“I support Kingston’s corporate operations leading by example, but I am not going to vote for a number before I have seen what it costs and how we get there. Bring Council a costed plan with the measures and the timeline and I will look at it seriously.”

“Applying this to every policy, plan, and purchase adds process and cost to everything the City does. I would support it for major capital projects, where the emissions and the dollars are actually significant, and leave routine decisions alone.”

“Overheating in rentals is a real risk, but a 26 degree ceiling on every rental unit in Kingston is an enormous retrofit obligation on housing we need to keep affordable. I would rather target help at the people most at risk than regulate every unit in the city.”

“This is targeted, practical help for the people most likely to be hurt by extreme heat, at a cost the City can plan for. Keep it running and grow it as the need is demonstrated.”

“Yes to 24/7 cooling centres and reliable drinking water during heat events, without hesitation. I am not prepared to commit in advance to never moving an encampment, because those decisions depend on safety and the circumstances of the site.”

“This is the program I would protect first. Multi-year capital funding is exactly what it has been missing, and it is the reason it stalled once already.”

“I would rather use the incentive route we already have, through the Green Standard incentives, than add a mandate to the cost of building here. Kingston needs more homes, and every requirement we layer on gets paid by the buyer or the renter.”

“My first choice is building up rather than out, through infill, gentle density, and brownfield sites. But if the evidence shows we genuinely do not have the land to meet housing need inside the boundary, I am not going to rule out a targeted expansion.”

“Water and wastewater are core services that residents pay for directly. Decisions about them should stay in public view at the Council table, where residents can see the vote and hold someone accountable for it.”

“I want Council’s planning decisions defended, and staff backed up when their work is sound. What I will not do is write a blank cheque for legal fees on a case our own planners tell us we cannot win. That judgment should be made file by file.”

“These facilities can use a great deal of water and power, and Kingston should not take one on without knowing the impact. My preference is clear siting, water, and energy rules that any proposal has to meet, rather than a blanket ban that also closes the door on investment we could manage responsibly.”

“I support protected lanes and better winter clearing, particularly on routes to schools and workplaces where they get daily use. The pace has to fit the capital budget, so I would build the connected core network well rather than announce a faster timeline we cannot fund.”

“Yes, on the replacement cycle and where provincial or federal funding covers the premium. Buying buses ahead of schedule with local dollars is not the best use of transit money.”

“A pilot is worth costing out, starting with low-income riders, where the benefit is greatest. I would want to see the revenue loss and the ridership effect before it becomes permanent or city-wide.”

“Seasonal pedestrian conversions have been good for our downtown, good for small business, and popular with residents. I would keep doing them in consultation with the businesses on those blocks.”

“Yes but setting a target is only the first step. Council must also establish a clear, costed plan for reaching it, with measurable milestones and regular public reporting. One of my main campaign promises is to bring more transparency into how the city is spending tax dollars so there has to be an outreach part of this that explains why it is important and how it will benefit taxpayers in both the short and long term.”

“Not all. I am sure there are policy and planning decisions that are too minor to warrant the additional time and cost. But certainly for major projects.”

“I support protecting tenants from dangerous indoor temperatures, particularly since extreme heat is becoming more common. But we would need to discuss how it would be enforced and who would pay for it. Rent is already a significant cost for some residents and retrofitting older buildings could create negative effects for both tenants and housing providers. Any bylaw should be practical, enforceable and accompanied by measures to ensure that compliance does not simply result in higher rents for tenants. I would support council examining evidence-based heat protections and establishing standards that protect residents while recognizing the practical realities of older buildings and existing rental housing.”

“Yes, protecting the city’s most vulnerable residents is important and easy to justify, particularly since small air conditioning units can efficiently cool the most important part of a home for healthy living, namely the sleeping area.”

“I support ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have access to safe shelter, clean drinking water and cooling during extreme heat events. I would not support displacing people from an encampment without a safe and realistic alternative. The Belle Park site is, although far from ideal, a community that needs assistance and providing sanitation and clean water is a small step that the city could take to help people sheltered there.”

“My understanding is that this pilot project was proven to be successful in making homes more energy efficient and comfortable. That said the project should continue to make it’s results available to the public so taxpayers can see the results of the spending, and I would hope that provincial and federal funding would continue to offset some of the cost.”

“Yes, but Kingston is a different municipality than those mentioned so there must be input from developers, environmental experts and residents. New buildings and neighbourhoods will be with us for decades, so it makes sense to incorporate energy efficiency, stormwater management, tree canopy and other sustainable design principles in the planning stages. I would want the standard to be practical, predictable and phased in over time.”

“This is something residents have brought up to me as I have gone door to door. They would rather see the density of the existing city increase than see the city sprawl into the bordering rural lands. I agree with this, from both an environmental and a fiscal perspective. Bringing water, sewage and other municipal services into agricultural areas is much more expensive than simply building up where such services already exist. Kingstonians love having nature just a few minutes from where they live and do not want to see that change.”

“This is another big issue that I have discussed with many residents on their doorsteps. Without exception everyone who has wanted to talk about it is opposed to the creation of an MSC. They have seen this happen in other Canadian municipalities and in other countries and too often it has led to increased costs and decreased quality control. Clean, affordable water is the most important thing a city can offer it’s residents and needs to remain under the oversight of the council, and through them, the taxpayers. I would like to see guarantees put in place about how the MSC would function before casting a vote.”

“Yes. Residents expect Council to make planning decisions based on long-term community interests, infrastructure and service capacity, environmental considerations and responsible growth. Developers are not inclined to prioritize these issues.”

“Yes. Data centres consume significant amounts of electricity and, depending on their cooling systems, water. Whether or not there is any benefit to them is unknown. I would say more studies need to be done, but until then I don’t think Kingston is an appropriate location.”

“I am a big fan of cycling as a way to reduce traffic and I was impressed by the new bike lanes that have been constructed. That said, they are underused. This has been brought up to me on many doorsteps. We need to encourage people to get on their bikes more and use the existing bike lanes before we build more. I do support better winter maintenance as a way of encouraging this.”

“This is an unconditional yes. I am very pro public transit as a way to alleviate the city’s parking and traffic issues and electric vehicles are clearly the best way forward.”

“Yes, but as a pilot project to see if it actually increases ridership and reduces traffic.”

“Yes, but within reason. Pedestrian only access to some streets can be a great incentive for local businesses, but only if people can get to the site. I would encourage this as a pilot project to see how it works.”