Barbara Harrington

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to address both encampments and permanent housing.candidate's own words

I would like to go to a housing first approach. I'd like to follow the Finland solution to zero homeless. Either through tiny home communities or small apartment buildings or refurbished existing buildings to have one-bedroom apartments for unhoused or close to being unhoused. Especially those who are struggling with mental health and addiction. It is well understood that you cannot solve the problems of addiction or mental health without having housing first. You can't utilize a health card without an address, you can't receive full OW or ODSP benefits without an address. You can't gain employment without and addressed because you have to fill a schedule one federal form upon employment. We need supportive housing first, rehabilitation second and reintegration into independent living third. In the meantime we need to increase acquiring and repurchasing publicly owned land for extreme weather circumstances and protection

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words

I'd like to see the Ontario housing come back with geared to income rent. I like to see more cooperative housing, or nonprofit housing.

• Maintain current street design standards
• Focus improvements around schools, transit corridors, and commercial areas, Listen to citizens about traffic calming measures.

1. Prioritize maximizing operational efficiency
2. Prioritize expanding coverage area
3. Prioritize lower-cost or incremental transit improvements
4. Invest in rapid transit to anchor growth
5. Use transit to shape land use

No, maintain the current system where property owners clear adjacent sidewalks

Improve existing subsidies and discounts, but maintain fares for most riders

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on transportation?candidate's own words

i think it be really great if the municipality invested in the training or the equipment to clear the driveway melts when they have to go down the road multiple times in the winter. Many people on busy roads remain regional roads get frustrated when their driveway gets plowed in four times because the trucks go past is often.

Please describe one criterion or principle that should not be compromised when making transit investment decisions.candidate's own words

Accessibility, drivers being patient with seniors, being patient with mentally disabled individuals, I've personally seen drivers get angry at people taking too long to get on the bus with mobility issues or people with mental disabilities taking too long to pull their pass etc. I know the buses are on a timeline but that doesn't mean to be rude or unhelpful

Please name one specific street, corridor, or project where you would prioritize these changes.candidate's own words

I would like to see consistency in travel on the roads in regards to speed limits and traffic calming. One of the streets in my ward goes from an 80 km to a 50 km to a 40 km to a 50 km to a 40 km to a 30 km and back to a 50 km for 100 m. It should go from the 80 to the 50 to the 40 and stay there till the end of the road. I believe that school zones should be monitored better and I agree with the cameras in school zones. A specific project that I would like to see completed is the bypass to be finished at McQueen Shaver Boulevard, It's long overdue

Describe one concrete policy, incentive, or decision you would prioritize to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Where possible, explain how it balances environmental goals with fiscal responsibility.candidate's own words

I know we've already transitioned part of our fleet to lower admission vehicles in Cambridge, but for a new municipal or affordable housing buildings why not have solar panels, geothermal heating there are a lot of different ways to help with the cost of affordable or supportive housing establishments to reduce their overhead costs. We could also retrofit some of the other municipal buildings or regional buildings to have solar energy.

1. Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
2. Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
3. Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
4. Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
5. Leave local food livelihoods to the private market

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to strengthen the local food system.candidate's own words

i encourage the idea of having public land available for community gardens or new farmers. I believe should be part of the curriculum in high school and that is where students could earn their 40 hours of community service in garden maintenance during the school growing season and summer as a volunteer.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on food systems?candidate's own words

I think Cambridge food bank is going to be once they move too far away for some people like Preston and Hespeler. I think they need to create a smaller version of the food bank program in at least Hespeler and possibly Preston

Other priority not listed abovecandidate's own words

I am a total advocate for grow your own food. I totally believe in public lands should be available for community gardens

1. Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply
2. Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure
3. Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
4. Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
5. Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity

Describe one concrete zoning, planning, or development decision you would support (or oppose) that reflects how you would balance these priorities.candidate's own words

i like the idea of allowing ground floor commercial use near a transit stop it promotes small businesses. I think Cambridge needs to complete what they already have before they start approving more development considering the water constraints and the traffic infrastructure is not up to par in my opinion. Our streets are too narrow and there's nowhere to expand them. We need to improve bypasses or promote public transit more. There are already many projects that have been put on the chalkboard but they haven't broken soil. I think this should be a policy that there is a time requirement for shovels in the ground

Please describe one concrete example of a growth or infrastructure decision you would support or oppose using this approach.candidate's own words

I've not been trained as a city planner however, I feel that our existing infrastructure needs to stay in a good state of repair because it wouldn't sustain new expansions if it's not maintained. That is a priority. I think we need to get our current infrastructure stabilized before we even consider settlement boundary expansions. It's common sense. I think we need to address the traffic situations before we expand and add more density to our municipality.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on growth?candidate's own words

I think a lot more traffic studies need to be done based on the municipality's current infrastructure for traffic. Cambridge has extremely narrow main roads in their historic areas and struggled to keep up with the growth in the expanding areas. The roads are not able to be widened. Need a bypass from Kitchener to Paris and to complete the McQueen Shaver Boulevard bypass

What can the municipality/region do, if anything, about land which sits vacant for years because it is being used as an investment (land banking)?candidate's own words

I think especially with intercity lands where housing can be built or supportive housing can be created with wraparound services or close to the services. I know a piece of land in Cambridge that has been vacant for two decades almost and it is in a perfect location for support Housing what it is privately owned. Maybe after 10 years the municipality could procure it and utilize it the best they can to benefit the municipality that it sits in. It's a stretch but it's an idea.

It should be more transparent and accessible

Please describe one concrete example of a trade-off you would support (or oppose) when costs rise faster than revenues.candidate's own words

I think adjusting the development incentives and subsidies to maintain lower tax level or increase is ideal. It'll slow down our growth enough that we can build better infrastructure.

If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words

I think that a simplified "in and out" type budget that could be released to the public in a way that you don't need a finance degree to understand it. We don't need every fine detail of entry, You only need to have the revenue the expenses and the balance for each smaller section the larger infrastructure sections it can go a little more detailed but the simplified ones can be just in and outs