full, with lightediting only for spelling/grammar. For the candidates who did not answer the CBC Hamilton questionnaire, information has been drawn from their websites, when possible.All of CBC Hamilton'selection coverage can be found here.

Reverting Main Street to two-way traffic, implementing safe-injection sites and what to do with the police budget are among the issues candidates for Ward 3 councillor are struggling to agree on.

Incumbent Nrinder Nann, elected in 2018, worked to revert Main Street to two-way traffic and implement enhanced safety measures on major arterialroads.

She also doesn't support how police and the city have dismantled encampments and is in favour of shifting funding from the police budget toward social services and agencies unlike some of her competitors. Candidates Laura Farr and Walter Furlan oppose that.

Ward 3, also known as Hamilton Centre, is a lower city ward bordered by the mountainto the south, Hamilton Harbour to the north, Ottawa Street to the east, and Wellington Street North to the west, connecting to Claremont Access.

Roughly a third of the ward consists ofindustrial and commercial land including U.S. Steel Canada and ArcelorMittal Dofasco.

It'salso home to Hamilton General Hospital, St. Peter's Hospital, Tim Hortons Field and Gage Park.Theplannedlight-rail transit (LRT) routeis poised to run through much of the ward, asit will runalternately on King and Main streets.

There are 41,205 people in Ward 3. The population has, on average,lower incomes, and higher rates of unemployment and use of social assistance compared to the rest of the city.

There are also more people new to Hamilton, but not necessarily new to Canada, in the ward and a much higher proportion of Indigenous residents.

The areahas had its fair share of encampments, sparking conversations about policing and safe-injection sites.

There have also been discussions about street safety and improving the state of roads in the ward.

The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) named Barton Street East Ontario's worst road for its cracks and potholes. It was also voted the city's worst road for three years in a row in CAA's annual list.

Here's more on the fourcandidates running to be Ward 3 councillor (Michael Faletta is listed as a certified candidate on the city's website butsaid he won't be contributing to his campaign):

Laura Farr

Farr is 39 and describes herself as a taxpayer agent with Canada Revenue Agency.

Describe one pressing issue facing your ward and what you'd do about it:Housing is a pressure facing our ward, and if elected I will work with what the city already has staff, technology and ideas to make the permitting process easier so that more housing can be built. I will also work with housing providers and other stakeholders to make sure that communities are aware of proposed changes and that we are also building smartly in our ward. You will know what is happening and be able to find information ahead of time. My approach is new and is based on 18 years of working for the city the way things are now is not currently working, so it needs to be updated.

Name up to 3 policies you'd put forward or support if elected:Low-cost to free recreation programming at our city facilities for all ages and interests, a more robust proactive bylaw team, and working with city departments to act on things that our ward needs (i.e. safer roads, police response, recreation opportunities, grocery stores etc. ) so that our neighbourhoods have safety, convenience, comfort and amenities within them.

Walter Furlan

Furlan is 61 and describes himself as a business owner and a heritage conservation professional.

Describe one pressing issue facing your ward and what you'd do about it:Ward 3 needs better representation because on basic community safety, our voices are not being heard. The community feels that their concerns regarding the amount and nature of homeless shelters, halfway houses and injection treatment locations, have gone unregarded, and in fact residents have been chastised for not having 'compassion.'Seniors and vulnerable people are afraid to be outside in their neighbourhoods due to individuals roaming or camping in public areas. This fear has to be regarded and dissipated. One way is with more police patrols. You will never hear me say "Defund the Police"; all essential services should be adequately resourced. I will work with police and municipal law enforcement to address property crime, derelict buildings and speeding. We need to literally clean up the streets and make our transportation corridors places worth caring about. We also need to distribute certain social services throughout the city so the impacts do not so acutely impact specific neighbourhoods.

