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The Premier of Ontario has called a provincial election during one of the harshest winters ever experienced in Southern Georgian Bay. With snowfall events and accumulation creating serious hazards for pedestrians, drivers and supply vehicles getting into the region, constituents are now expected to go to the polls in Simcoe North on four voting days.
Advance polls in Midland are Feb. 20, 21, 22 and voting day is Feb. 27, 2025.
There is only one polling station for the entire community of Midland and that is the North Simcoe Sport and Recreation Centre.
As residents who are fortunate enough to own cars struggle to get their vehicles out of road plow sealed driveways, spend precious dollars paying for assistance to get out of snowbanks on ever narrowing town roads, the struggle to economically thrive in our region has become a great challenge for us all.
We're taking our lives in our hands just trying to get to work in our community this winter. Pedestrians; those who walk to work have an even greater challenge, having to wade through sidewalks thigh deep in snow or more.
We appreciate the incredible work our town's snow removal teams are doing and we acknowledge that you are doing your best. For those who must take public transit to work, we know that our bus service is not available after 6 p.m. weekdays and workers who must go to or get home from work after those hours are waiting for cabs for two hours!
Faced with the additional expense of the struggles of this intense winter, families are still paying exorbitant rents and increasing grocery costs.
Many voters simply won't be able to afford the cab trip (and back home again) to the NSSRC in Midland to cast their vote in Ontario's election 2025. That means the voices of many of the working poor in Midland will not be heard or expressed in what the Ontario government calls a democratic election.
We will likely see the lowest voter turnout ever in this election and STILL, a majority government will likely be declared despite those incredibly low numbers.
I have one question for the Ford government of Ontario: Knowing the challenges of declaring a winter election, why didn't you provide voters with the option of voting electronically? If municipalities can participate in electronic voting, then provincial elections should be able to follow suit.
Two times I have needed professional assistance getting my vehicle back on the road this winter; my priority has to be rent, vehicle maintenance and food in order for me to keep my job.
I'm a single adult who rents a room in someone else's house. I can't imagine how entire families are making ends meet this winter under these circumstances. How on earth can those same families justify the cost of physically getting to Midland's single polling station on election day?
You could have done so much much better for the constituents of our province Premier Ford!!
Ute Schmid-Jones
Midland
