WHAT DO THE CANDIDATES SAY?

The Spectator reached out to mayoral candidates Keanin Loomis, Bob Bratina and Andrea Horwath as well as Ward 12 candidates to ask if they believe the city has an obligation to step in at Waterdown Garden Supplies. Here’s what those who responded said: Loomis said he understands resident frustration and pledged to take up the issue with upper levels of government. “It’s infuriating that this would ever happen in the first place … Bringing issues like this forward and advocating for the province to step in and right this wrong will be one of the first things I will do if elected.”

Ward candidate Rob Baboth said the province should pay for a cleanup and recoup costs through litigation. “The cleanup cost will run into the millions of dollars and Hamilton’s budget cannot handle this amount,” he said, calling a provincially funded cleanup “the only fair and reasonable thing to do.” Ward candidate Karl Hanley said the city needs to work with upper levels of government to ensure environmental orders are enforced. “In speaking with neighbours and residents of the area, there is a lot of anger and upset with the city about what is happening here. This is yet another issue the city is, in effect, turning a blind eye to.”

Ward candidate Chuck Alkerton said the city should be able to work with the province and use its own property standards bylaw to order a cleanup, with costs added to the landowner’s property taxes. “Immediate attention would protect the neighbours from further contamination.”