Who is running for mayor in Charlottetown

With long-time mayor Clifford Lee not re-offering in the upcoming election, voters in the capital will be selecting a brand new candidate for mayor.

Five candidates are registered with Elections P.E.I. to be on the ballot come Nov. 5.

Leading up to the election, CBC asked the candidates to fill out a questionnaire on major issues facing Charlottetown now and in the future. 

Here is what they had to say.

Cecil Villard

What should the city, specifically, do about the unmet need for affordable housing in the capital?

City council must work with the provincial government, the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) and the private sector to implement the P.E.I. Housing Action Plan immediately.

Specifically, affordable housing must be a clear city council priority across all their lines of city business. City council must work with the cabinet committee and the coordinating committees to ensure that housing policies and programs and decisions meet the needs of individuals and families who require affordable housing. 

This means working together as two levels of government, CMHC, the private and non-profit sector to achieve the objectives of the housing strategy; identifying and prioritizing opportunities to integrate affordable housing into city projects and initiatives; proactively considering how city policies and decisions may affect affordable housing supply or delivery and mitigating negative impacts where necessary; utilizing all appropriate municipal tools to enable affordable housing development and support for affordable housing providers; ensuring affordable housing is provided in all our neighbourhoods of the city; supporting those who require affordable housing with municipal services that enable individual and community well-being.

What are your priorities for Charlottetown's streets — for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians?

For drivers, my priority would be to reduce speeding on city streets and for cyclists, to increase and connect bike lanes within the city.

One of my goals is to create an active city that is designed in such a way to encourage citizens to improve their overall health and wellbeing. That includes pedestrians, cyclists, runners, cross country skiers and so on. We should strive to be a leader in active living and building healthy communities!

What should be done to improve public transit in and around the capital region?

City council must conduct a review of the public transit service to develop a plan to address areas that are not currently serviced, including increasing routes and hours to improve service across the city. They should also seek to improve barrier-free accessibility to transit.

Do you support spending roughly $80 million to build a new-multi-rink facility?

Yes, I would support the building of a new multi-rink facility with the support and funding of the two other levels of government and the private sector. 

What, if any, further development needs to happen on the city's waterfront?

City council needs to develop an agency to replace CADC that can assume many of the responsibilities of economic development agency including the development of the waterfront after considerable citizen engagement.

Jamie Larkin

What should the city, specifically, do about the unmet need for affordable housing in the capital?

Charlottetown, we are at a tipping point. My plan is buy and build. The city will partner with the province to purchase affordable housing. A public trust will then be put in place to maintain that affordability for future generations. Secondly, we will use vacant city land, while working with developers to build low to moderate income housing. This will be a tightly regulated, competitive process.

What are your priorities for Charlottetown's streets — for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians?

Let's have a Target Zero City — traffic safety is a major concern throughout the city. Accidents and near misses are happening daily. Drivers are going too fast and not respecting red lights and stop signs. It is time to get to zero, in terms of accidents. Let's establish Target Zero, a traffic safety plan that leads to an accident free city. 1. Education 2. Better Technology 3. Enforcement.

What should be done to improve public transit in and around the capital region?

Charlottetown residents want an improved transit system and affordable housing that is close to public transit. 1. Survey the needs of residents. 2. Respond accordingly based on the results and best practices used in other cities. 3. Education is key. 4. Lead by example. I am campaigning using public transportation to better understand how it works, how it can be improved and of course save money.

Do you support spending roughly $80 million to build a new-multi-rink facility?

I have more questions than answers. I still have to understand the economics behind the proposed $80 million arena. Where does the $80 [million] come from? Does the projected revenue support the ongoing infrastructure and operational costs? I believe that large infrastructure projects like this should be voted on by the residents and that they have the opportunity to be engaged in an open and transparent process.

What, if any, further development needs to happen on the city's waterfront?​

Charlottetown's waterfront is one of our greatest treasures. As mayor, I would like to see it protected and enhanced at every opportunity to have more green space that is usable, accessible and available for all the residents of our capital city. Let's make decisions that our grandchildren and their grandchildren will thank us for. Let's enjoy it today and protect it for future generations.

Kim Devine

What should the city, specifically, do about the unmet need for affordable housing in the capital?

If elected, I will host a roundtable forum with developers and stakeholders within 90 days of taking office to determine the most efficient way to address this growing problem. We need leadership from all levels of government to solve this housing crisis and I commit to advocating on behalf of city residents for more public investment in affordable housing.

What are your priorities for Charlottetown's streets — for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians?

Introduce traffic calming measures to reduce speeding and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. More public education about sharing the road is also needed.

What should be done to improve public transit in and around the capital region?

Increase transit routes and extend hours to provide better service for residents

Do you support spending roughly $80 million to build a new-multi-rink facility?

After a full review of the report, I would consult with stakeholders and the public to determine next steps.

What, if any, further development needs to happen on the city's waterfront?

A continuous boardwalk from Victoria Park to Hillsborough Bridge, fully accessible, incorporating elements of the Eastern Gateway Study that recommend a public beach and a boat slip. 

Philip Brown

What should the city, specifically, do about the unmet need for affordable housing in the capital?

I will change and modernize zoning bylaws. Including regulating AirBnB, promoting inclusive zoning, and cutting red tape for private and non-profit development. I will work with both levels of governments to ensure more social housing units are directed toward Charlottetown.

What are your priorities for Charlottetown's streets — for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians?

I will not be looking at regulating cyclists but making our roads safer and more accessible for all. This will involve connecting bike pathways throughout the city and resolving dangerous intersections. Active transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, promotes a healthy lifestyle and will reduce traffic in the city. These are all benefits to Charlottetown and should be embraced.

What should be done to improve public transit in and around the capital region?

Our public transit system requires stable funding to make it more accessible, convenient and easier to use for residents. If elected mayor, I will look to expand routes to cover under-serviced areas within the city including East Royalty. It is important our city provides stable, reliable transit for the Charlottetown's young people. The option of night buses should be examined.

Do you support spending roughly $80 million to build a new-multi-rink facility?

While there is no doubt Charlottetown's aging infrastructure requires immediate investment, I believe the proposed multi-rink facility requires further public input. My priority is ensuring everyone has a chance to live in our city. I will be proposing a town hall meeting where residents will have a chance to hear about the proposal, give their feedback, and pose questions to their city council.

What, if any, further development needs to happen on the city's waterfront?

I will continue to support the City's Eastern Gateway Project. This project will create more public green space and open up more of the waterfront. In order for the city to be able to make such investments, we will need to improve the economic conditions of our city. That is why I am proposing a new municipal economic development agency to focus on bringing new high paying jobs to Charlottetown.

William Izzard McFadden

CBC hasn't been able to reach William Izzard McFadden, and will update this section when we do.

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