Municipal Election Information: Forum and Voter's Compass

I worked for Edmonton transit for almost 18 years: at DATS, then on the main ETS. I understand how important public transit is for all Edmontonians, but particularly for seniors. I am really concerned that recent changes that Edmonton city council has made to the transit network that has taken away public transit service from many of the communities. We need to restore that public transit system where that public transit system has been reduced. We need to continue to expand our DATS service for people with disabilities, including seniors.  

When they [the city] redesigned the old transit system, they did not properly consult with seniors. Walking two kilometers or a kilometer in winter for seniors is almost impossible. I worked hard to improve public transit system for seniors during my time on City Council. So, I'm really disappointed in the service to those gurdwaras and mosques that Kim talked about. They were never consulted by the city.  

I would like to make sure that the disabled transportation system is integrated into other regional systems. As we build more connected and local communities--the 15-minute community concepts that I have been talking about--we need to make sure that seniors have transportation to assist them to get around. And the aging in place is critical in a way that if you want people to stay in the communities, you need to create housing choices and transportation choices [that allow that]. I look forward to the zoning bylaw review that will ensure that we're creating affordable housing options, connected housing, as well as visitability options that are available to seniors. 

Over the long term, I want a plan to build a 100% on demand free transportation system in our city. In the first stage of the plan, I want to start with providing on demand transportation service for seniors and people with disabilities. Part of this plan is to also transition every neighbourhood into providing most services within a short walk or drive if necessary. This will reduce the need to take long trips that consume time and energy. 

Right now, there are several transportation barriers that face seniors in Edmonton. From a lack of bus service in certain neighbourhoods to improperly cleared sidewalks in the winter time. My mother recently moved downtown to a seniors facility and I witness the struggles some have to even cross the busy street before the light turns green. Our city hasn't prioritized development of infrastructure with an inclusive view.   
 

I kicked off this campaign with the goal of building a "city that works", this has now become our campaign slogan. And that statement gets to the heart of what we're really trying to do. A city that works for all Edmontonians prioritizes development with an inclusive view. I'll ensure our administration prioritizes snow clearing from sidewalks so that those with mobility issues don't face unnecessary hurdles. I'll work to ensure our city has equitable access to services, no matter where in the city you live (this means recreation facilities, libraries, transit access and more). The recent changes to ETS bus routes drastically impact some communities and we need to review the data and ensure we're serving all demographics in our city equally.   

I have been contacted by many seniors in our city about the new bus system and how it has severely impacted their quality of life. I am also aware that DATS is not a reliable form of transportation at this time. My plan is to look at both systems and immediately fix inefficiencies. As well, I would like to work with community leagues to offer technology training to seniors on how to use the new bus app - because I do believe there is value there.  

I have heard many concerns from seniors around transportation, particularly around DATS. I was recently at a Sikh temple. It's a brand-new temple being built in southeast Edmonton. There's also a mosque there and a school across the street. What I saw really did surprise me because the on-demand bus service isn't serving that area. You have seniors that are walking down a street that's new and it's a safety concern. It opened my eyes to the fact that on-demand service isn't working for quite a few of our seniors. I think that one of the issues we need to look at is how can we improve getting DATS to seniors on time. I think one of the solutions is local technology that we have in Edmonton. The technology used by the school system is able to make sure that no child is left on a school bus in the winter because they're able to track the time, where the bus is at, and where the students are.  

I want to compliment all the seniors' organizations who have been out there, whether it's helping to provide more affordable transportation, like Driving Miss Daisy, or connecting with volunteers who are willing to get out there and help some of our seniors get around. One of the biggest challenges seniors are facing from the pandemic is not just a transportation issue, it's an issue about being isolated. We need to work with all the seniors' organizations and the city, to focus on providing opportunities for seniors to get access to computers, to get access to the Internet, and to open up a whole new world where they don't necessarily have to travel to be able to take a yoga class, to interact and play chess online.  

My view is that the city government is not spending enough time and money and resources on core services like transit, like transportation...things that are very basic that are in the purview of the municipal government. Transportation is a core service. We need to spend the time, money, and effort to make sure that we do it well. That includes the road network, that includes LRT, that includes DATS, that includes buses, traveling, and transit.  

The bus redesign is a is a bit of a necessity because of the economics of the city. However, it's not done well...it's done far from perfectly. We’re going to have to adjust it. We have to make sure that people don't have to walk too far to get to a bus stop or to get picked up. And that's happening right now. That really makes it challenging for people that have disabilities or seniors. 

We also need to be a bit more entrepreneurial and partner with other entities. There's lots of private entities that I've been talking to that want to get involved with the City on transportation. I think that's an interesting idea. I'm busy talking to them figuring out the best way that we can serve the public in a slightly different way than relying on taxpayer dollars exclusively.  

And again, a lot of seniors still drive, and we have to make it easy for them and everybody else to get around on our road network, which includes plowing and those sorts of basic services.  

