We asked Hamilton Centre residents which provincial issues are top of mind. Here's what they told us

Affordable housing, health care and the environment are among the top concerns for some voters, as people head to the polls on Thursday to choose a new member of provincial parliament (MPP) for Hamilton Centre.

The winner of Thursday's vote will replace former Ontario NDP party leader Andrea Horwath, who stepped down to become mayor two months after she was re-elected as MPP in the June provincial election last year.

As 10 candidates are running for the seat and doing their final campaigning Wednesday, CBC Hamilton spoke with Hamilton Centre residents about the provincial issues that were top of mind for them.

Many of them echoed the concerns and priorities Hamiltonians shared during last year's provincial election, which saw Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives secure a second straight majority.

Protecting the Greenbelt, access to health care

Ruth Van Horne, 84, said her top concern is the proposal to build housing on parts of the Greenbelt. "The Greenbelt is my really big thing," she said. 

"[Doug Ford] being able to go against his word, he's lost all credibility if he had any to begin with, but that's a really big issue that someone can just step in and turn over [the protections]."

Late last year, the province put forward a suite of development-related legislation, including the More Homes Built Faster Act, proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Act and an order for Hamilton to expand its urban boundary.

Donald Brown, 97, told CBC Hamilton he was also concerned about the Greenbelt and climate change and wants to preserve Hamilton's nature for his great-grandchildren to experience as they grow up.

"We don't want to keep exploiting nature, we want to preserve nature for our common good," he said. "I have three children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and I want a future for them and that's why the climate crisis is a major concern."

Chris Hutchinson, 46, said he wants to see the Ontario government to do more to help with mental and physical health care for adults. 

"I want to see better access to mental health [care] for adults, because as soon as you hit 18, all the safeguards that are in place are then taken away from you," he said. 

Looking for an MPP with moral leadership

Kevin Makins, 36, said he would vote for anyone who talks about the affordable housing crisis or about any plans to help people experiencing homelessness. He also told CBC Hamilton that he's looking for someone with moral leadership and integrity to be the next MPP. 

"We all know people on the edge of being homeless or unhoused, I know people who've died on the streets and in camps," he said.

Bob Penner, 62, said he wants to see Hamilton fix its homelessness problem and to show that the city is better than that. "Homelessness is number one, we've got so much now ... it's getting worse."

According to the City of Hamilton's housing and homelessness dashboard, in January there were 1,545 people who were experiencing homelessness. 

Earl Jack, 79, told CBC Hamilton that he didn't have any particular issues or topics that were top of mind about heading into the byelection.

Instead, he said, "a lot of politicians make promises and there's no hope in hell to them — I don't buy into that, you gotta be realistic and make realistic promises."

Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday.