Vaughan candidates answer your questions

May 29, 2014
YorkRegion.com

 We asked Vaughan's provincial candidates the following questions

1.Traffic congestion in Vaughan costs residents and businesses time and money, and it’s getting worse every year. What’s your plan to tackle this issue and how, specifically, will it be funded?

2. Small businesses employ thousands of people in Vaughan, but many say they are struggling to expand, in part, because of rising costs of doing business including electricity rates and minimum wage. What would you do to help to ensure small businesses in Vaughan, succeed and grow?

3. What is your position on the implementation, to date, of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act? Is enough being done to ensure full accessibility by 2025?

4. There’s been a lot of conflict and disharmony surrounding the Vaughan hospital. What would you do to put an end to this and foster cooperation and consensus in the community in support of this highly anticipated project?

Steve Del Duca — Liberals

1. I delivered the Hwy. 427 extension approval, $158 million for VIVA rapid transit, the subway is under construction and will deliver two-way, all-day GO service. I will advocate for more improvements to ease traffic. Liberals have committed over $15 billion over 10 years for transportation infrastructure in communities like Vaughan.

2. Liberals are committed to creating jobs and increasing support for small businesses - the engines of our economy. Our five-point plan will help companies that make new investments and conserve, reduce their electricity costs. It’s important to keep the competitive tax rates we have to maintain a business climate to attract and grow investment.  

3. We will safeguard interests of Ontarians with disabilities and are committed to full accessibility by 2025 becoming the most accessible and inclusive region in the world. We have strengthened implementation of the Accessibility Act and will partner with business and commit $30 million over two years to help people with disabilities achieve maximum employment potential.

4. I have been championing the hospital at Queen’s Park, delivering $49.7 million to ensure construction will start in 2015 as promised.

I have and will continue to demonstrate leadership by putting partisanship aside and working with all members of the community, to ensure that our hospital becomes a reality.

Peter Meffe — PC

1. Gridlock has never been worse under the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals. My commitment is to deliver the Hwy. 427 extension and all-day GO service to Vaughan. I also worked hard to encourage all levels of government to support the subway expansion into Vaughan. I will work to ensure that project is constructed on budget, to protect taxpayer interests.

2. The McGuinty-Wynne Liberals have significantly raised taxes on business and hiked hydro rates by 150 per cent. These reckless hikes are killing jobs, stifling investment potential and deterring companies from growing. My commitment is to reduce taxes, cut red tape and make energy affordable again. Together, these measures will ensure businesses grow and open shop in Vaughan.

3. Too many Canadians with disabilities do not feel that they have full, unimpeded access to services and buildings. For 16 years on city council I worked to ensure our buildings and services were accessible to all residents, regardless of ability. The PC party will invest to ensure full accessibility and opportunities for Canadians with disabilities.

4. Since the beginning, I have been fighting for a local hospital, and urging McGuinty-Wynne to end the needless delay. I will get our hospital built and work cooperatively with all stakeholders to advance this critical project on an expeditious basis.

After a decade of Liberal delay, count on me to get shovels in the ground.

Marco Coletta — NDP

1. Vaughan is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, however, transportation infrastructure linking the city to the rest of the GTA has not kept pace.  In our balanced plan, the NDP puts $29 billion in transit and transportation over 10 years, plus $250 million annual funding to get shovels in the ground.

2. Small businesses are the foundation of prosperity in Vaughan and we need to foster their growth.  The NDP has a plan to support them by reducing their tax from 4.5 percent to 3 percent and creating a job creator tax credit to help businesses create jobs and expand. The NDP will also take HST off home heating bills.

3. The next government will need to determine all accessibility standards to achieve full accessibility in Ontario. New Democrats are committed to doing this as quickly as possible and making Ontario fully accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. We also see the Pan Am Games as an opportunity to leave an accessibility legacy.

4. The hospital is a very real priority for Vaughan and years of inaction and underfunding have held up this project. Providing quality, accessible healthcare for rapidly growing communities like Vaughan should be a priority for the municipality. The NDP believes in providing adequate funding for hospitals and will cut down on inefficient bureaucracy.

Paolo Fabrizio — Libertarian Party

1. We want the auto industry to create jobs and that means more cars on the road. Without the auto industry, people would be out of work. Sure that means less cars sold and less traffic, but it also mean a failing economy. So what do we want: a good economy with a little bit of traffic or a Detroit-style economy and no traffic?

2. I’m a small business owner and what’s killing us is the hydro, the natural gas and the cost of gasoline. And all of this can be directly linked to government over spending. If I am elected, I will work to eliminate taxpayer waste. I would get rid of Steve Paikin, Pokeroo and all of TV Ontario.

3. This government would let Madi Vanstone suffer with Cystic Fibrosis and make her family struggle to raise money for the drug Kalydeco. This government blows a billion dollars on garbage, but $300 000 to save a child’s life isn’t in the budget? Vote Libertarian so we can help children like Madi and get respect back for people with disabilities.

4. Before the province can build this hospital they’re going to have to spend millions on repairs on other hospitals leaving no money for Vaughan. Voting for me will ensure everyone gets the best healthcare today, not in the future. Libertarians will reduce the size of government and government spending, saving taxpayers’ money for desperate needs.