Change.
That’s what mayoral candidate Johanne Brousseau says voters are telling her they want.
“The changes they want are what were identified with my focus groups,” she says. “They want us to fix mental health, addictions and homelessness, to address that. They’re looking forward to a new approach, a fresh look at the helm and I’m all about listening, responding and engaging.”
On the issues of mental health, addictions and homelessness, Brousseau says collaborating with social services agencies is a priority and they’ll start doing that by implementing the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.
With housing and homelessness, she says Suswin Village on Cassells Street will help.
“Hopefully we’re taking 30 homeless people off the streets and into that housing,” Brousseau says. “Also to try to get more funding for the Northern Pines campus because they have the capacity of over 60 transitional housing units there.”
She says that would give individuals experiencing homelessness the housing and wraparound support that they need.
Brousseau says priorities with capital projects include the new Recreation and Community Centre.
“Once a new council is elected they will hear from staff and hopefully this council will have the last decision to award the contract or pause, however the data is given, that’s how we have to react,” she says.
Peter Chirico and Leslie McVeety are also running for mayor in North Bay.
Election Day is Monday, October 24.
