Elections
Hamilton has a lot of available office space in the downtown. Will you move any departments to Hamilton to boost the local economy and save on rent costs? Why or why not?
Responses to the question: "Hamilton has a lot of available office space in the downtown. Will you move any departments to Hamilton to boost the local economy and save on rent costs? Why or why not?"
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20 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Erik Coverdale | Maybe | The Green Party believes in encouraging the development of a green economy. We can only achieve this future by unleashing and nurturing the creativity and innovation of our entrepreneurs and workers to build strong local economies. The Green Party believes that the best way to boost the local economy is to:
a) Lower income taxes on families and local businesses to stimulate job creation b) Reward efficient use of resources and responsibly balance our finances with a revenue neutral tax on waste, pollution and carbon emissions c) Balance the budget by 2015, saving billions in debt and ensuring our tax dollars are spent on public services instead of interest payments d) Support entrepreneurs, innovation and strong local economies e) Reduce red tape for small and medium-sized businesses so they continue to create jobs that support our communities f) Support research and development in jobs that will power our economy in the coming decades, including clean technology and knowledge-based services g) Improve high-speed internet access for all areas of Ontario |
| Glenn Langton | No | Libertarians believe in smaller government therefore there would be lees government office space required, so no we would not move any provincial offices to Hamilton. It's entirely up to the city and politicians of Hamilton to create the market environment for private business to move in to these office spaces and boost the local economy, government jobs / stimulus are simply more obligations the taxpayers and businesses are forced to fulfill through taxation, this does not create a better economy, it creates an unfavourable business and living environment which chases the real wealth creators away. |
| Robert Maton | Maybe | I think the issue here is only in part moving government departments - some of these could certainly be considered for movement to Hamilton if their location in Toronto is not important. But government departments do not generate much economic activity. Economic growth comes from a dynamic and entrepreneurial private sector, and primarily the small and medium business sector. We need a dynamic entrepreneurial network in Hamilton which develops ideas and inter-business linkages. We especially need to encourage the movement of manufacturing, technological, financial and educational industries to Hamilton.
Toronto cannot manage its current growth and is gridlocked for most of the day. Development and improvement of transportation corridors between Toronto, Hamilton, and the US border - and including the Hamilton airport - are critical to the future development of Hamilton's economy. A great opportunity exists to take the pressure off Toronto by developing new industrial sites and transportation corridors in the Hamilton region. Industry needs access to transportation linkages, and will develop where these are available. |
| Ted McMeekin | Maybe | We have worked in partnership with the City of Hamilton since 2003 to ensure Hamilton's continued economic growth and prosperity. Since 2003 we have provided recurring, special one-time operating grants and have supported Hamilton-based projects such as Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University's new Wilson Building for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences.
More recently, we have partnered with Hamilton to provide funding in support of the Pan/Parapan American Games sporting infrastructure including for the Pan Am Hamilton Soccer Stadium (Ivor Wynne Stadium) and the Hamilton Velodrome. Ontario Liberals recently announced that we will be providing two-way full-day GO train service to a new Hamilton GO train station at James Street North in time for the Pan Am Games. We will also construct a second new GO train station in Stoney Creek at Confederation/Centennial Parkway by 2016-17. At this time, we have no plans to relocate any Government of Ontario offices to Hamilton. However, Ontario Liberals are always open to hearing ideas that will support Hamilton and help save taxpayer dollars. |
| Trevor Westerhoff | Maybe | If elected, we would review department locations and how we can help boost Hamilton's local economy. New Democrats recognize that the current tax system is stacked against small business, which employs thousands of Ontarians and makes a significant contribution to our economy. Ontario's NDP will reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent in order to support these vital businesses. We'll also take the HST off essentials like heating and hydro to ease the squeeze on small business operations. |
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Andrea Horwath | Maybe | If elected, we would review department locations and how we can help boost Hamilton's local economy. New Democrats recognize that the current tax system is stacked against small business, which employs thousands of Ontarians and makes a significant contribution to our economy. Ontario's NDP will reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent in order to support these vital businesses. We'll also take the HST off essentials like heating and hydro to ease the squeeze on small business operations. |
| Christopher Lawson | Maybe | I will recommend Hamilton for this possibility if the cost-effectiveness of moving is genuinely competitive to the alternative. In any event, if elected, I will maintain an office in the downtown Hamilton area. |
| Michael Baldasaro | Yes | McMaster University (with its Nuclear Reactor, Hospital and Engineering facilities) along with Innovation Park, in the very least, deserve the same amount of recognition and placement of Government Departments as they give to the University of Guelph, its Veterinarian College and Local Municipality. No? |
| Peter Ormond | Maybe | We'd have to review existing provincial departments and determine what would fit into Hamilton. Certainly the presence of some decentralized government departments will happen eventually - especially with web-based technologies that exist today. |