That's a very good question. And to be quite honest, it's what I've been trying to do for eight years. The bus network redesign, as many seniors know, isn't working. I didn't support the BNR [bus network redesign]. Matter of fact, I supported administration's approach, which was to roll out piece-by-piece, so we could get the bugs out. And the fact of the matter is, we're going to have to put a lot of that stuff back after COVID...after the fact that they've cut--just recklessly cut service to so many of you. I don't understand how it is in terms of the attitude of this council...that you can move bus stops farther apart--for people with accessibility issues like seniors--and expect to put more bums in the seats. It doesn't work. So, we have to bring some sense back. And there's other ideas we can do. There's other things we can provide seniors in terms of vouchers and DATS and support. That’s going to be part of my program going forward. Seniors need to stay in their homes, but they also need to be able to move in and out of them as well. 

We have become a dysfunctional city. The roadway system is critical that it be corrected to provide meaningful transportation to seniors or people with disabilities. My platform calls for a plebiscite on LRT and its spending. This is the root cause of misplaced busing routes that are desperately needed.

One of the best things the city has done is made our rec centers and our public transit more affordable for low-income seniors through the Leisure Access Program and the discounted seniors bus passes. That is really working well for low-income seniors. And we need to improve that to make sure that the middle-income seniors who don't have access to those programs have access to those subsidies.  

Where we are lacking is that seniors want to age in the communities where they're living now. So, how do we work on aging in place initiatives where housing is available, local amenities available, access to health care facilities available, and recreational facilities available. We need to work hard to make sure that seniors are able to age in the communities they’re living in. 

Services are not spread out enough to be able to serve seniors without engaging them in long trips that consume time and energy. I would appreciate to hear from seniors groups about other specific service gaps they are aware of.

I'm genuinely pleased with many of the services the city offers, including assisted garbage pick-up with no extra charge, discounted rates at city recreation facilities, large font books at the Edmonton Public Library, several community seniors centre and more. I do believe we don't communicate these offerings very well though, and it would be a priority for me to ensure all seniors know about these offerings.   
 
As above, I see the biggest gap in accessibility around transportation. We need to ensure seniors can move safely around the city and we need to prioritize that work.  

A success is that we have the ability for seniors to attend local programing in our city and that many of these places offered online programming during COVID to keep seniors connected. However, a gap is a lack of deeper partnerships between the city and community offerings within community league buildings. I would like to work with community leagues to see more seniors programming taking place close to home, limiting the need for travel. 

One of the services that I heard about recently that's a good service is what the city's doing to work with EPS [Edmonton Police Service] and the seniors of organizations on addressing elder abuse. And working with Sage on the safe house. Elder abuse is on the rise. Fraud, unfortunately, is on the rise as well. I've also heard though, that there needs to be a lot more in that area.   

I think we need to look at a more ‘community hub’ approach. We have our seniors' organizations--and I know that they're doing amazing work--but I have heard that it's tough for seniors who are not near any type of seniors’ centre. I think we can take a community hub approach, and bring seniors together, for example, with community leagues, and offer more programming.  

And I think the other thing that we need to do is collaborate more effectively and listen to the groups that are helping the seniors on what you think we can do. Where should we be putting our resources? Door to door services is one thing I'm hearing. Another thing I'm certainly interested in is the work that you folks are all doing to have virtual services that are there that they [seniors] can access so they can enjoy life while they're dealing with this pandemic and are isolated.  

When I was on council, we gave zoning to West Edmonton Mall to put a seniors' facility on top of that mall. I have not seen that happen to this day. And I always ask them, "why not?" because a lot of seniors say they love walking inside during the winter in that mall. It's very large, it's a great opportunity to interact with people. I think we want to work with the private sector and see what more we can do. Certainly, community hubs are something that I'm interested in seeing happen. 

There are 16 seniors centres around the city. Only three of them are city-operated, a lot of them are not-for-profits, and a few of them are privately-owned. That's a success. That really helps people that are isolated and at home. What is needed is more [seniors centres]. We don't have any of these in the surrounding communities. They're very much all in the core of the city. And, it's hard for some seniors to get around. Currently, the city has a very small grant program to create some of these. It's only about $100,000 a year. It's funded, but actually doesn't get used. There aren't enough entities looking to...they're not far enough along to access these funds. What we need to do is we need to provide more resources and more of these types of facilities, so seniors have a have a place to go if they so choose. 

If there's one thing I know that's a success, it's my senior centre in Mill Woods. I’ve got to tell you, some of the best conversations I have are [at] the Mill Woods Senior Centre. So, our seniors centres are working. But the fact of the matter is, seniors are going backwards. They just can't afford the taxes. They can't afford the utility fee increases. And at the end of the day, if they're going backwards, this is not the affordable city we want to be in. We need seniors. We need seniors and what they contribute in terms of being just volunteers and so on. So, at the end of the day, we have to keep our eye on the prize, which is affordability. Which means we have to cut the red tape. We have to drive in business. We have to lower taxes. The fact is we have lots of ability, and we have lots of money that we can move around to make things happen. At the end of the day, it's affordability for all. 

Seniors in our community must be part of the greater discussion as to how we move our 

municipality forward.

