Affordability and seniors issues a concern
Stevens aims for second term in St. Catharines while three others hope to claim her seat
St. Catharines provincial election candidates are already knocking on doors as they officially head into a 29-day campaign Wednesday. Incumbent New Democratic MPP Jennie Stevens is being challenged by Liberal Ryan Madill, Conservative Sal Sorrento and the Green party’s Nigel Oliveira to represent the riding at Queen’s Park.
“I’m so excited. I’m already on my second pair of running shoes. I’ve been out for quite a few weeks, knocking on doors and listening to what people have to say,” said Stevens, who was elected provincially for the first time in the last election after serving for years as a city councillor for Merritton Ward.
Stevens said some of the main concerns being raised by residents are affordable housing for seniors as well as young adults. Other major issues are mental health and addictions, health care and minimum wage.
“They are all intertwined,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re working at the grocery store or you’re a housekeeper at the hospital, you have to have the affordability. The minimum-wage earners have to be able to afford the apartment without roommates, to be able to live on their own and they should be able to stay ahead of paying their bills.”
“Those are the key issues I’m hearing at the door and they’re important issues. There are solutions to every one of those issues and it’s in the platform the NDP has and I’m so excited to move that forward.”
For the first time in more than 40 years, Jim Bradley’s name won’t be on the ballot for the Liberals in the St. Catharines riding race.
Liberal successor Ryan Madill said he was feeling great Tuesday entering his first election.
“We have a good team of volunteers. We’re knocking on doors, making phone calls every day. We’re getting a really, really positive reception at the door,” said Madill, a St. Catharines firefighter for 29 years and president of St. Catharines Professional Firefighters Association since 2011.
“People are wanting a change from the (Doug) Ford government and the feeling we’re getting is that they want to go to the Liberals. So we’re very, very, positive, very happy with the way things are going and we’re working hard.”
Madill said he was excited after helping with Bradley’s campaigns for 30 years to be the party’s nominee. He said he’s always believed in public service.
“I’ve spent the last 20 years doing that on the local scale representing firefighters and their families,” he said.
“When this opportunity came up I think that I have a lot to contribute and I was very fortunate and pleased to get the support to the local members and win the nomination.”
Madill said the state of long-term care has been a big concern he’s been hearing at the door. The environment and education are two other issues he’s been hearing about repeatedly.
Also running in the riding is Progressive Conservative candidate Sal Sorrento, a two-term city councillor for St. George’s Ward. His campaign manager said Sorrento was unavailable to speak Tuesday because he was busy with meetings and knocking on doors.
The Green party candidate is Nigel Oliveira, who has two decades’ experience as a program and project management consultant. He did not respond to a request for an interview Tuesday.