Bradford West Gwillimbury Candidates

Background Information

In 2009 the Government of Ontario released its Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, which called for Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to be reduced by 50% to 44 tonnes a year. According to the Plan, this is the reduction in pollution that is needed to protect the lake’s cold-water fishery and to prevent excessive weed growth and algae blooms.

However, the Government of Ontario has not funded or implemented a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to 44 tonnes a year. Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution has instead gone up by 30% since 2009. (To learn more about how we can reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to 44 tonnes a year, please read our Cleaning-Up Lake Simcoe report.)

Responses to the question:

Do you believe that Lake Simcoe’s municipalities should formally request that the Government of Ontario promptly fund and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to 44 tonnes a year by 2030?


Mayor

James Leduc

Yes


Deputy Mayor

RAJ SANDHU

Yes

Lake Simcoe is very important not only to our region but our province. This is not just a source of drinking water for many municipalities but also an economic booster for the businesses that are on the watershed. Our council unanimously supported the motion put forward by Councillor Scott requesting that York expedite the planning and construction of the phosphorus recycling facility. I am also in support of urging and working with all levels of government (federal and provincial) to provide proper funding for the health of Lake Simcoe.


Regional Councillor

No candidates have responded yet.

Councillor

Peter Dykie

Yes

stephanie sinclair

Undecided

Addition research would be needed on this matter.

Ben Verkaik

Yes

Jennifer Harrison

Yes

Al Bonura

Undecided

Randy Hutchings

Yes

With 4 generations of my family living in and around Lake Simcoe we all need to ensure a healthy future by doing the right things now! We need to also be an example for other communities and lead!

Gary Lamb

Yes

Rick Turner

Yes

As someone who enjoys swimming and fishing in Lake Simcoe, I feel we might need to reduce the phosphorous levels even more. Keep up the good work.

Jonathan Scott

Yes

Since being elected around 21 months ago in a by-election, I have put a dedicated focus on environmental protection, including reducing phosphorous in the Lake Simcoe watershed. Alongside Cllr Dave Neeson, we worked to unite area municipalities to successfully push for over $24 million in funding towards the Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Recycling Plant, which will represent the single largest reduction in phosphorus into the watershed. We also worked to secure renewed federal funding for Lake Simcoe protection.

Relatedly yet more broadly, I have advocated in Bradford for smart growth strategies that prioritize building new housing within the existing urban boundary in communities that are walkable and transit-oriented, including championing a complete streets approach with cycling infrastructure and boulevard tree planting. This focus on reducing sprawl by building new condos and infill rather than greenfield development will help to reduce phosphorous loading into the watershed. Further, I’ve championed retrofits of existing buildings, such as the coming conversion of a public school into a community hub, the retrofits of which will halve the buildings GHG emissions, as well as converting our library’s lighting to LED. I also helped to secure funding for environmental mitigation retrofits to Bradford’s existing wastewater treatment plant, both to enhance environmental controls and compliance within the existing capacity (with no expansion) and to reduce issues such as odours. Additionally, I have secured investments in new trails, green space, parkland and am working towards additional conservation lands. Finally, I have set in motion the town’s first Climate Change Mitigation Master Plan process, which will, if passed, represent a comprehensive approach to ensuring the municipality embeds sustainability in all it does, including energy efficiency, electrification of our vehicle fleet and sustainability as a principle in our procurement policies.

As a lifelong environmental advocate, I make a point of working collaboratively with local e-NGOs to listen to their concerns and try to align municipal priorities and spending towards environmental protection; thank you to Lake Simcoe watch for this thoughtful questionnaire and the chance to share a bit more about what I have endeavoured to do in Bradford since being elected in 2020. If reelected, I have been clear that environmental protection is one of my three main priorities, along with revitalizing the older end of town I serve and supporting the vulnerable.