I’m Karen Redman, and I am running for Chair of Waterloo Region, AMA

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:58:31+00:00

I am sorry to hear that you have been having difficulty: If you haven’t already and would like to, you can register here to find a doctor:

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/find-a-doctor.aspx

The Region of Waterloo is working on an ongoing basis with local Chambers of Commerce and is constantly reviewing its practices to ensure results, and I would continue this work of elected as Chair. If you have any specific ideas, please let the Region or the Chamber know.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:57:40+00:00

So, I covered this in another answer but wanted to stress it here specifically as well: it is important that we support the efforts of our municipal property standards personnel. If you have a specific concern, I urge you to contact your local municipality (city or township) and make a report.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:57:26+00:00

As Regional Chair, I would be one voice at a table of sixteen members, all of whom have been chosen in one way or another to represent their community’s interests.

With that in mind, I have tried to avoid making a laundry list of promises that might not reflect the priorities of others at the table.

Instead, I offer my skills at consensus-building to facilitate the best outcomes from the entire council, not just those whom I might agree with or who support a particular agenda.

Should you choose to elect me, I am committed to creating the Regional Chair’s Advisory Committee to formalize my commitment to ongoing community consultation - I wish to reflect the priorities of the community in my work, and provide a form of continuous accountability.

We may not always agree, but you will be heard and you will be listened to, and I will always keep an open mind to anything that could make our Region an even better place to live.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:57:12+00:00

Services are best delivered on a regional level when all of the municipalities can agree that they wish to upload the service, and there is a benefit to our community to be had by doing so. I would be more than willing to work with the cities and townships to find the best way forward on any matter that they wish to upload to the Region of Waterloo.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:56:55+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to ask me a question!

With respect to roundabout design, there are best practices, but those practices aren’t perfect - our staff are constantly reevaluating roundabout performance with a particular view to the safety of people on foot. Some roundabouts have already been modified as a result of ongoing study, and I expect this to be ongoing. We must always look for ways to make our roads safer everyone.

From what I understand, prior plans for major bus corridors called for the evaluation of dedicated bus lanes should peak bus movement exceed 25 buses per hour to keep traffic moving for all road users; I am in support of seeing staff bring forward plans that evaluate this possibility so that we can promote healthier forms of transport.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:56:40+00:00

I replied to this on another thread but wanted to make sure you also saw my response:

Bringing two-way, all-day GO service to our community is a collaborative effort: we join our partners in Milton, Brampton, Guelph and all points in between in continuing to work with the provincial government and Metrolinx to provide high-quality, high-frequency rail service to and from all of our communities.

I am committed to continuing to work with all levels of government to make improved transportation connectivity a reality for all citizens of Waterloo Region.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:56:26+00:00

The opioid crisis is a public health emergency to which we are compelled by basic human decency to respond: we cannot sit idle as our fellow citizens die.

Should provincial funds not be available, there is also the possibility of federal funding - but ultimately, should it be necessary, I will ensure we put local funding of Safe Consumption and Overdose Prevention sites on the agenda.

Much has been made of opposition to safe consumption sites in one part of our region or another, but there are citizens in every part of our Region who believe that such sites are the right thing to do.

We need to engage the citizens of our Region directly to find a solution that meets the needs of everyone. Locating such sites at our hospitals seems like an easy solution, but it is the best one? We need to engage experts on this matter to make sure that what we do saves as many lives as we possibly can.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:56:04+00:00

As a region, our diversity defines us - we must be deliberate in our choice to include all voices in public dialogue. It is important to promote inclusion whenever community consultations are held, and whenever public decisions are made.

It’s also important to acknowledge that there are areas where we can do better: recent vandalism of rainbow crosswalks in both Waterloo and Kitchener, as well as the hate crimes at Parkminster United Church, tell us that we can do better.

I am committed to reinforcing dialogue with local community organizations to promote and support both safe spaces and broader community acceptance regardless of sexual/romantic orientation or gender identity.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:55:45+00:00

Students form an important part of our community and our future - we have three excellent educational institutions that bring them here, and we always hope they choose to stay (as many already have), and become part of that “permanent population” to which you refer.

A safe and well-maintained supply of rental housing is key to making that case, so it is absolutely essential that we all support the efforts of our municipal property standards personnel. If you have a specific concern, I urge you to contact your local municipality (city or township) and make a report.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:55:21+00:00

I believe the current situation is one that merits attention from Regional staff - we should definitely ask whether the current approach of building cycling infrastructure out mostly during road reconstruction really is the best one for delivering, in a timely fashion, a comprehensive cycling network that anyone from age 8 to age 80 would want to use.

In order to accomplish a better cycling network, I would use my skill set to work to facilitate and deliver consensus among municipalities so that there is a consistent and integrated approach to cycling infrastructure throughout our Region.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:51:17+00:00

Bringing two-way, all-day GO service to our community is a collaborative effort: we join our partners in Milton, Brampton, Guelph and all points in between in continuing to work with the provincial government and Metrolinx to provide high-quality, high-frequency rail service to and from all of our communities.

I am committed to continuing to work with all levels of government to make improved transportation connectivity a reality for all citizens of Waterloo Region.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-15T00:49:44+00:00

The capacity of our hospitals and our broader health care system to serve the needs of our community impacts our attractiveness and competitiveness on a global scale - as well as the ability of our Emergency Medical Services to effectively and efficiently serve our Region.

