This is a special notice regarding the municipal election coming up on October 26th.

As the election nears and all candidates are now registered many of you may be wondering who do I vote for? We at Yorklands Green Hub are non-partisan but would like to ask you as supporters of the Yorklands to raise a question with any candidates you meet up with at the door or at all candidates meetings:

The Ontario Heritage Act enables municipal councils to protect not only individual properties but also districts of cultural heritage value of interest as Heritage Conservation Districts. HCDs can protect and enhance a group of buildings, streets and open spaces that as a collection represent a collective asset to a community.The former Ontario Reformatory lands are now an HCD. Would you support their continued preservation and development into a national urban park?

You can use the following talking points if the candidate says they want to see housing or a new hospital put there.

• According to provincial legislation, housing or hospitals must not be closer than at least 300 metres to an abattoir (Cargill) or a waste facility. There is no space to put either of these on that site.
• A large part of the property is flood plain as well
• The proposed residential land use, (areas AR-A and AR-B or Block Plan Area 4), is not supported and was never designated for residential development targets in previous planning documents (Official Plan and GID Secondary Plan).
• There is broad community support for the creation of a National Urban Park on these lands.

If you’re interested in more questions to ask candidates, we’ve created a list.