BACCC asked all municipal candidates for their views on environmentally-friendly transportation options, presenting them with these three questions. Views expressed are solely those of the candidates and do not reflect the views of BACCC or its members. All responses have been reviewed to ensure appropriateness and relevance to the questions posed. We encourage you to make an informed decision by researching your local candidates.
Hamilton Ward 14 Candidate Kojo Damptey
From the recommendations in BACCC’s Options for Travel report, which would be your top priority to enact to ensure safe, reliable, convenient and equitable transportation options?
We reference BACCC’s Options for Travel report in our campaign platform point on Transit. I’m committed to working towards recommendations from the report, specifically regarding the improvement of public transit and expanding multi-modal transportation across Hamilton. Our city remains the last municipality in Ontario since amalgamation to not do away with the area rating funding system. This boundary prevents service from being provided equitably to the former municipalities outside Metro Hamilton. Eliminating area rating will allow us to provide consistent service to all Hamiltonians and focus on reaching our goal of improving public transit and making it available to historically underserved and rural communities while decreasing our carbon footprints.
If environmentally friendly transportation options are not convenient, residents will be less likely to choose those options over driving.
What steps would you take to ensure environmentally friendly transportation options are convenient?
We have to electrify the bus fleet in the next 4 years and expand on the number of buses available that will then allow us to improve the bus system. I also want to optimize bus routes to make sure buses arrive/run every 10-15 minutes. It’s important to introduce and implement multi-use paths across the City for walking, cycling, public transit, electric bikes, e-scooters, and other emerging modes of transportation.
Environmentally friendly transportation needs to be perceived as safe in order to be viewed as a viable option.
What steps would you take to ensure all users feel safe when using all transportation methods?
The City has approved a Complete Streets Manual that prioritizes people who use sidewalks and bike lanes and ensures there’s reduced conflict between pedestrians, cyclists, and people who drive motorized vehicles. We have to ensure every Ward and neighbourhood prioritizes this formula when creating new streets or renewing older streets that need to be redesigned. I also want to develop safe zones around elementary and high schools in Ward 14, and expand DARTS and other options for mobility across Ward 14 and in the City.