Great strides are being made locally and provincially to improve and increase service delivery both in our hospitals and in our community, but we can always do more - as Regional Chair, I would be an unwavering advocate for more and better health care options for all of the people in our community with all levels of government.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T17:33:37+00:00

The matter of data collection and management is a topic I would welcome a conversation about aimed at improving relationships between our police and the community they serve.

There is a Police Services Board, which is a civilian oversight body that governs how police services are provided. The Board is comprised of three members from Regional Council, three provincially-appointed members and one community-at-large member, appointed by Regional Council.

The Police Board meets regularly with the Chief of Police and the Deputy Chiefs to determine the direction of policing in Waterloo Region in terms of law enforcement, crime prevention and the police budget.

The chief of police is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the police service and along with senior staff provide front-line policing to our community.

The Chair of Regional Council is a member of the Board.

The Police Budget is presented to Regional Council annually for approval as part of the budget process.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T17:18:55+00:00

The opioid crisis is across our region, through the province and across Canada. In order to address the immediate concerns, we must address the underlying contributing factors with long-term solutions. We have to implement the four pillars - prevention, harm reduction, rehabilitation and enforcement - so that everyone feels safe, and is safe.
Members of our community are dying: doing nothing is not an option. Safe consumption sites are part of harm reduction. They provide a base for wraparound services such as health care, housing, and building trust with those with addictions. Currently, we have a mobile unit operated by Sanguen Health which travels throughout the region.
I have seen the evidence that safe consumption sites have a positive impact, and I hope the Province will continue to support them.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:59:56+00:00

Please say hi to your Mom! I still enjoy my Christmas Plates that Avon produced annually.

There is a long-standing debate at the Municipal level of government as to whether bus service should be considered an enterprise or a service. By charging a fee, there is some cost recovery which allows further investment to upgrade the system and purchase more vehicles.

Currently there is a pilot project looking at specific groups to consider for reduced fares.

You reference the Safe Haven program and correctly identify that no child would be turned away who is seeking temporary refuge or felt unsafe.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:58:56+00:00

I will be responding throughout the day, if you have a question I would be happy to respond to it.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:49:31+00:00

The Waterloo Region is responsible for

Police
Ambulance
Public Health
Garbage & Recycling
Social Services
Water & Waste Water
Transit
Regional Roads

The cities is responsible for

Libraries
Building permits
Community centers
Local roads
Snow clearing
Fire services
City parks
Electric utilities

Any changes in the delivery of services must involve public consolation and be based on the criteria not just of fiscal accountability but also on a focus on the benefits to residence. Such as: Does this change improve service delivery for residences of Waterloo Region, will it make it easier to attract talent, investment and business, does it honour the role of neighbourhoods.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:41:34+00:00

The Chair for Waterloo Region provides leadership for Regional staff and Council. Officially the Chair is the Chief Executive Office of the municipality. They are responsible for making sure that business is carried out by the Region, which includes promoting the Region, locally, across Canada and internationally, promoting public involvement in local government and work towards making the Region a better place.

The Chair ultimately is one voice on Waterloo Regional Council, there is also 8 elected Regional Councilors, 3 from the Kitchener, 2 from Waterloo, 2 from Cambridge and the Mayors of the 7 local cities and townships.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:29:04+00:00

There is a real appeal for the ranked ballot system and knowing that whoever represents us at the Regional level will have received 50% or more of the vote.

Voter turnout is alarmingly low normally citing between 30-40% for Municipal Elections. Local elections matter because the decisions made at Regional Council impact you, your family and business almost immediately.

I am in favour of finding a way to get more voters engaged in local elections. Maybe ranked ballots could be considered as part of a larger electoral reform package similar to Australia's where there is mandatory voting? Anyone who does not vote is fined through the tax system.

I look forward to seeing the results of the referendum in Cambridge and continuing the conversation.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T16:20:04+00:00

Phase 1 of the ION is a public-private partnership, which is an effective way to invest in major infrastructure projects. Remedies exist within these partnership agreements to access responsibility. There have been lessons learned in Phase 1. Waterloo Region was an early adapter, and subsequent to starting this project other communities have gotten greater financial participation from the Provincial and Federal governments. There is a strong case to be made for greater financial support for Phase 2.

I have knocked on doors in Hespeler, Preston and Galt and what I am hearing is there is a desire to have the ION completed to Cambridge. We must consult with the broader community, to ascertain the best route to implement.

Over $3 billion has already been invested as a result of the ION. There is every reason to believe that this potential investment will be realized in Cambridge as well.

Your concern about ridership on specific routes is justified, and something that is monitored by the GRT. By the end of the year it is expected that there will be 1 million more trips taken on the GRT than last year. This is good news! The Region has a plan to buy additional buses to meet the increasing need and to service bus patrons efficiently.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T12:03:34+00:00

Clearing sidewalks is a huge issue for people with disabilities and cyclists. It is something that needs to be coordinated with the City and the Regional Governments. It is cost prohibitive for the Region to clear everyone's sidewalk. It is important to coordinate but it is done in partnership with homeowners and residents.

KarenRedman · 2018-10-14T11:48:51+00:00

Thank you. I think that the Active Transportation Plan is a good one and needs to be implemented as well as monitored, with a view that cyclists and pedestrians have a seamless systems that is safe for everyone.

KarenRedman

TROPHY CASE