Ward 11 candidate Derek Young is calling on the municipality to come together with engaged citizens, community groups, businesses, industries, and educational institutions to perform an Environmental Audit.
"Although trees, lakes, rivers, and air quality will be part of the audit, the purpose of the audit will be to look at successes and challenges, identify gaps and opportunities, assess information to help in our decision making, and to monitor our collective impact as a community," said Young in a news release.
"The community will come together in open and honest dialogue to develop a common goal by looking at a number of topics and ideas that matter most to the community and develop a road map to get there. The new council will have a strategic planning session early in the term, currently scheduled for March 1 and 2, 2019. An environmental audit, will be a useful tool in helping council to establish their priorities for the next four years."
Full text of Young's news release can be found below:
Ward 11 candidate Derek Young is calling on the Municipality to come together with engaged citizens, community groups, businesses, industries, and educational institutions to perform an Environmental Audit. Although trees, lakes, rivers, and air quality will be part of the audit, the purpose of the audit will be to look at successes and challenges, identify gaps and opportunities, assess information to help in our decision making, and to monitor our collective impact as a community.
The community will come together in open and honest dialogue to develop a common goal by looking at a number of topics and ideas that matter most to the community and develop a road map to get there. The
new council will have a strategic planning session early in the term, currently scheduled for March 1 and 2, 2019. An environmental audit, will be a useful tool in helping council to establish their priorities for the next four years.
At election time, many community groups, organizations, special interests and engaged citizens have lots to say and bring many concerns and ideas forward through their surveys and public debates.
"Throughout this campaign, I have heard many concerns at the doors and have kept notes on my clipboard, as I have gone door to door" said Young. "The concerns heard at the doors in ward 11, I am sure are similar in
other wards and some common themes are starting to develop." Young added.
Organizations such as CUPE are concerned about work place conditions with librarians having to deal with the opioid crisis, transit drivers experiencing increased violence, shared service models, and effective delivery of services.
We have heard from a Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury about the environment, water quality, and reducing our local carbon foot print, and we have heard from Young People Who Give A Sh*t who are concerned about public art, economic development and jobs for young people, and public transit.
The Chamber of Commerce has also brought forward many concerns from the business community and have endorsed the major projects as important economic drivers. At the door, we are hearing about safe streets, road maintenance and quality, delivery of public services, social disorder, new electronic voting challenges from seniors, life for seniors living in Pioneer Manor, social housing, the Kingsway Entertainment District, Downtown, property taxes and value for dollar.
We know there are many leaders in our community with solutions to some very complex problems. The work being done by 185 agencies on the Population Health Report, the 60 plus environmental leaders who came together last Thursday to discuss the city's new Community Energy and Emissions Plan and the innovative work being done by Greater Sudbury Utilities, SNOLab, Vale and innovation in our colleges and universities are just some examples of the good work being done and how we need to harness their potential for "A Better Greater Sudbury Together".
With advance polls opening on October 15 until election day October 22, 2018, the citizens of our City will have some important choices to make regarding their Mayor, Councillor and School Board trustees who will be responsible for doing this work with you and being your voice. The discussion does not end after the campaign.
