Cost of living, closure of the mines topics at Yellowknife council candidates forum
CBC
Revitalizing downtown and providing additional social programs for the homeless population were subjects discussed at a business forum for city council candidates on Friday.
All 16 candidates attended the event hosted by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce at the Explorer Hotel Friday evening.
The state of downtown was discussed after candidates were asked how they would make the area more attractive for business investment and how they view the intersection between homelessness and public safety.
Candidate Cat McGurk took issue with the framing of the question.
"If we are taking the conversation of downtown revitalization seriously, we need to also understand our contribution to the social fabric," she said.
Steve Payne, an incumbent, said one solution could be taking advantage of federal funding available for additional programs.
Rommel Silverio, another incumbent, said the issue is "not easy" to solve. He said when he first ran for council, he was ideological, but has come to realize how difficult issues like homelessness are.
With the impending closures of the Diavik Diamond Mine and Ekati Diamond mine, candidates were asked which other sectors of Yellowknife's economy they saw as the most promising.
Garett Cochrane said mining can't be replaced but smaller projects can help. He said there should be worker camps established so the construction industry can grow.
McGurk said some low-hanging fruit would include the fishing industry which can be developed with the harbour strategy. She said the art economy is another area that can grow.
Dwayne Simmons said tourism is a big opportunity, and one way this can be advanced is with an accommodation levy — a small fee added to the cost to stay at a hotel or Airbnb that goes to the city.
"This specific hotel levy is something that the city should prioritize," Simmons said.
Ryan Fequet said the Polytechnic University would also open up additional sectors in the city.
Candidates were also asked what could be done to get more industrial lots to market to develop into retail or housing.
James Benesh was so interested in researching an online hockey draft, he ended up with one of the largest-known collections of hockey books and eventually being called a hockey historian.
A recent market and fundraiser showcasing Palestinian-owned businesses in Hamilton, including new start-ups by people from Gaza who now call the city home, was met with “incredible” support, organizers say.
This time next year, Joellah Fletcher plans to be prepping or taking her final exams to become a certified Red Seal carpenter.
East of the small village of Coutts, Alta., a stone’s throw from the border with the United States, Cindy Bosch’s day-to-day life looks much like it did a year ago.
For years, police have been on the front lines of mental health crisis calls in Toronto, but the city's police chief believes it's now time to rethink that approach.
One of Prince Edward Island’s last surviving Second World War veterans has died.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has too much regulation and not enough investments in clean energy and technology — and he's making his most direct repudiation yet of his predecessor's environmental policies.
WARNING: This story contains distressing content, including racist, violent and antisemitic language.
A national Jewish advocacy organization is taking legal action against Manitoba's medical regulator over a complaint it made last year alleging a prominent doctor made antisemitic comments on social media.
A cat that went missing in a remote area of northeastern B.C. is finally back home with its family in Oklahoma, five months later.
It wasn’t clear trolleys would be a hit in Medicine Hat, but the Sunshine Trolley has wound its way into Hatters’ hearts.
More than 200 volunteers and politicians gathered in Etobicoke Saturday for the Daily Bread Food Bank’s holiday sort.
The rising cost-of-living has already made supporting a family difficult this year. But, the holidays can make staying on budget that much harder.