Carol Chan, Richmond Hill regional council candidate

Yorkregion.com
September 25, 2018

Carol Chan is seeking election to be a regional and local councillor of York Region, representing Richmond Hill. Carol has been a Richmond Hill York Region District School Board school trustee (wards 3, 5, 6) for the past eight years, during which time she promoted self-responsibility, inclusiveness and equity in youth. Her involvement also includes organizing the Asian Heritage Month Celebration, as co-chair for the past seven years. Her vision is to bring together all cultural communities in Richmond Hill to celebrate shared values, creating a “Learning City” -- ensuring that the value of education is empowered in all aspects of government and our lives.

Carol’s platform consists of six pillars, addressing the most pressing issues facing Richmond Hill and York Region, described as follows:

Safety. Community and public safety should be proactive, rather than reactive. Improving public safety starts from promoting self-responsibility among our youth and members of marginalized communities, while involving community members in the development process of public safety programs.

Economy. Businesses will prosper if they operate under the right economic conditions. The right conditions include reducing red tape for businesses and keeping taxes low for families, so both businesses and workers would be attracted to stay in Richmond Hill.

Transit. My platform includes a comprehensive review of bike lane placements and road traffic signals, advocating for subways, and bus services that match our ever-changing population density.

Town hall relocation. The town could get more value out of existing infrastructure. By moving our town hall to a more iconic location, our democratic process can be more transparent and can be utilized as a cultural centre and heritage gallery.

Health care. Mental health is a pressing issue that is intertwined with education, health care and public safety. Existing programs need to collaborate and address these issues together, rather than being standalone.

Interconnected community. As the lives of residents grow more complex, our services should adapt to changing circumstances. Certain municipal responsibilities should shift to the regional level to realize potential operational efficiencies.