Name up to 3 policies you'd put forward or support if elected:First, an injection clinic or a men's shelter does not belong close to schools, daycares, seniors or people with a disability, or in neighbourhoods already oversaturated with these services. We need policies to ensure there are careful considerations in planning and transparent community consultation when considering the placement of challenging social services all around the city. Second, there are 369 municipal playing fields in Hamilton, but only four in Ward 3. We don't even have a skate park or a community arena. We urgently need to build parks and acquire or create new green space and outdoor recreation amenities. We need to bring minor sports back to Ward 3. This is one way to build strong and resilient young people. Third, Ibelieve in accountability. I believe you should have access to your elected official. I will be available to you. I will have a constituency office in Ward 3. I will call you back and meet with you face-to-face. Here's my number 905-383-3704.

Stan Kruchka

Kruchka didn't respond to CBC Hamilton's questionnaire.

On his Facebook profile, Kruchkapledged "to support the formation of a committee of council to examine how the city can make the HSR frequent clean and fare free."

On Twitter, he said he would push for a larger police presence on select areas in the ward, as well as expand Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST) a partnership between St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton Police Services, and Halton Regional Police Services and the use of mental health workers in policing.

He also said he'd push for more funding for paramedics and more housing that is affordable and geared to people's income.

Nrinder Nann(incumbent)

Nann is 46 and is the current Ward 3 councillor. She was elected in 2018.

Describe one pressing issue facing your ward and what you'd do about it:Street Safety was the topconcern expressed in 2018 and remains top on the list among residents at the door this year. They are concerned about the number of deaths and serious injuries that have occurred on our major roads and speeding on neighbourhood streets. To continue tackling this issue head on in the next term, I will invest in the 128+ safety measures identified in the Ward 3 Complete Streets report. These are the most comprehensive traffic safety measures to be applied across every neighbourhood in the ward ever. It engaged 800 residents and will make our communities feel safer for every age group and demographic. I will also ensure the two-way Main Street conversion is successfully completed delivering the safer, more livable neighbourhoods we all deserve. I will alsodevelop a Ward 3 strategic investment plan for discretionary funds to address the maintenance and reconstruction of roads and sidewalks based on a robust asset management framework. I will focus on Wilson and Barton to enhance community life for adjacent neighbourhoods and to improve public enjoyment. I will also update the Ottawa Street Master Plan to deliver a redesigned street that promotes a vibrant social and commercial corridor.

Name up to 3 policies you'd put forward or support if elected:Hamilton has become one of the most expensive cities to rent and buy in North America. This is unsustainable and pushes our neighbours out. Cities have no option but to be at the forefront with solutions to foster belonging instead of displacement. I will provide further leadership on the Vacant Homes Tax (VHT) I championed in my first term by directing the annual projected revenue of $3.3M from the VHT, as well as, proceeds from the sale of surplus city lands to invest exclusively in delivering new affordable housing. I will also set a 30 per centtarget for inclusionaryzoning along the LRT corridor to ensure a mix of truly affordable housing in every private development project near the station stops. I will encourage gentle infill development across the city, not only in Ward 3, by ending exclusionary zoning to enable missing middle housing options in areas that have previously been exclusively single-family homes. Also, aschair of public works, I supported revising DART (door-to-door accessible transportation services)routes and operations to determine opportunities for service improvements. I continue to recommend that DART's staff engage in a consultative process with service users to ensure that resident concerns are identified and addressed.

School board trustees

The candidates for school board trustees in the area are:

Public school candidates:

• Fatima Baig
• Maria Felix Miller (incumbent)
• Larry Pattison

Catholic schoolcandidates:

• Ralph Agostino
• Josie Angelini

For more of CBC Hamilton's electioncoverage:

• 'Change-focused voters' drive the conversation in Hamilton election sure to see massive turnover
• OPINION | In Hamilton, real estate is the new art
• How to vote in Hamilton's 2022 municipal election
• Want to get elected in Hamilton? Study finds campaign success doesn't come cheap