The provincial by-election for the Milton riding is one week away.
The Milton seat was vacated when former conservative MPP Parm Gill announced in January he was going to run federally.
On Thursday, CHCH News spoke with candidates for the provincial Green Party and the provincial NDP.
The two parties said their areas of focus this election include housing, education, and the environment.
“The biggest things that Miltonians have been telling me is to hold Ford, and the PC Conservatives accountable in the legislature,” said Edie Stratchan the NDP candidate.
Milton NDP candidate Edie Strachan said she is listening to Milton resident’s concerns.
Among them are concerns about housing the environment and education.
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“We need to put our money into things that matter to the community, and education is at the top of the list, education is a great equalizer for children,” said NDP candidate Strachan.
“People sometimes argue about the demands made by teachers but my response to that is, a teacher’s working conditions is your child’s learning conditions, and we need to do more to help them.”
Strachan also says environmental issues is a key part of her platform, specifically addressing the proposed reopening of a quarry in Campbellville, which many residents are against.
“We have more than 20 quarries in the district, which is crazy, crazy amount of numbers. anyone that lives in a rural area knows the delicate ecosystem that we have, blasting and drilling really affects not just the water tables, but it also affects the flora and fauna in the area, so this is a major concern,” said Strachan.
Green Party candidate Kyle Hutton said he is also concerned about the quarry.
Hutton said the issue is one of the main focuses of his platform.
“We want to make sure this by-election is a chance to send a message, not to change the government, but to send a message, that Doug Ford hears loud and clear he needs to hold to his promise to the people of Milton, to the people of Campbellville, that he needs to stop Campbellville quarry, I want to hold Doug Ford cheek to the fire on the issue.”
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Hutton also says housing is top of the list.
“We believe we have a really good housing plan. He should have fourplexes, we should have density right of way, these are good ideas, this will get it done, as he loves to say, why doesn’t he take us up on that?” said Hutton.
This week public polling firm Mainstreet Research released a poll showing the race is extremely close.
The Liberal candidate, Galen Naidoo Harris was leading by just under two per cent, followed by the Tory candidate Zee Hamid, with the Green Party running a distant third and the NDP in fourth.
One in five voters say they are still undecided.
“Even some of the doors we knock on when they’re not sure how they might be voting, they provide some very constructive criticism, which I listen to, because surrounding yourself by yes people never allows you to know the full story,” said Strachan.
CHCH News will also be speaking with the Liberal and PC candidates on Friday.
