BALA, ON – A contender for the Parry Sound-Muskoka Conservative nomination has released her platform dealing with flooding in Muskoka.
Holly Thompson from Bala is in a four-way fight for the nomination nod for the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding along with Huntsville Mayor Scott Aitchison, Bracebridge lawyer Alan Fraser, and MacTier’s Meghan Shannon.
Thompson says flooding is an important issue for the people of Muskoka, who have experienced two 100-year events in the past seven years.
“I believe we need a plan and need to show some federal leadership as to what we can be doing here in Parry Sound-Muskoka to deal with this issue,” she said.
“We need to really consider what our plan is going forward.”
Thompson would like to see an early warning system, and a change to building codes to ensure water quality is not compromised through pollution.
“We need a plan in place if this ever happens again,” Thompson said. “Having sandbag depots ready to go. Having consistent and frequent water quality monitoring as part of that.”
She said whatever solution is finally settled upon it needs to involve all levels of government.
“It involves all three levels of government working together,” said Thompson.
“We need to bring everyone to the table and have a dialogue.”
She has a three-point plan to deal with future instances of potential flooding.
“The first is addressing the current watershed plan in its current state,” said Thompson.
She would like to see up to date data and satellite imagery used rather than current models that have information several decades old.
She said the second point deals with existing infrastructure including dams, dikes, culverts, roads and bridges.
Keeping an eye to future population expansion and controls on where housing is built will go a long way to preventing future flooding.
“Lastly we need a plan to respond properly and that considers the safety of our constituents here in Parry Sound-Muskoka,” said Thompson.
The local nomination day has not been determined, but those hoping to vote for a nominee have until tomorrow to buy a Conservative party membership.