Correction: A quote from mayoral candidate Bob Foster in response to a question about the perception Centre Wellington council has had an unproductive and divisive nature was not accurately captured. The quote has now been corrected.
ELORA — Centre Wellington mayoral candidate Shawn Watters wasn't thrilled people had to pay to attend an all-candidates meeting Monday morning.
“Thank you for coming out,” Watters said to roughly 80 people gathered at the Elora Community Centre. “I think this is sort of a very interesting thing. I wish that more people were here.
“I understand which this event was charged for and I find that a bit upsetting. We’re trying to encourage people to vote. And if you’re charging people to come out to listen to me, my colleagues, or meet people, that doesn’t encourage people to vote.
“We have a real issue in this community and throughout the province. Forty-four per cent of people voted in the last (provincial) election. Our democracy is under real threat. And we need to do whatever we can to get people to come out to these things and at least chat with us.”
The event was organized by the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce (CWCC).
After a meet-and-greet, the three mayoral candidates – Watters, Bob Foster and Neil Dunsmore – fielded questions.
During debate Watters raised the issue of charging money to attend the event, which was $20 for chamber of commerce members and $25 for non-members.
Sally Litchfield, CEO of the CWCC, was content with how the event proceeded and said the cost was based on a break-even budget.
“It’s our first time doing this in a slightly adjusted format, that was based off feedback from past events and members – that our focus at an event like this should be on the business community.
“Which is why we made a few changes. So the networking time seems to have gone really well. We have 20 of 27 candidates here and we’re looking forward to the mayoral debate.”
Litchfield pointed out the candidate Q and A would be recorded and available to view online free of charge.
The candidates were asked what they'd do regarding the perception Centre Wellington council has had an unproductive and divisive nature in the last few years.
"I'd like to start from scratch with a team and talk about principles of respect and how everybody has a voice at that table," Dunsmore said.
"I want to make sure that all councillors, not just some, are free to speak their minds. I will welcome rigorous discussion and debate at the table," Foster said.
"I thought if I could come back onto council in some capacity, I could help out, and help out with this council in terms of mending things, understanding those relationships. There are important relationships not only at the local part of it but with the county and province," Watters said.
The cost of housing is going up. Affordability is now a serious problem. Candidates were asked for a response to the issue.
"From the 1980s, when I was a young man, through the 1990s, house prices fell by a third in Canada and I believe that's going to happen again. It alone will address a lot of the problem," Foster said.
"We need to think of out-of-the-box solutions in terms of the housing crisis, whether it be mini houses, micro homes, intensification," Watters said.
"We do not have enough variation of housing in this community to give a cross section of people the opportunity to live in Centre Wellington. We have to fix that," Dunsmore said.
Candidates were asked for a response to the reduced workforce, impacting businesses and job opportunities remaining vacant.
"Hopefully we can encourage our kids to go into these areas to do the work, but we're going to have to look at immigration as well," Watters said.
Dunsmore talked about people who could not work at available jobs because their potential wages would not cover the cost of housing.
"We have to help them by correcting the housing situation we have in town and making more affordable housing," Dunsmore said.
"The best solution in my view is immigration," Foster said.
Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
