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The 2019 Canadian Federal Election is coming up on Monday, October 21st. The Windsor/Essex Community Benefits Coalition is looking to help inform voters on each party’s platform and their local vision for Community Benefits in the region. This is a non-partisan initiative. The Coalition has reached out to all federal candidates in the Windsor-West, Windsor-Tecumseh, and Essex ridings. Along with sending information regarding Community Benefits, we asked them these three questions:

  • Would you support legislation formalizing Community Benefits around federally-funded infrastructure projects?
  • How can the federal government best support local communities to mitigate the effects of development and amplify positive effects?
  • Do you support a Legacy Fund for the Gordie Howe International Bridge?

The answers to these questions are jointly submitted from the following candidates:

Brian Masse, NDP candidate in Windsor West
Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP candidate in Windsor-Tecumseh
Tracey Ramsey, NDP candidate in Essex

 

Would you support legislation formalizing community benefits around federally-funded infrastructure projects?
Yes, we support legislation to enshrine community benefits as part of any federally-funded infrastructure project. Additionally, a full assessment of community needs must be part of the consultation and planning process to comprehensively identify the impacts, the mitigation and to ensure the residents can truly benefit directly from this public investment. Furthermore, we would extend the requirements, criteria, and the mandate for community benefits to any infrastructure project that requires federal approval and federal permits.

 

How can the federal government best support local communities to mitigate the effects of federally-funded infrastructure and amplify positive effects?
From the outset a full assessment of community needs must be part of the consultation and planning process to comprehensively identify the impacts, the mitigation and to ensure the residents can truly benefit directly from this public investment. This requirement must be legislated and implemented to be an essential step in all infrastructure projects. To guarantee that community needs and negative impacts are dealt with not only in the building of the infrastructure but during its useful life a community legacy fund must be established as part of the community benefits. This legacy fund will be used to mitigate and ameliorate the anticipated and unanticipated negative impacts as well as to ensure the resources are available to address community needs as they change over time during the life of the infrastructure.

 

Do you support a Legacy Fund for the Gordie Howe Bridge?
Yes, we support a Community Legacy Fund for the Gordie Howe Bridge. Brian Masse, the candidate in Windsor West as well the Member of Parliament for the riding has called for a Legacy Fund for the community for the new public bridge crossing since 2005. A legacy fund is the only way to guarantee that community needs and negative impacts are dealt with not only in the building of the bridge but during it useful life. This legacy fund will be used to mitigate and ameliorate the anticipated and unanticipated negative impacts as well as to ensure the resources are available to address community needs as they change over time during the life of the bridge which will be there for more than a hundred years.