Thunder Bay mayoral candidates debate the event centre

Thunder Bay mayoral candidates are squaring off on whether the city can afford an event centre, with two candidates clearly on opposite sides and a third still supportive but asking questions.

The newest candidate, Shane Judge, said Tuesday that the proposed centre is one of the main reasons he chose to put his name on the ballot.

"I want to put a stop to it. I want to put it on a shelf for ten years. I don't think we have the people here and if you start to look at the demographics in any detail, you start to worry."

Judge said he believes the city is in poor financial shape, and cannot afford to build the $100 million facility.

Councillor and mayor disagree

Current Mayor Keith Hobbs, who is seeking re-election, disagreed with Judge's analysis.

"I think Thunder Bay has to grasp this, it's going to be great for our downtown. Probably $200 million in ... economic impact."

Hobbs said the city is in better financial shape than a few years ago, with less debt on the books.

"This project needs to be embraced by the city as we move this city forward. I don't think we can move this city forward by looking back."

Mayoral Candidate and current councillor-at-large Ken Boshcoff has supported the centre in the past, but said he now has questions about the project.

"There also seems to be many hidden costs including parking lots acquisition and things like hydro transformers. I'd really like to see all the costs in one column and all the revenues in another so we can really show the public a clear black and white estimate of projections."

Boshcoff said the facility is needed in the city, but he is unsure of how the city would pay for a new event centre.

"Well clearly we have to know what the upset limit of construction costs are and some serious operating deficit costs so people really know what they're getting into."

The election takes place Oct. 27.