With just over a month before Barrie takes to the polls for the municipal elections, Ward 5 is anyone’s race.
Ward 5, located in the city's northwest end, has four candidates hoping to represent the area for the next four years. BarrieToday reached out to Harry Ahmed, Brandon Cassidy, Robert Thomson and current Ward 5 councillor Peter Silveira for their thoughts on the upcoming elections. Only Cassidy and Thomson provided their insights.
Cassidy grew up in the ward and went to Andrew Hunter Elementary School. Having lived in Nova Scotia temporarily last year, Cassidy returned home and said he felt like there was a drastic difference in his hometown.
“Last year, I temporarily lived in Halifax while completing a contract position,” Cassidy told BarrieToday. “When I returned to Barrie, I saw a noticeable difference in the city regarding homelessness and street dwellers.
"I was only gone for eight months and, no word of a lie, I saw a big difference," Cassidy added. "This is a big part of the reason I am running. I strongly believe that the opioid epidemic is the root cause of all of this and I would like to help our city mitigate this problem while simultaneously helping the people whom are most affected.
"I would also like to see our city take a lead initiative in alternative waste-management practices. OIt’s something that won’t be an easy task, but would certainly be rewarding.”
Cassidy also cites his concerns on the lack of affordable housing in the city and hopes to help be a part of that change.
With many signs up on lawns and literature being handed out to residents, Cassidy says you will not see any with his name on them, but you will know his face.
“Unfortunately, I will not be posting any signs, nor have I printed any cards as I simply do not have the funding to do so,” said Cassidy. “However, I will be making an effort to meet as many people as possible and try to better understand what issues are most important to the people of Ward 5.
"As I said, I’m a normal guy; I am a true representation of the ward I grew up in," Cassidy added. "I’m also a very honest, compassionate and caring human being and I believe we can all do better.”
Meanwhile, Thomson and his family have lived in Ward 5 for the last 16 years and has seen many issues that he feels needing attending to. Parking, road safety and a proposed development in the ward that he feels had a lack of consultation with residents are conversations he is having at doors as he campaigns and he hopes to address these as councillor.
“When I’m elected to represent the people of Ward 5, they can expect a councillor who would stand up for them, be accessible and respond in a timely manner to all their calls and emails,” Thomson said. “I would also respect residents' money as it were my own and send a clear message to city hall.”
Thomson said he knows that representing the ward is just one job of a sitting councillor and he hopes to help the city as a whole, which in turn helps his neighbours.
“I can only imagine that my concerns in my ward are very similar to the rest of the city,” said Thomson. “Making Ward 5 a better place to live, work and play would be in the best interest to the rest of the city.
"Barrie is already a great city I just want to make it better.”
There is no all-candidates debate set for Ward 5, though both Cassidy and Thomson have said they would welcome one.
The municipal election is Oct. 22.
