At an event this week, mayoral candidates offered different approaches to challenges facing Timmins, including downtown safety, addiction prevention and the need for more affordable housing. Candidates included downtown business owner Robert Boucher, who said expanding recreational opportunities for young people could help prevent future drug use. “Now, my plan to make more sports, more interactive activities for kids is my main goal,” Boucher said. “If we can get them away from those drugs, we can cut the head of the snake.” Rob Knox, a retired police officer, emphasized the need for targeted policing and a more welcoming downtown. “We have to have more targeted patrol in our town,” Knox said. “We have to make sure that regardless of who’s making the mess, we have to clean up the streets.” Lawrence Martin, a former mayor of Cochrane and Sioux Lookout, said addressing the addictions crisis requires cooperation among service providers, police and health-care services. “I go back to collaboration with all the service providers to work together, to work together with the police, to work together with the hospital, and to work together with all the different health units and mental health programs,” said Martin. Housing was another key topic in the debate. Mayoral candidate and real estate agent Nathan Boulet suggested the city consider incentives to encourage residents to provide affordable housing. “So let’s say if the city said, you know, if you provide one affordable housing unit, we’re going to give you a rebate on your taxes or your water and sewer,” Boulet said. “I think you have to help the residents become more involved with being part of the solution.” Incumbent Mayor Michelle Boileau said the city should continue with plans and initiatives already underway, rather than risk losing progress by starting over. “We’ve done the plans. We are working the plans,” Boileau said. “My No. 1 issue is that we could potentially be taking a step back, halting all of that and then throwing it up in the air as if nothing’s been done and starting from scratch.” Chris McNeil, another mayoral candidate, was absent from the debate.
