IN THE PITT MEADOWS COUNCILLOR RACE: Mike Hayes

Mike Hayes

Supervisor, software analyst, construction, age 65

Pitt Meadows resident for 45+ years

For over 45 years, I have been proud to call Pitt Meadows my home.

I have been an active volunteer and community leader for over 30 years in a number of activities including, past chair of the Pitt Meadows Foundation, co-chair of Canada Day planning committee, Pitt Meadows Day, Pitt Meadows 100th Centennial Day planning committee, Christmas in Pitt Meadows, plus many other community functions.

I am honoured to have received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award for public service and my many years of dedication to our community.

I am a business professional with over 40 years of leadership and management experience. I believe that maintaining a healthy urban environment that balances financial, environmental, and social sustainability can be achieved while respecting our small-town culture.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReElectMikeHayes

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Have you held office in past? If so, please specify: Yes, Pitt Meadows Councillor.

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CLICK TO CHECK OUT OUR FULL ELECTION GUIDE ONLINE

Questions:

(These answers are presented as the candidates submitted them)

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1. Should the City switch from a volunteer-based (paid-on-call) fire department to a full-time model?

Yes, with the continuing increase in our population, residents want more from our fire protection services, as well as quicker response times and a broader array of emergency services.

Greater population density including taller buildings, airport revitalization, and a large industrial development where traffic becomes more congested adds more emergency calls, or emergency medical responses being required.

With the industrial development,we are seeing larger buildings that may introduce hazardous materials that increase the risks in fighting fires.

Increased training requirements raise the time and money costs of our paid-on-call model, where in turn we continuously lose these members seeking full-time positions to other fire departments.

Pitt Meadows does not currently have a 24/7 fire services model.

Moving forward as a growing community, providing the expected level of fire services will require the expansion of our full-time fire service membership while still maintaining – but not fully relying on – our paid-on-call positions.

2. Should Pitt Meadows take more direct action to combat the local opioid crisis?

Yes.

3. Do you support the construction of the Harris Road underpass?

Yes.

4. Should the City set targets for the creation of more low-income and seniors rental spaces, social housing units, and/or co-op development to improve home security?

Yes.

5. Do you support the proposal for the new CP Rail logistics yard?

No.

6. Should the City be offering more tax breaks, rebates, and other incentives to entice new businesses to town?

Yes.

7. Do you think residential property taxes are too high in Pitt Meadows?

Yes.

8. Does Pitt Meadows need an indoor swimming pool?

Yes.

9. Do you support the City creating a separate RCMP detachment, exclusively serving Pitt Meadows?

Yes.

10. Should Pitt Meadows parks and nature areas be protected at the cost of future development opportunities?

Yes.

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CLICK ON OUR ELECTIONS 2022 TAB TO FIND A WIDE VARIETY OF RELEVANT STORIES

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

How the questions were presented to each candidate

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows news readers have told us how much they value this important, straight-forward reference guide that helps orient them with the range of choices on the ballots – both at the council and school board levels.

Towards that end, we have attempted to make this package available (along with the following instructions) to each of the candidates in a timely fashion ahead of the Oct. 15 election.

Please read carefully before you start to fill this out.

To help voters in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows make their choices on election day, The News is asking local candidates 10 issue-based questions.

You must provide a ‘yes,’ a ‘no,’ or a ‘don’t know’ (Y, N, D) response to EACH of these questions.

Each question MUST be answered with yes (Y), no (N), or Don’t Know (D). This will be published in a grid in the Oct. 6 edition. Any questions not answered will be LEFT BLANK.

Candidates may also expand on ANY OR ALL of these questions (to a maximum of 200 words each). Please note any responses longer than that will be cut off at the 201-word mark.

Due to space limitations, we can only guarantee to run one of these answers in The News print edition ahead of the election. You must CLEARLY indicate which expanded answer you want to see published in print. If you do not specify, we will choose. Any and all expanded answers provided will be published online at www.mapleridgenews.com.

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