Election 2022
See what needs and priorities the community shared, and how the new Council responded to the community survey and pledges.
Your voice matters
Your voice matters. You shared what is most needed in your community, and we shared with the candidates and City Council. Your priorities directed our advocacy goals. Your priorities helped decide the pledges candidates made for this next term of Council. Now it is up to all of us to follow up with the new Mayor and Council to see those pledges fulfilled.
Candidate surveys and pledges
Local community organizations brought their experience and knowledge to seven high-impact candidate pledges on the issues identified as most important by community members and community organizations through community surveys and community conversations. Read the candidate survey and pledges. See the responses below.
The pledges
PLEDGE #1: Urgent climate action.
Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury
The climate emergency is the defining challenge of our time, and urgent climate action is needed to immediately cut carbon emissions and to adapt to existing impacts like extreme weather events. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion clear, resourced action plans to meet the short-term targets of 25% greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2025, and 55% reductions by 2030.
PLEDGE #2: Housing for all.
Poverty and Housing Advocacy Coalition
Every community member needs housing that works for them. Rapid housing, deeply affordable housing, transitional housing, accessible supports, and basic amenities for unsheltered community members are all urgently needed. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion achieving functional zero homelessness within 5 years, while supporting the dignity and human rights of unsheltered community members.
PLEDGE #3: Reallocating funds from policing to services.
Black Lives Matter Sudbury
Most calls to the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) involve non-criminal issues that can be more effectively and safely resolved by other service providers. GSPS is the city’s highest municipally funded service and continues to request and receive increases to their budget. We know that services that support mental health, such as housing, food supports and on the ground community services are underfunded and in need. Reinvesting in supporting the social determinants of health, communities, and effective, compassionate crisis response make us all safer. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion shifting 10% of the GSPS budget to social services and supports such as affordable housing, community-based crisis response, and harm reduction.
PLEDGE #4: Basic Mobility
Bike Sudbury
Mobility is a basic right. One third of people in Greater Sudbury get around without a vehicle. Private transportation is also Greater Sudbury’s top source of carbon emissions, with a goal of 35% of trips on foot or by bike to achieve net zero. Quickly building a complete, connected grid of safe cycling routes has been shown to result in a big jump in the number of people biking. Residents have identified improving winter maintenance of sidewalks as necessary to continue walking or using a mobility device year-round. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion protected bike lanes on all major roads within 5 years, and improving winter sidewalk maintenance within 2 years.
PLEDGE #5: Support for community members and community groups making a difference.
Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury
Community groups, not-for-profits, and community members are at the heart of community, making a positive difference and creating a sense of place. They provide services, revitalize playgrounds, grow gardens, host events, and connect residents to activities, their neighbourhoods and each other. However, these initiatives often face difficult barriers from the City. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion a one-stop-shop for community initiatives, with a ‘can-do’ attitude of providing the support to make great community-led initiatives happen, smoothly and easily.
PLEDGE #6: Truth and Reconciliation.
Reconciliation begins with acknowledging historical traumas and current disparities. We are all treaty people. The City has a responsibility to act at a local level, and to build good relations with Indigenous Peoples. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion Implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at a local level.
PLEDGE #7: Better protecting land and water.
Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance
Healthy land is healthy water and healthy people. Climate change is expected to worsen the frequency, intensity, and impacts of extreme weather events. This includes heavy rain events which can lead to localized flooding, infrastructure damage, sanitary sewer system overflow, and contaminated recreational and drinking water. Investing in climate resilient natural and municipal infrastructure is more important than ever.
One urgent priority is to adequately maintain, renew and improve our Stormwater System infrastructure, that when coupled with a robust Residential Inflow and Infiltration Program will help to control the quantity and quality of run-off entering our waterbodies and to keep it out of our sanitary sewer (wastewater) system. To do that, we need a sustainable, equitable and reliable funding model for our stormwater infrastructure. Read more.
I pledge to actively champion protecting land and water, inclusive of a sustainable, equitable and reliable fully-funded model for the Stormwater Asset Management Plan and a robust Residential Inflow and Infiltration Program to be implemented within this term of Council.
Responses to the pledges
The Ward 2 Councillor is now Eric Benoit. He responded ‘YES’ to pledges #1, 2, 4-7; ‘UNSURE’ to pledge #3.
The Ward 3 Councillor is now Michel Brabant. He did not reply to the candidate survey.
This is a non-partisan initiative in collaboration with Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, Bike Sudbury, Black Lives Matter Sudbury, Greater Sudbury Food Policy Council, Poverty and Housing Advocacy Coalition, reThink Green, Sudbury and District Labour Council, Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre, and others.
The community candidate survey and candidate pledges is a collaborative effort by local community organizations, with contributions from Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, Poverty and Housing Advocacy Coalition, Black Lives Matter Sudbury, Bike Sudbury, Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance, Junction Creek Stewardship Committee, reThink Green, Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre, Greater Sudbury Food Policy Council, and Sudbury and District Labour Council. It is further endorsed by Citizens’ Climate Lobby Sudbury, Global Gardens, Go Give Project, Myths and Mirrors Community Arts, Sex Workers Advisory Network of Sudbury, Sudbury Shared Harvest, and Sudbury Temporary Overdose Prevention Society.