Elections
Sandy Shaw, Candidate for Ward 1 in Hamilton Municipal Election 2014
Details page for this candidate.
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Candidate Details (top)
| Name | Shaw, Sandy |
|---|---|
| Election | Hamilton Municipal Election 2014 |
| Area | Ward 01 |
| Party | N/A |
| Votes | 0 |
| sandy.shaw@bellnet.ca | |
| Website | http://www.sandyshaw.ca/ |
| Home | 905-973-8683 |
| Business | |
| Fax |
Responses to Questions (top)
| Question | Brief Response | Full Response |
|---|---|---|
| Do you believe Hamilton should do more to protect and enhance its built heritage? | Yes | Absolutely. Hamilton has a rich and diverse heritage across the city. Built Heritage needs to be preserved and where appropriate repurposed in order ensure that the city maintains its past history/herstory while allowing for the future. It was encouraging to see our City General Manager of Planning & Economic Development highlight this just very recently. |
| The Province plans to allow municipalities to use ranked ballots in future elections. If so, will you vote to adopt ranked ballots in Hamilton? | Maybe | I know that ranked ballots are supposedly effective to diminish either vote splitting or strategic voting. However, I think that the situation that really needs to be addressed is the systemically low voter turnout across the City. Ward One has had a high voter turnout, over 40% but other areas were lower. We need to look for ways to engage our electors so that the majority of Hamiltonians are involved with their Municipal Government. |
| Do you support the use of participatory budgeting to allow ward residents to propose and vote on local capital projects? | Yes | Yes, Ward One has had a proud history of active involvement in the participatory budgeting process. Residents have had their say and have advocated for many worthwhile projects and I plan to continue to support the process and listen to the residents. |
| Do you support the city's plan to build an east-west light rail transit (LRT) line with full capital funding from the Province? | Yes | This is a huge decision for Hamilton. Yes, of course with full capital funding from the Province, this investment can be leveraged to mean many good paying jobs for the city. LRT will have the effect of connecting the city along the east-west corridor and eventually stem the amount of 'sprawl' in the suburbs.
Increasing the densification for housing, businesses and recreation along the LRT corridor along with other proactive planning will help in developing active and involved communities through transit oriented development, essential for the long term health of the city. Affordability needs to be addressed so that all citizens no matter what their financial resources have the ability to use the system. Finally, LRT is just part of the transit system. The remaining bus routes running North-South, such as connecting Hamilton City Centre to the Hamilton Mountain and down to the growing lakefront need to be improved and integrated so that all Hamiltonians have an efficient, quality transit system that moves people, not cars. |
| The City's Cycling Master Plan is up for review. Do you support improving the plan to speed the installation of cycling facilities and provide more high-quality protected infrastructure like the new Cannon Street cycle track? | Yes | Protected bike lanes are ideal for the health and wellbeing of cyclists on our busy streets. As we see the bike share program roll out next year I expect we will see greater bike usage across the city and we certainly need to be prepared for that increased demand.
Lanes need to be thought out so that there can be a harmony between cyclists, other users and businesses along the routes. As we move to integrate other modes of transportation, we have to be aware of the adjustments necessary to ensure that the dedicated lanes that are provided are easily understandable for all users of the roads. |
| Do you believe City Hall should be more accessible to Hamilton residents? If so, what steps would you take to achieve this? | Yes | Accessibility for Hamilton residents quite frankly starts with accessibility to their Councillor. Within Ward 1 the volunteer driven, active neighbourhood associations need to continue to be listened to as well as the BIA's on Locke Street and Westdale.
I also believe that attendance at regular active citizens forums could be an additional process, so that all residents, not just those who are connected and vocal have the ability to participate. |
| The Province has shelved a proposal to build a mid-peninsula highway from Niagara Falls or Fort Erie around Hamilton to connect with Hwy 401 or 407 north of Burlington. Do you agree with the Province's decision to put its development on hold? | Yes | Yes. But beyond that I do not feel this is a project that we should even be pursuing. |
| Do you support converting more of Hamilton's one-way thoroughfares into complete, two-way streets that support walking, cycling and transit? | Yes | One-way thoroughfares were for when 'cars were king' ensuring that they could move quickly and steadily through the city. The impact to the environment means we are rethinking and adjusting our cities.
Two way street conversions should be done on a case by case basis with the best studies and advice that not only includes current automobile usage, but also future expected usage for all modes including transit, on foot and bike. These have to measureable, and reportable. |
| Do you support implementing a Vision Zero for Hamilton, with a goal of eliminating all pedestrian and cyclist deaths on our streets? If so, what specific actions would you take to implement this policy, and if not, why? | Yes | Vision Zero is a laudable and fully achievable goal. It needs to be achieved by the redesign of our crosswalks, barriers erected in high accident areas that encourage separation of traffic from cyclists and walkers. Calming of streets by use of speed barriers and even more stop signs. Also the next round of council will include the conclusion of the 5 year traffic calming pilot in the North End, which included a blanket 30 km/h speed limit, which could be a pointer to other neighbourhoods adopting this approach.
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| Do you support an expanded role for Hamilton to provide more affordable housing? If so, what should Hamilton do? | Yes | Hamilton and Ward 1 are poised to see many developments over the next few years. But we do not need just any development.
Market driven housing development has failed to produce adequate affordable options for Hamiltonians. Making real progress in affordable housing requires many approaches. Introducing an exclusionary zoning by-law, which requires all new housing developments to include a percentage of affordable housing, is an example of a tool a city can use. Affordable housing needs to be improved and new stock needs to be added to the mix in order to reduce the wait lists that currently exist. Safe, adequate and affordable housing stock can be developed and integrated into the fabric of our communities. Another such way is the co-op housing model that has existed in the downtown Toronto area where housing is based on a geared to income basis. |