Absolutely, I believe that seniors are a unique constituency because they have unique needs.  

As you age, mobility becomes a challenge…. Seniors can’t always go to city hall to have the input into decision making. How do we bring out consultation into the communities where seniors are? Why would we not be utilizing seniors facilities to consult with the seniors instead of expecting them to go to city hall? City hall should come to them…  

Accessible, affordable housing is a unique need for seniors. That's why we need to look at our zoning regulations to ensure that they are able to age in the communities that they that they live in.  

Seniors have unique transportation needs. Most seniors live on fixed income. So, their ability to pay taxes and their ability to pay user fees to access programs and services is limited. They have unique needs; how we tackle those unique needs has to be a consideration for city hall. Snow removal…You can't expect them [seniors] to walk a kilometer or two kilometers to access the public transportation system or even when DATS comes to pick them up. If their snow is not cleared, they will not be able to access their services.  

These unique needs for seniors make them a unique constituency. I would look forward to working with seniors organizations to listen to them and listen to those unique needs so we can find unique solutions for that. 

I think we need more public services and housing for seniors. In general, I am for publicly funded social services rather than leaving charity up to not-for-profits.

I believe the seniors demographic is an important one. I reflect often that our city was built because of the passionate and incredible Edmontonians that chose to build their life here. Not only do we owe them gratitude, but it's our job to ensure they receive top-notch services for the taxes they pay.   
 
There are several issues we need to address that are critical to this demographic, including: accessible transportation options (walking and transit), better communication of services offered (including garbage pick up and reduced user fees) and lastly, prioritizing opportunities to hear seniors' feedback and views on city policies more often.

I think we have a number of unique constituents in our city. Everyone has value and everyone should have a voice that is heard. However, support and companionship is critical for our seniors. Working with community leagues allows seniors to develop positive relationships with those close to home.  

I think that we all need to recognize and respect our elderly. I think seniors are a unique group … I would like to see a city where when a senior gets on a bus, it's easy, everybody stands up and allows the senior to sit down on the bus. I think that we need to talk about values and treating people with respect.  

Our seniors — we can learn a lot from … I think seniors do want to talk about the future; what our city’s going to look like in the future— because they have a lot of stake in it, because they care about the legacy and all the work that they've done to make our city such a great and wonderful place to live. And they care about their kids and their grandkids.  

When I talk to seniors, what they tell me is they're worried about jobs and opportunity for the future. They're wondering what we're going to do in Edmonton to address some of their unique needs, but they also are concerned about the health of our city… They've also helped build our city to where it is today. And I feel that it is important to focus in on ensuring that seniors who have been paying taxes for most of their lives, that they benefit from some of those tax dollars, and that we do provide services that help ensure that they can stay in their home if they want to, that we have community hubs and our facilities and rec facilities available to them, discounts where needed. … For the most part, I think the city has tried to be responsive and tried to do its part to provide those kinds of services. I think the challenge going forward is that this pandemic has made it a lot tougher ...and much more isolation for seniors and safety. So, I think that going forward, we're going to all have to come together. I have the experience of working with seniors in the past to fix day-to-day problems. And I'm willing to put that knowledge and work with seniors to move our city forward. …there are a lot of seniors with a lot of knowledge that is valuable for all of the young people in our city to gain access to so that we can have a good future for Edmonton and continue to have the quality of life we have.  

Of course I think that seniors are unique constituency… we talk a lot about the future of the city, the 40-year plan, what happens with the next million people… one of the challenges that I find is we're not talking enough about the present; we're not talking about the next five years; we're not talking about next year. It's fine to have a vision for the future – it’s the right thing to do. But we also have to make sure the city is livable, the city is affordable, and we provide services and a high quality of life for people that live here now …  

When I talk to seniors, they’re well-meaning … they think about the future, they think of their kids, they think of their grandkids… but they talk about quality of life here and that they're not getting the services and the supports from government now. That’s one of the things in our campaign that we're going to be doing is really focusing a lot on the next few years and making sure everyone gets the supports that they need in a really practical, affordable way.  

I don't think there will be anybody up here today that says seniors are not a unique constituency, and very, very important. The fact of the matter is the seniors built the city. It's a grand city, but it's a city in trouble. And so, if we're going to move forward, we have to...we judge our community on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Those are our homeless and those are our seniors. And the question we go back to once again is: “How are you being treated? Are you going forward? Are you going backwards?”  

What we're missing downtown is just some common sense at city hall. Why can't you cut the grass? Why can't you pick up the garbage? I mean, these are just the basics we need to do, but we don't seem to be executing those. Seniors are all about common sense. So, the [seniors are the] common sense constituency, if you really want to think about it. That’s what seniors bring. They forced politicians back to the basics--back to the core services. And then we go back all the way through...they can have their rainbows and unicorns all they want downtown. I don't think that's what seniors need right now. Seniors need to get back to the basics. 

Seniors must be part of the greater discussion. As I enter my senior years, it’s becoming more mindful for me as to the issues seniors are faced [with]. Although others have a better 

understanding as to how the municipality needs to handle these issues and I am listening.