2022 Mississauga Election Profiles - Ward 4 Candidate Michelle Bilek
/Leading up to the 2022 Mississauga elections, Modern Mississauga Media reached out to all incumbents and candidates via email with the same set of questions to help our community learn more about them leading up to the Monday, October 24, 2022 election.
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1. What ward are you running in and why are you running for Mississauga City Council?
Ward 4, to represent the community members as Councillor
2. What makes you stand out over other candidates?
I am providing a new vision on community building, and means for centring citizens in policy making, funding decisions, and listening and generating ideas from a broad base of community action. We need strong voices on council that are willing to take bold and innovative steps to address some of the systemic and historical issues affecting so many, especially our most vulnerable and marginalized community members: affordable housing, poverty, homelessness, sustainable development and planning, safety and person centred decision making. Using data and evidence, City officials have to work with City staff to find solutions that have proven as best practices in other jurisdictions and how they may implemented in Mississauga. If we are unresponsive, governing without transparency and avoiding democratic process and citizen engagement – the result will be citizenry that disengaged, lacking trust and faith in our elected officials and processes.
3. What are your top 3 campaign priorities?
Ensuring that I implement a person centred frameworks for community engagement and community building, embracing our assets and meaningfully working towards a shared vision for our communities future. Building social interaction opportunities, engaging community groups and organizations, hosting community conversations and events and re-establishing trust and support for each other and our community assets.
Fully committing to the end of chronic homelessness in 5 years, and work with the Regional Staff and people experiencing homelessness and housing precarity and community partners to establish a housing rights framework within the Housing and Homelessness Plan. Establish an implementation strategy, outcomes and timeline to ensure functional zero chronic homelessness. This means that the Municipality and Regional partners will have to prioritize people experiencing homelessness – in funding and housing allocations. Not only is it socially responsible to ensuring no one in our community experiences homelessness, but it is also fiscally prudent to do so.
Addressing the safety and security of citizens – on our streets and beyond. Speeding in residential and school areas has been an ongoing concern. It seems that costly investments in cameras, and removable pilons has not been as affective as adding paved speed bumps on most frequently violated streets. The Peel Police have provided a brief to candidates that reflect a large rise in vehicle theft and my discussions with community reflect an overall sense of insecurity and fear. With the increasing cozts allocated to Regional Police to address these issues and beyond, it is time that Municipal officials address the allocation of specialized services to community partners and the involvement and funding that is going to specialized services and responses to people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, substance user and domestic violence incidents.
4. If you could change one thing about Mississauga's zoning laws, what would it be?
Inclusionary Zoning by law should be improved: Include purpose built rentals, exponentially increase set aside rates, and ensure perpetuity is the lifetime of the unit.
In addition to many other zoning laws that constrict the development of affordable rentals/ownership properties, we need densification that brings a variety of housing options and affordability options in response to the evidence, data and current housing conditions in our community.
5. How do you plan to actively involve and include residents in decisions?
As mentioned, community-building is that is defined and designed “by and for” community, not the status quo “done for us without us”. This means person centred community building and, a governance model where people feel empowered, knowledgeable and contributing. It is very important that community residents have the opportunity to be listened to, have their initiatives supported and in some circumstances, where they lead community and build. To co-designing and supporting objectives for community resilience is where a council member should locate themselves. As for consulting the public on policy, laws and funding, there should be opportunity for meaningful involvement from the outset of policy objectives, having community organizations and partners involved and ensuring that data, research and evidence also guide decision making. I do feel that authentic engagement means allowing diverse voices and perspectives to be imbedded in the decision making processes from the onset and ensuring low barrier, democratic opportunities for citizen participation and advocacy: Increasing time allocated to delegating, having some city meetings and committee meetings in evenings and on weekends. Hold public roundtables led by community partners and agencies, offer written an oral submissions, and ensure that council members involve meaningful engagement practices with their own citizens.
6. What budget item is the most important to your ward?
I'm most concerned about the lack of investment allocated to public transportation, community parks and community initiatives. If we desire a livable and sustainable environment then we need to ensure that these are funded appropriately. With respect to planning and development, we need to ensure community benefits agreements are enforced and that funding incentives for development is allocated to development that is needed (purpose built rentals, affordable housing options such as low rises, multiplexes) and not to development that is providing investment opportunities and luxury unaffordable spaces. If over 70% of the population is in deep core housing need, then legislation and funding should address the need for increased deeply affordable options. Partnership with not for profits and increases in cooperative housing should be priorities.
7. What are three of your favourite aspects of Mississauga?
The people. Also the culture,the events and opportunities for diverse communities, artists and businesses to be showcased.
8. How will you be supporting our local businesses if elected?
Local businesses are at the centre of community building, relationships and belonging. We need to do more to support their success through showcasing, community event opportunities, promotional events, and partners in addressing socio economic issues within our city. Business leaders are not only concerned about their financial outcomes but certainly share the same needs and concerns that local residents do. Community building should and must also be inclusive of local businesses and owners.
9. What does Mississauga currently excel at?
Excellent at providing opportunities for residents to participate in cultural activities, arts, events. But it's unfortunate that many people don't feel inclined to do so. Maybe we actually should address the barriers and why people feel excluded from community.
10. How would you communicate with residents and what communication standards can voters expect?
Communication with local residents, and residents to their elected officials should be considered easy and if all possible allow for multiple means of contact. Councillors need to dedicate time to being accountable and accessible to residents on an ongoing basis. Setting up specific days and times for meetings with residents, holding public forums and coffee chats, supporting community led initiatives, walking down streets and spending time with people they serve and proactively determining how we can be better as a community. I would not just attending local events for photo opportunities.
11. Please provide your campaign website