| Robert Kuhlmann | Yes | Of course I'd be in favour of anything that saves costs to the taxpayers while simultaneously boosting the economy. Reducing the tax burden always boosts the economy by giving taxpayers more disposable income in their pockets. The immediate benefits of increased income to the local economy due to increased rent revenues are actually of little or no benefit since all it is is a redistribution of wealth, earned by the taxpayers and redistributed to a select few from the select few it was previously distributed to in the first place. However, if the tax burden is lowered by such a move, the amount being redistributed is also lower, giving the taxpayers more money in their pockets. That is where the real boost to the local economy comes from. Resources are finite, there is no infinite supply of raw materials. The only thing infinite is our ability to make use of what we've been given. Whether we do so wisely or foolishly depends on how we do so. Government produces nothing, never has and never will; all governments can do is consume resources. The less resources they consume, the more the people who actually produce will have at their disposal. The more resources we give back to the people who actually produce our wealth, the individual citizens, the better off our economy will be. I'm all for letting people keep what they earn and lowering the cost of government. |
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Bob Green Innes | Maybe | A responsible politician should deal with such matters in a practical way that makes sense from all points of view. It might seem that a Hamilton MPP should automatically promote Hamilton as a venue but in my view, we already have too much public sector presence in Hamilton. Given that the public sector usually pays no municipal taxes, it raises the question about long term benefit. Yes, wages are paid and local printers and restaurants supported, but if the City must do without tax revenue, then wouldn't it be better to seek private sector tenants? Would it be efficient for a Ministry to locate here temporarily but have to move out so a taxpaying company can move in? Don't forget that someone has to pay the taxes and if it's not a private business, then it must be the rest of us. |
| Mark Cripps | Maybe | I would love to see more office space of any nature in Hamilton. This is a great city to live, work and play. It is affordable and we need to find ways to encourage more business to realize the opportunities in Hamilton. |
| Paul Miller | Maybe | If elected, we would review department locations and how we can help boost Hamilton's local economy. New Democrats recognize that the current tax system is stacked against small business, which employs thousands of Ontarians and makes a significant contribution to our economy. Ontario's NDP will reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent in order to support these vital businesses. We'll also take the HST off essentials like heating and hydro to ease the squeeze on small business operations. |
| W. Peter Randall | Yes | One of the first and foremost mandates of the Province is to treat all parts of the province and all areas and citizens equitably. It is far too easy to congregate all provincial resources and offices around Toronto.
We need to stimulate the entire province and share the resources offices are needed In Hamilton, Windsor, Oshawa etc to share the wealth. Ironically, office space is even cheaper outside of Toronto so double bang for our buck. |
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Hans Wienhold | No | If I were ever in a position to be making policy decisions I would be shutting down government departments en masse, not shuffling them around.
|
| Monique Taylor | Maybe | If elected, we would review department locations and how we can help boost Hamilton's local economy. New Democrats recognize that the current tax system is stacked against small business, which employs thousands of Ontarians and makes a significant contribution to our economy. Ontario's NDP will reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent in order to support these vital businesses. We'll also take the HST off essentials like heating and hydro to ease the squeeze on small business operations. |
| Sophia Aggelonitis | Maybe | Ontario Liberals have worked in partnership with the City of Hamilton since 2003 to ensure Hamilton's continued economic growth and prosperity. Since 2003 Ontario Liberals have provided recurring, special one-time operating grants and have supported Hamilton-based projects such as Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University's new Wilson Building for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. More recently, we have partnered with Hamilton to provide funding in support of the Pan/Parapan American Games sporting infrastructure including for the Pan Am Hamilton Soccer Stadium (Ivor Wynne Stadium) and the Hamilton Velodrome. Ontario Liberals recently announced that we will be providing two-way full-day GO train service to a new Hamilton GO train station at James Street North in time for the Pan Am Games. We will also construct a second new GO train station in Stoney Creek at Confederation/Centennial Parkway by 2016-17.
At this time, we have no plans to relocate any additional Government of Ontario offices to Hamilton. Ontario Liberals are always open to hearing ideas that will support Hamilton and help save taxpayer dollars. |
| Tony Morris | Maybe | The Green Party will make it easier for small and large businesses to succeed thus reducing the dependence on government departments. By lowering small and medium business payroll taxes we will make it easier for businesses to expand. Planning policies will focus on dense and vibrant communities, reducing sprawl and encouraging job creation in already established city centres. The Green Party will expand research and development tax incentives into knowledge based businesses like clean energy, biomedical research, and new technologies, which Hamilton would be well positioned to exploit with its manufacturing history and medical research capacities. |
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Anthony Marco | Maybe | If elected, we would review department locations and how we can help boost Hamilton's local economy. New Democrats recognize that the current tax system is stacked against small business, which employs thousands of Ontarians and makes a significant contribution to our economy. Ontario's NDP will reduce the small business tax rate to 4 per cent in order to support these vital businesses. We'll also take the HST off essentials like heating and hydro to ease the squeeze on small business operations. |
| Geoff Peacock | Maybe | Because it will be necessary to re-organize government departments, a commitment cannot be made at this time. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 3 | 15.0% |
| No | 2 | 10.0% |
| Maybe | 15 | 75.0% |
22 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donna Skelly | ||
| Peter Melanson | ||
| Rick Gundermann | ||
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Anthony Gracey | ||
| Don Sheppard | ||
| Donna Tiqui-Shebib | ||
| Robert Szajkowski | ||
| Steven Passmore | ||
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Gregg Pattinson | ||
| Nancy Fiorentino | ||
| Philip Doucette | ||
| Silas Khokar | ||
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Brian Goodwin | ||
| Geordie Elms | ||
| Jim Enos | ||
| Trevor Pettit | ||
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Gerry Augustine | ||
| Katie Trombetta | ||
| Marty Poos | ||
| Meredith Cross | ||
| Rob Wienhold | ||
| Tim Hudak | ||
