My Commitments to You

We need to address the very real housing crisis with real solutions, so that everyone can enjoy a safe place to live.

The Problem

• One Bedroom Rentals reaching $1700 per month, growing at a much faster rate than inflation
• Housing Prices out of massively reach for most young people
• People are being renovicted out of their affordable and livable, rent controlled homes
• Young adults are leaving the city not because they want to, but because they can't afford to stay and raise a family where they grew up.

The Solution

• A city councillor that advocates for middle and low income Hamiltonians at City Hall
• I will work for much higher amount of non-market, geared-to-income housing to be built in Hamilton and in the Ward to create a better social safety net for our residents
• I will keep fighting for no further urban boundary expansion to protect our vital farmland and promote a sustainable future
• Adding housing/commercial density along with the required infrastructure and public transit accessibility to support it to help keep taxes low for residents and to build up smaller communities within the ward and city
• I will work for residents to be able to build Secondary Dwellings on their properties (tiny homes including strong licencing and property standards) in order to allow for more rental options, as well as more housing options for families (seniors, young adults, family members)
• I will fight for better rent controls as well as more support at City Hall for Renters, such as Landlord registration requirements, public run inspections
• I will work with residents and experts in the field to assist where possible with ongoing amazing work

Chris is a firm believer that building towards a carbon-neutral future is not only necessary, but will create local, good paying jobs for our fellow Hamiltonians.

The Problem

• Human made climate change is a reality we are all experiencing, with hotter summer days and more erratic and extreme weather conditions and storms.
• This problem will not be felt equally by all - middle and low income Hamiltonians as well as marginalized communities will suffer the brunt of symptoms as they will be less able to "spend their way out" of the problem (think property damage, access to A/C etc, increased insurance premiums).
• We will see more consistent flooding, high impact winds and storms and more extreme heat

The Solution

• I will work to electrify all new HSR Buses, and expand HSR routes and times to make Public Transit more accessible and a more viable option for commuters
• Area Rating has to go - there can be no great improvements to our public transit systems while we underfund the HSR, and we need more people using public transit
• Tree planting will play an important part in mitigating the effects of climate change, creating a cooler city and absorbing more water runoff as we face more extreme temperatures and weather. We need to support existing groups and add to their capacity to plant many more trees in all public spaces, and encourage private residents to plant trees on their properties with tax credits
• I will bring forward an initiative to plant thousands of native plant perennials across the Ward (and City), in order to support natural wildlife. Native plants don't need much maintenance, are better pollinator plants, and will add more beauty to the City.
• I will work for community farm initiatives where possible. This will go hand in hand with setting up local neighborhood groups, and should be community managed and driven, along with the support of the City and local food banks.
• Housing solutions will also go hand in hand with addressing climate change - we must add density and create more sustainable, smaller communities (where you can walk, ride your bike or take transit to most of your needs)

We need our public spaces to be as high quality and as accessible as possible!

The Problem

• We have a 1.6 billion dollar backlog of updates to be done to our roads and bridges - if you've driven around Hamilton at all, this is an undeniable reality!
• Many of our parks are old and out of date, and as the summers get hotter, we need splash pad access in every small community so kids can stay cool

The Solution

• Allocate more resources to fix our roads, and commit to setting aside more capital resources each year for maintaining our infrastructure
• Commit to using local Hamilton based, unionized workers for infrastructure projects to ensure that both quality work is done and the City supports good paying jobs for Hamiltonians
• Commit to working splash pads and tree planting into park renovations for each neighborhood so that families have close access to cool areas in the summer

As a small business owner, Chris knows the challenges facing our vital local businesses and shops

The Problem

• The Pandemic highlighted the gross inequality between large box stores and small local businesses
• Many small local businesses are struggling because of the rising costs of operating a business (rent, utilities, marketing, phone/internet etc)
• Commercial rent is rising far beyond the rate of inflation and is pushing many viable businesses to the brink or to close
• Small local businesses are having to compete for rental space with massive corporations

The Solution

• I will work for commercial rent controls as we currently have none
• I will work to make sure new developments that add to density also contain new retail spaces, but a portion of that commercial space is given priority to local Hamilton residents wanting to open a business
• All new commercial space should have residential space built vertically above it, to create a more sustainable and livable community going forward and which benefits the new businesses

Nothing is more important than bringing people together, and finding ways to overcome our differences through friendship and a strong sense of community

• Let's bring people together by creating neighborhood committees throughout the Ward
• These neighborhood committees can look out for local residents, and more effectively report issues that are specific to their neighborhood
• As councillor, I would work with these local committees on issues, and also to have events within their neighborhood community to bring residents together, and for people to form better relationships with their neighborhood and neighbors.
• I'll develop and create an easy to use, easy to find reporting tool for Ward 6 so that community members can easily report their issues and suggestions. We need to trust the people living in their own communities what is best in terms of safety and needs
• Let's make our communities safer by listening and amplifying marginalized voices and being inclusive of all of our wonderful residents in Ward 6.

Chris has worked many years in customer service and growing a business, and knows how to treat people. Chris is ready to help anyone with their Municipal issues with a friendly, personal touch.

I will commit to being a very accessible Councillor, through community event participation and by responding to all calls and emails within a timely manner.

We need to prioritize the safety of our pedestrians in this City.

The Problem

• It is unsafe to be a pedestrian in our City
• Too few fixes to road safety and too late (reactive vs. proactive)
• No overall plan in Ward 6 to make it more walkable and safe for our seniors and children
• Seemingly random speed bump placements

The Solution

• A comprehensive audit of all existing roads and pathways in Ward 6 for safety and quality
• An Action Plan for each neighborhood going forward with dates for action
• Transparency and communication on what is being done and why