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Group releases 'report card' on local provincial candidates

Escarpment Corridor Alliance gives PC candidate Brian Saunderson highest ranking in Simcoe-Grey, and Ontario Liberal candidate Selwyn Hicks highest ranking in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
2021-03-26 Niagara Escarpment MB 3
The Niagara Escarpment near Collingwood offers beautiful views all year round but is particularly fascinating in spring. Many crevices along trails such as The Key Hole preserve snow long after it’s disappeared from our yards.

NEWS RELEASE
ESCARPMENT CORRIDOR ALLIANCE
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The grades are in, and the report cards are out. With voters set to head to the polls on June 2, the Escarpment Corridor Alliance (ECA) has released its rankings of local candidates based on their commitment to the environment and sustainability in the riding and their parties’ platforms.

Amongst the highest ranked candidates were Brian Saunderson (PC) in Simcoe-Grey and Selwyn “Buck” Hicks (OLP) in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. Saunderson received an overall A-, the highest ranking issued by the ECA, with the group noting his personal commitment to protecting the escarpment, wetlands, and headwaters in our riding, and getting his support of ECA’s mission on the record.

In Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Hicks earned a B+ for his previous work on climate policy, strong party platform, receptiveness to ECA’s goals.

“We are grateful to each candidate for offering new ideas for their ridings and discussing their visions with ECA members,” said George Knowles, an ECA director. “We are especially supportive of Brian Saunderson’s personal commitment to the environment and sustainability along the escarpment. Both Hicks and Saunderson have strong environmental records while on municipal council, and ECA hopes to work with them to achieve their goals for the region.”

ECA’s “report cards” rated candidates based on their plans for conservation in their ridings as well as their parties’ platforms and in-person meeting with the candidates. Parties and candidates who prioritized protecting escarpment land from inappropriate development and promoting conservation-related policies achieved higher rankings.

The cards are living documents and the ECA is willing to review rankings should parties and candidates express additional commitments to conservation.

“Conservation and the environment are regularly ranked as leading issues for voters — and even more so across the South Georgian Bay region,” added Knowles. “Residents and visitors have been drawn to the area by its natural landscapes for decades. The area needs elected officials who will protect our escarpment and our green spaces for future generations.”

Residents can request more information from candidates using a letter-writing tool on the ECA’s website under the “Ontario Election” tab.
The Escarpment Corridor Alliance has been closely tracking the party promises for the upcoming Ontario provincial election for environmental and planning policy relevant to the South Georgian Bay region.

Focusing on the ridings of Simcoe-Grey and Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound, ECA has sought meetings with the candidates for the leading parties — and has had the chance to meet with the PC Party and Ontario Liberal Party candidates for both ridings. ECA is still seeking meetings with the NDP candidate.

With the numerous parties running in this election, we’ve focused on the top three based on last election’s results and current polling, but we encourage voters to look at all parties and, of course, do their own additional research.

ECA will be updating this report card throughout the election as parties put out new platform planks, and local candidates make statements and promises. Please continue to check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Simcoe-Grey riding

Brian Saunderson, Progressive Conservative Party

  • Party platform (C): The PC plan to reduce harmful emissions relies heavily on getting more electric vehicles on the road along with their Ring of Fire rare-earth mineral mining strategy. They have promised to create one new provincial park and, last year, to expand the Greenbelt to offset their ministerial zoning orders (MZO) for developments.
  • Meetings with ECA (A): Brian has met with the ECA multiple times, including a filmed interview, and agreed with the mission to protect the area’s green spaces through “densification, not deforestation.”
  • Candidate commitments (A): Brian sat down with ECA to ensure his personal commitment to the environment and sustainability, especially in this riding, is on the record. Should he be elected, ECA will hold him to it.
  • Other (B+): Brian was the only PC Party candidate to be endorsed by GreenPAC, largely due to his environmental record as mayor of Collingwood. Only 13 candidates in the province received this endorsement. He has stressed that he’s personally an environmentalist and active in the region’s famed outdoor recreation.
  • Overall grade: A-

