She/her/b’ye. Manager of the Housing Help Centre leading eviction prevention work in Niagara. Adoptee. Cape Bretoner. Retired City Councillor. Housing advocate.
Aug 19, 2022 • 50 tweets • 15 min read
1/ I have some news to share. The full statement follows in this thread… stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-r…2/ It has been one of my life’s greatest privileges to be elected and serve the residents of St Catharines. I want to express my gratitude for selecting me to be your Councillor and to let you know that I have decided to take a pause and not run for office this term.
Jul 20, 2022 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
1/ 🧵Buckle up. It’s a huge geothermal project & 1st for the city. Geothermal = no burning of fossil fuels, will use up to 75% less energy. Toronto’s lauded Green Standard Development program would categorize this as a Tier 3 or 4 project and they’d give it a healthy DC rebate $
2/ Given that we don’t have such DC waivers at the Region or the City, this project will be paying Regional and City Development Charges (if they don’t get site plan approval before December, when the city’s DC program starts)
Jul 17, 2022 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
1/ In April, I spoke at the Region on its Official Plan. I delegated as a St Catharines resident and as a City Councillor from one of our Region’s 12 lower tier municipalities. Here are a few clips (not included is me picking a little fight with a Mayor from another city 😃)
2/ Why? The answer can be summarized in this tweet. Councillors declare climate & housing emergencies out of one side of our mouths but often do sweet f.a. to change the way we plan our cities. B/c we’re afraid to rock the boat and climate decisions challenge the status quo
Jun 19, 2022 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
1/ St Catharines has budgeted and tendered an Active Transportation Master Plan. Although the work hasn’t quite started, the firm’s project lead has been in touch with me about what happened and told me they are currently working in Essex County & engaging with migrant workers.
2/ Essex Co has had many deaths on roads and I believe 2 in Niagara (no data on near misses). Zenaida died on a Regional Rd in NOTL, Fermin on a Regional Rd in St Catharines in Pt Dalhousie Ward. The Niagara Region, and by extension Regional Councillors, must take this on
Jun 18, 2022 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
1/ Fermin Soto Sanchez.
You are loved and valued. Many people are grieving your death.
You died a few m from Woodland School while walking your bike on 7th St Louth (Regional Rd 34) after spending an afternoon with your friends, checking out the boats in Pt Dalhousie harbour
2/ You died far away from your home, leaving behind three young children and a wife, who you worked hard to support, as well your parents, family, friends and co-workers.
Fermin, your death is a travesty and an injustice.
Jun 15, 2022 • 21 tweets • 4 min read
1/ Here is a thread 🧵
On Monday, a driver in an SUV hit 3 men on bicycles on 7th St. The men were migrant farm workers from Mexico. One man died, two others are injured. stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-r…2/ This Region has functionally zero safe cycling infrastructure and lots of poor pedestrian infrastructure.
Apr 3, 2022 • 12 tweets • 4 min read
1/ There has been much activity on the site of the former GM Lands at 282-285 Ontario St and I am pleased to provide the following updates:
✅ Removal of surface debris began again in February and is ongoing
2/ ✅ The perimeter of the site has been secured with solid hoarding with a filter fabric
✅ MTE has been engaged as the Environmental Engineer of Record for the site cleanup and is completing a Phase 1 & 2 Environmental Study on the properties, expected to continue through 2022
