THUNDER BAY – Jason Veltri has never been afraid to speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in.
As the head of the Rainbow Collective, he’s advocated for Thunder Bay’s LGBTQIA2S+ community, while also speaking out for a wide range of causes. He said he's ready to do the same for residents of Red River Ward, the city council seat he’s seeking alongside five other candidates.
Among the issues he’s eager to take on are the need to address mental health and addictions, better long-term planning for infrastructure renewals, traffic calming measures in neighbourhoods, and reconciliation and building partnerships with Indigenous people and communities.
“I ran because I feel I can make a difference,” Veltri said. “Having been around the council table, making deputations and seeing policy change through and working with administration through that, I feel I can take the next step, sitting around the big table and advancing issues from there.
“For me it’s about equity and trying to get folks ahead and removing those barriers to success and everyone gets a fair chance to succeed.”
Mental health and addiction is the top issue Veltri said he’s hearing as he knocks on doors throughout the north-side neighbourhood.
It’s coming up as a topic of conversation at every second door, he said.
“I’ve knocked on over 3,000 doors already and that is the No. 1 issue. With that comes crime. But when we talk about mental health and addiction, we’re talking about how we’re criminalizing people for their substance use, that they can’t help,” Veltri said.
“If we stop criminalizing people and get them the help they need – that means detox beds, transitional housing, wraparound supports that are desperately needed, that the province and feds have to step up and provide their fair share – then we’ll start addressing the issue of mental health and addiction.”
In Red River itself, Veltri said he’d start by advocating for a splash pad.
“We’re the only ward in the city that doesn’t have one… Traffic calming is another big one I’m hearing, especially in Mariday Park and River Terrace. Speeding is an issue, with kids playing out on the streets and in the front yards. Families want speeding to be dealt with.”
A lifelong sports fan, Veltri said he does support an indoor turf facility, but not at Chapples Park.
“I’d like to see an LU Hangar style facility built at the CLE, somewhere around $20 million to $25 million is comfortable for me and comfortable for my voters in Red River … It has to be built.”
He’s also in favour of building a proposed transitional housing unit, which some in the ward opposed because of its location.
“I’ve stood behind that and I think that’s a key piece to helping the problem."
"But again, I think it starts with all of us. We’ve got to take an active role, both political will and community role to sit down and actually communicate about the problems that we have in our community,” Veltri said, adding he’ll lobby the province to commit more money to the city.
“We’ve got to stop the source of supply into our community … and providing a safe access to supply. Those are going to save lives.”
