The Listowel Agricultural Society was home to the North Perth All Candidates Meeting as the municipal election comes closer.
Each position is to be contested including Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Elma, Listowel and Wallace Wards
Mayor
Todd Kasenberg – Incumbent
Julian George – absent from meeting
Deputy Mayor
Doug Kellum – Incumbent
Collin Burrowes
Elma Ward – 3 elected
Matt Duncan – Incumbent
Dave Johnson – Incumbent
Jaime Pynn – absent from meeting
Allan Rothwell – Incumbent
David Ludington – Unable to attend, remarks delivered on his behalf
Listowel Ward – 3 elected
Neil Anstett – Incumbent
Matt Richardson – Incumbent
Grace Harper
Sarah Blazek
Yasmin Vanos
Darryl Weber
Wallace Ward – 2 elected
Lee Anne Andriessen – Incumbent
Paul Horn
Marc Noordam
In the home of Perth County, agriculture is the root of the area and the driving economic factor. Dave Johnston, for the Elma Ward says the solution can be addressed locally and as a province.
“We need to look as a municipality, a county as a province to not be using prime agricultural lands and using more marginal lands for development.”‘ said Johnston.
Traffic has been a hot button topic in North Perth, specifically with the Truck Bypass which Kasenberg says is and will get done.
“This current council has started the work by repaving and rebuilding Line 84. That was a very strategic investment which planned for the future. We will continue those things to build a truck route in the next term of council.” said Kasenberg.
Retaining youth in North Perth was kept simple for Neil Anstett who says it really comes down to accessibility and housing.
“Affordable housing in this community is still out of reach for far too many people. It breaks my heart when I hear people say they can’t afford housing. Ensuring our housing is affordable, they have good jobs to come back to it will keep people coming home to North Perth”
The full meeting is available for view from the Listowel Fair YouTube channel.
