Some candidates call for action to improve Lake Simcoe water quality…

…and some do not – Lake Simcoe Watch questionnaire responses

from Lake Simcoe Watch

Barrie 

In response to Lake Simcoe Watch’s questionnaire, 26 of Barrie’s municipal election candidates, including both candidates for Mayor, have said that the City of Barrie should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

They are:

Mayor: Jeff Lehman, Ram Faerber
Ward 1 Shaughna Ainsworth, Graham Allary, Ryan Cardwell, Erin Hennigar, Avery Konda, Ann-Marie Kungl, Clare Riepma
Ward 2: Keenan Aylwin, Richard Forward, Yolanda Gallo
Ward 3: Lynne-Anne Hill, Tanya Saari
Ward 4: Daniel Boucher, Barry Ward
Ward 6: Colin Nelthorpe, Micheline Robichaud, Steve Trotter
Ward 7: Gary Harvey, Bonnie North, Andrew Prince
Ward 8: Jim Harris, Shelly Skinner, Brad Thompson
Ward 10: John Olthius

Councillor Peter Silveira, Barrie’s representative on the Board of Directors of the LSRCA, did NOT respond to the questionnaire.

Orillia

Seven of Orillia’s municipal election candidates have said that the City of Orillia should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

The candidates are: Gordon Launchbury, Ted Emond, Tshweu Moleme, Jay Fallis, Jodie Wilson, Peter Hislop and Stephanie Kenny.

Oro Medonte 

Seven Oro-Medonte municipal election candidates: Sandy Agnew (Mayor), Harry Hughes (Mayor), Ian Veitch (Ward 1), John Thornton (Ward 1), Scott Macpherson (Ward 2), Errin Dickins (Ward 4) and Joan Kelly (Ward 5) have said that the Township of Oro-Medonte should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

Bradford-West Gwillimbury 

Seven of Bradford-West Gwillimbury’s municipal election candidates, including both candidates for Mayor, have said that the Town of Bradford-West Gwillimbury should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

The candidates are: Rob Keffer, Pat Roberge, James Leduc, Marion Fischer, Rick Turner, Lisa Hawkins and Dave Minnema.

Councillor Peter Ferragine, Bradford-West Gwillimbury’s representative on the Board of Directors of the LSRCA, did NOT respond to the questionnaire.

New Tecumseth

Four New Tecumseth municipal election candidates: Paul Whiteside (Deputy Mayor), Chris Rapin (Ward 3), Gayla McDonald (Ward 4) and Dave Wood (Ward 7) have said that the Town of New Tecumseth should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

Ward 7 candidate, Shira Harrison-McIntyre, New Tecumseth’s representative on the Board of Directors of the LSCRA, did NOT respond to our questionnaire.

Innisfil 

Fourteen of Innisfil’s municipal election candidates have said that the Town of Innisfil should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

The candidates are: Barb Baguley, Daniel Davidson, Steven Fishman, Angela Gravelle, Henry Kooistra, Linda Zanella, Donna Orsatti, Bill McConnell, Alex Waters, Jeffrey Rice, Carolyn Payne, Marc Seguin, Rob Nicol and Don Tata.

Ramara

Only Anita Cook (Ward 3) answered our questionnaire. She said “yes” to question #1, whether municipalities in the Lake Simcoe watershed should work with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and the Government of Ontario to develop and implement a plan to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus loadings to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.

According to the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, to improve the water quality of Lake Simcoe (including reduction of weeds and algae blooms) and to protect our cold water fishery (including lake trout and white fish) Lake Simcoe’s annual phosphorus loadings must be reduced by 40% to 44 tonnes per year.

We have sent our questionnaire to the candidates in all of the Lake Simcoe Watershed’s 17 municipalities. To see their responses please click here: http://lakesimcoewatch.ca/muncipalities-responses.

For background information on our questions, please click here: http://lakesimcoewatch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LSW-2018-Municipal-Election-Questionnaire-July-24.pdf.

Lake Simcoe Watch is a joint initiative of AWARE Simcoe, the Innisfil District Association, the Lake Simcoe Association, the North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance, the South Lake Simcoe Naturalists, the STORM Coalition and the West Oro Ratepayers’ Association.

Related 

Five incumbent mayors call for action

Local candidates cool about call to action on Lake Simcoe water quality