Ward 4 candidates debate how to help Newmarket Heights

Newmarket District 4 candidates debated how best to help Newmarket Heights as the community struggles with evictions and high home prices.

The Newmarket Heights Stronger Together Steering Group invited incumbent Trevor Morrison and challengers Chris Dupee and Grant Waddell to an online debate of all candidates on October 17.

Moderator Jennifer Lam said talks about the region’s problems would go well beyond the actual debate.

“The questions and conversations will not end what is happening with COVID as all of our residents have been going through hardships over the past four years,” she said.

The Steering Group consists of community members and organizations that address community issues under the umbrella of the Regional Community Safety and Welfare Plan. Newmarket Heights is one of the focus areas of the plan, with mental wellbeing and housing rights being the key focus areas. The group has started providing information on tenants’ rights, as many are at risk of eviction, in part due to high housing prices.

The candidates were asked several questions about how to address the challenges Newmarket Heights faces.

“When I go for a walk during the campaign, I see people who are basically almost homeless. It’s basically food or rent,” Waddell said, adding that a change was needed. “Whether it’s more affordable housing or landlords are given a property tax reduction on rent, many different things can happen… We need to stop the hopelessness.”

“We’ve got to get creative here,” Dupee said, pitching the idea of ​​a grace period for tenants to find a space. “I have no idea what we can ask for, what the power of the city could be… I look forward to working with community advocates and implementing some of their ideas.”

Morrison cited the community’s safety and welfare plan and related efforts to address issues.

“If this was an easy fix, it would have been fixed by now,” he said. “I’m in for the long haul. Five, 10, 15 years, whatever it takes. The residents of Newmarket Heights want change.”

The debate had a moment of criticism. Lam asked Trevor Morrison a specific question from a local resident who felt Morrison hadn’t delivered much from his first campaign in 2018. They asked why it would be different this time.

Morrison responded that he had been working on things behind the scenes, including liaison with organizations for the community safety and wellbeing plan. He said events he planned to hold, such as community meetings, have been impacted by the pandemic.

“Personally, I feel a bit neglected because I haven’t had the opportunity to host and do a lot of events that I would have liked to have done,” Morrison said. “I really hate blaming things on COVID but it’s put a lot of restrictions on us to get out.”

“I don’t know if it’s me, I just heard excuses,” Dupee said on his next opportunity to speak. “People are being displaced, COVID or not. Real problems are still emerging.”

Dupee was interrupted by Lam and asked to answer a question about evictions.

The Affordable Housing Coalition of York Region, one of the groups forming the steering committee, asked all candidates to commit to communicating and educating landlords and tenants, to which all agreed.

Morrison said he will be able to do more of the events he wanted if re-elected. He also anticipated starting a neighborhood watch.

“If I’m re-elected, I’m more than ready to get these events going,” Morrison said. “That they move really fast, and a lot of that really has to do with being easily accessible. I’m basically here all the time.”

Dupee said much of the community is not engaged and that he would work to address this.

“You can count on me,” Dupee said. “I have you, and I can count on you… I want to work with you four years straight, not every four years.”

Waddell indicated he will work to keep property taxes low amid a tough budget. He went on to say the Newmarket Heights stigma was wrong.

“Newmarket Heights is a special place for me… My only job is to work for you. I will be there 24-7. I won’t wait for your call. I’ll be there.”

You can see the full debate on a recording posted to the area’s Facebook group.