FREDERICTON - Yesterday, mayoral candidate Matthew Hayes
unveiled the last point of his platform, “Inclusive Communities”, as election
day approaches. He wants to make Fredericton more inclusive by encouraging
affordable housing.
City Hall can address the imbalance between
property tax rates, rent levels, and vacancy rates, he says.
“Increasingly, Fredericton’s working
families are finding it difficult to make ends meet,” says Hayes. “We can
engage the community in finding solutions to these problems.”
By removing barriers to the development of
affordable housing and making the process transparent, the city can encourage
potential developers to build affordable, stable neighbourhoods throughout the
city. Hayes also wants to consult with individuals living in poverty and their
advocates to identify problems and find solutions.
“For many people in the city, home
ownership is out of reach, but this doesn’t have to be the case. City Council’s
job is to ensure a great quality of life for Frederictonians,” Hayes says. “Affordable
housing is an important part of that. I intend to be a leader in pursuing this
and moving our great city forward into the future.”
