Munawar Chudary, candidate
What do you see as the key issue(s) facing BWG at this time?
“Property taxes. Since a long time, we have been hearing that once new residential and commercial developments will come, our taxpayers will get the relief. Now the time of that relief should start, after much development – especially for those residents of Ward 5 who are on well water and septics, taking minimum services from the town. Traffic and speeding. Traffic and speeding are becoming a nightmare, especially on our rural lines… Our constituents on these rural lines are facing horrible experiences every day when they drive or enter from these Lines to major sideroads, especially during rush hour.”
Do you have a solution in mind?
“I will initiate a revised, safe and better traffic plan for our rural lines, including the 8th Line and major roads of Ward 5 to make them safer for our constituents… Now is the time to improve and expand the transit system further north in Ward 5. I will work hard with council to make this happen.”
Are there any other issues or concerns you want to highlight?
“We need to preserve our prime farmlands in Ward 5. I will work with council to develop the Highway 400 Employment Lands with a large food hub. This will create more agricultural/food related jobs and will promote more opportunities for our farmers and residents. We need smart growth with proper infrastructure to build a better town and preserve heritage… Long due, we need a welcoming sign at the entrance to Bradford on the (Highway) 400, like Innisfil and Barrie. I will initiate and strongly urge our council to make the necessary arrangements to install this welcoming sign on Highway 400 and put our town on the map.”
What inspired you to run in this election?
“I am a strong believer of servant leadership. The leader of a people is their servant. Leaders would be gracious and generous, hardworking and courteous. Through servant leadership, we can build solidarity and a sense of community. I will provide a strong, dedicated and passionate councillor to the constituents of Ward 5, who will … make sure their voice and ward are strong, and all concerns are heard.”
Peter Ferragine, incumbent
What do you see as the key issue(s) facing BWG at this time?
“There are a few key issues facing BWG that are consistently brought up: affordable housing, traffic congestion, traffic safety/more enforcement. The downtown to be revitalized.”
Do you have a solution in mind?
“Currently, the town is lobbying the county for funding to help with affordable housing. I will continue to advocate for funding from our upper tier government to bring something to Bradford… The flow of traffic needs to change. Too many commuters are using Bradford as a bypass because they have no other way to go. I will work with council to continue to lobby for the (Highway) 400-404 Bypass – but this is many years in the making, so in the meantime we need to look at other options. For example, a connecting bridge from Simcoe Road to Keele Street, as well as Line 8 to Queensville Sideroad. Again, these would be big projects that will affect the budget and require neighbouring municipalities to work with us… There are many different visions of the downtown. I myself envision something along the lines of Main Street (in) Newmarket. A destination place, with many mom-and-pop-style shops, patios and shopping. A place where many residents can go to mingle, network and enjoy Bradford.”
Are there any other issues or concerns you want to highlight?
“We are currently in the works of placing/funding a new fire hall for our fire department. This is needed because the existing one cannot keep up with the demands of our town. We also need to help our fire department and enforcement with more staff members, budget permitting.”
What inspired you to run in this election?
“I was born and raised in Bradford West Gwillimbury. I have lived in, worked in and supported this community my entire life. Over the past four years, I feel I have brought a lot to our local government. My experience in business, customer service, agriculture and my passion for Bradford have made me a strong voice on council. Promises I made from the previous election have been kept, but there’s still more I can do. That is why I’m seeking re-election.”
