New riding, new MP for residents in Timmins, Kapuskasing and Mushkegowuk

Another new riding in northern Ontario, Kapuskasing-Timmins-Mushkegowuk, will elect someone new after Charlie Angus retired.

For the first time in 20 years, the riding encompassing Timmins will have a new Member of Parliament.

When the boundaries of the Timmins-James Bay riding were changed, MP Charlie Angus decided to retire. Now there are four candidates vying for the seat in the new Kapuskasing – Timmins – Mushkegowuk riding.

Steve Black is running for the Liberals. He is a mining engineer, a former mayor of Timmins and is currently a city councillor.

Black said housing is a major issue throughout the riding.

“We have over 2,000 people on the waitlist for affordable housing in the Cochrane District,” he said.

“I think Mark Carney’s announcement on housing was a great one for our region, both for people that are looking to get into affordable housing as well as, you know, new people trying to get into the home for the first time -- and having that GST waived as well, makes entering the housing market more affordable.”

NDP candidate Nicole Fortier Levesque is a retired teacher and a former mayor of Moonbeam.

“We need to build more homes for seniors that want to sell their houses,” Levesque said.

“This would increase house availability for young families and individuals also. We also need to speed up construction and work with the cities … to build faster. New Democrats will build new homes, including non-market and affordable housing, and introduce stronger rent protections to stop rent evictions and price gouging.”

Gaetan Malette, a retired forestry and mining executive, is running for the Conservatives. He said the cost of living and housing are two major issues.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in the last year and a half (and in) every region, it’s a little different,” Malette said.

“You’re in Hearst, it’s a different issue; you’re in Kapuskasing, it’s the last surviving pulp mill in northeastern Ontario that’s important. All over Highway 11, it’s the terrible accidents on Highway 11. I go to Chapleau, it’s forestry. In Timmins … we need to do something with the crime.”

Also on the ballot is Serge Lefebvre, representing the People’s Party of Canada.

Election day in Canada is April 28.