Mayoral candidates from Pickering and Ajax made their pitch to the local business community this month, laying out how they would approach the economy, growth and jobs ahead of the October municipal vote.
The candidates appeared together at a forum hosted by the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade on the morning of Sept. 23, fielding questions on how city hall shapes the business environment in both municipalities.
According to the Daily Durham, the discussion centred on the relationship between municipal government and the local economy.
What the candidates discussed
Topics at the forum included economic development and attracting investment, infrastructure and future growth, transportation and mobility, employment and job creation, and support for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
The morning began with registration and breakfast, followed by opening remarks. Candidates from both towns introduced themselves before an extended question-and-answer session.
The board of trade says forums of this kind matter because municipal decisions on development, infrastructure, taxation, transportation and investment directly affect how well businesses can operate and grow.
An open race in Ajax
The Ajax mayoral contest is an open one, with Mayor Shaun Collier not seeking re-election.
The reported candidates for Ajax mayor include regional councillor Marilyn Crawford, former councillor Ashmeed Khan, Carion Fenn, Richard Hinds and Vian Persad.
Pickering mayoral candidates also took part in the same forum, though the candidate introductions were not itemized in the Daily Durham's account of the event.
How to watch and how to vote
For residents who missed the roughly hour-long event, two recordings are available online. An attendee-recorded version, about 58 minutes long, was posted to YouTube. Daily Durham noted the recording was shared by an audience member who is himself a candidate in another Pickering race, so viewers should weigh it accordingly.
Rogers tv also aired its own version of the forum, running about 59 minutes.
Ajax residents go to the polls Oct. 26. Online and telephone voting runs Oct. 19 to 26, and in-person voter assistance centres will be open Oct. 22, 23, 24 and 26.