Ted Crysler, Ontario Liberal Party

  • Party platform (B+): The Liberal plan promises to create five new provincial parks and protect 30 per cent of Ontario’s land, including by expanding the Greenbelt. They’re also supporting electric vehicles through an $8,000 tax credit and $1,500 for the needed charging equipment. Additionally, the Liberals would ban single-use plastic by 2030 and plant 800 million trees.
  • Meetings with ECA (B+): Ted has met with the ECA once and is aligned with our mission.
  • Candidate commitments (B+): Ted has made supportive comments on ECA’s social media page about sustainable development being a key priority for the riding. He has also made a short video on social media talking about the importance of the natural environment to the South Georgian Bay area.
  • Other (B): Ted seems to have a genuine desire to protect the escarpment in our region and has met with other local environment groups aligned with ECA’s mission.
  • Overall Grade: B+

Keith Nunn, New Democratic Party

  • Party Platform (B): The NDP has promised to plant one billion trees by 2030. They will commit to net-zero emissions by 2040 in Ontario and reintroduce a cap-and-trade system. Like the other parties, they would provide incentives for zero-emissions vehicle purchases and expand the Greenbelt. Additionally, the NDP would provide assistance to homeowners making energy-efficient retrofits on their property. Lastly, they would ban non-medical single-use plastic by 2024.
  • Meetings with ECA (N/A): The candidate has yet to meet with ECA. However, we are willing to at any time.
  • Candidate commitments (D): There have been no public commitments from this candidate.
  • Other (B+): Keith seems like an avid outdoorsman, and we look forward to hearing about it when he meets with the ECA.
  • Overall grade: C+ (but we’d love to meet with Keith to hear about his commitment to the environment in this riding, and will update the report card accordingly).

Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound riding

Selwyn “Buck” Hicks, Ontario Liberal Party

  • Party platform (B+): The Liberal plan promises to create five new provincial parks and protect 30 per cent of Ontario’s land, including by expanding the Greenbelt. They’re also supporting electric vehicles through an $8,000 tax credit and $1,500 for the needed charging equipment. Additionally, the Liberals would ban single-use plastic by 2030 and plant 800 million trees.
  • Meetings with ECA (A-): Hicks had an extended meeting with ECA, and pledged to have further meetings. He seemed receptive to our mission, and we look forward to our next discussion.
  • Candidate commitments (C-): Buck has not made public any commitments beyond the Liberal Party platform, but his desire to meet again with ECA indicates a willingness to do so.
  • Other (A-): Hicks is the warden of Grey County and was part of the team that declared a climate emergency, and developed a climate action plan for the county. He is personally an environmentalist and regular canoe tripper in Ontario. He enjoys portages and getting deep into nature.
  • Overall Grade: B+

Rick Byers, Progressive Conservative Party

  • Party platform (C): The PC plan to reduce harmful emissions relies heavily on getting more electric vehicles on the road and is complemented by their Ring of Fire rare-earth mineral strategy. They have promised to create one new provincial park and, last year, to expand the Greenbelt to offset their MZOs for developments.
  • Meetings with ECA (C): Byers was generous and quick to accept the ECA offer to meet, but clear that he would listen to all sides — developers as well as conservationists like the ECA. He claimed limited knowledge of the controversial sale of the Talisman Public Lands to a developer.
  • Candidate commitments (D): Byers clearly stated that he would not be making any commitments prior to the election. There have been no public comments from this candidate.
  • Other: N/A
  • Overall grade: C-

Karen Gventer, New Democratic Party

  • Party platform (B): The NDP has promised to plant one billion trees by 2030. They will commit to net-zero emissions by 2040 in Ontario and reintroduce a cap-and-trade system. Like the other parties, they would provide incentives for zero-emissions vehicle purchases and expand the Greenbelt. Additionally, the NDP would provide assistance to homeowners making energy-efficient retrofits on their property. Lastly, they would ban non-medical single-use plastic by 2024.
  • Meetings with ECA (N/A): The candidate has yet to meet with ECA. However, we are willing to at any time.
  • Candidate commitments (C-): There have been no public commitments from this candidate during this election cycle. However, in previous campaigns and roles she has shown herself to be an environmental advocate.
  • Other (B-): Karen’s social media seems to show a strong commitment to the environment and the riding. We look forward to hearing more when we meet with her.
  • Overall grade: C+ (but we’d love to meet with Karen to hear about her commitment to the environment in this riding, and will update the report card accordingly).

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