David George Noonan believes the city needs to invest in jobs for youth.
“We need to help bring business into Thunder Bay so that young people have a place to work,” said the Red River Ward candidate.
“It’s pretty important because people are working longer and longer into their years so it makes less and less jobs for the youth out there right now.”
Noonan, 34, moved to Thunder Bay nearly 10 years ago and is looking to take the Red River seat from incumbent Brian McKinnon and focus on infrastructure improvements in the ward, including roads and sidewalks.
The sales representative for Bay Meats Butcher Shop also wants to see the city’s waste diversion improved and compost pickup included in the waste management plan.
“This is something that would go a long way to keeping our landfill going for a much longer time. At our current population, it was said we only have 200 years left with our landfill, which might not sound like a long time but it’s really not, especially if we’re looking to grow our city,” said Noonan.
One way to grow the city and bring in business could be the proposed event centre, but Noonan said he would only support the project if the federal and provincial governments contribute and the private sector is also involved.
He used the example of the John Labatt Centre, now the Budweiser Gardens, in London, Ont.’s downtown as an example of how a multiplex could work for Thunder Bay.
“It helped bring in business. It helped clean up their downtown. It helped make it a safer place,” said Noonan, adding it wouldn’t just be a place to play hockey, but the centre’s ability to host conventions would also be beneficial to the community.
“Conventions go a long way because people who come for conventions often stay for vacation or they find business opportunities here,” he said.
“It becomes a bigger issue, a bigger positive for the city and I’d like to be part of that positive change and to see that happen in our city.”
Find David George Noonan on Facebook here, or on Twitter @DGCNoonan
