My name is Fred Eismont and I’m thrilled to be a candidate for Ward 4 city councillor. Ward 4 is a geographically large and important part of Oshawa. It comprises over 20 parks, beautiful trail networks, unique shopping areas as well as our central downtown shopping and entertainment district!
I am a lifelong resident of Oshawa with my wife Julie and two grown daughters Alex and Sami. My professional career involved jobs at The Oshawa Times and Oshawa This Week spanning a career of 34 years. While at both media groups, I was fortunate to be able to help clients achieve their marketing goals and also help community service groups with their fundraising awareness goals.
MY PLATFORM
ROAD SAFETY/SECURITY FOR WARD 4 RESIDENTS
I am an active member on the Mayors’ Task Force on Community Safety, Security and Well-Being. Our mandate and successes to date include working collaboratively with key City Hall senior staff and important stakeholders like our private downtown security patrol, Durham EMS personnel, Durham Regional Police and our Municipal By-Law officers. Bottom line, we want to ensure we have safer roads in which to drive our cars, bikes, e-bikes and walk. We want a downtown where people feel safe to live, shop, dine, watch live sports and entertainment.
Outside of downtown, each Ward 4 neighbourhood has issues that affect you whether it is automotive speeding issues, neighbourhood park/playground maintenance issues, sidewalk repairs or common littering.
Finally, there are a number of disadvantaged folks that rely on Oshawa services and supports that are largely in our downtown core. Work has been done to improve and streamline these services but Oshawa can’t handle all of this. We need help and to work smarter with the rest of Durham and the GTA governments.
My pledge is to ensure all Ward 4 resident concerns are heard and addressed.
SERVICES/PROGRAMS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Are you and your family members getting the programs and services you need? I can help you discover low-cost or free services such as access to recreational opportunities, cultural opportunities, career opportunities. I don’t care if your concerns/questions fall under local/regional Oshawa City Hall, provincial government or federal government services. I have a network of great relationships at all levels of government, with elected officials, social service organizations and small/large businesses.
I will find the information you need and personally follow up.
Let my experience work for you at City Hall.
TAX WATCHDOG
Inflation is an issue for all households. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure our hard-earned tax dollars are spent wisely and allocated to the proper programs and infrastructure projects. The City of Oshawa has showed promising signs of being fiscally responsible the past few years but we need a renewed commitment to balancing the books just as all households are facing.
We need to ensure a transparent, inclusive process of budgeting and spending at city hall. I will be your Ward 4 Expense/Tax Watchdog at City Hall. I’ll regularly share newsletters on our progress.
BUSINESS SUCCESS
Covid has been tough on all of our Ward 4 and Oshawa businesses. Most Covid-related business grants have ended and a lot of hard-working small to medium sized businesses, that survived Covid, are hopeful of a short term and long term return to meaningful profits. There are a number of barriers to success that still exist. We need to ensure that resources are available to aid these entrepreneurs in their quest to supply Oshawa and Durham residents with their unique products and services and make a better life for their families.
PUT MY EXPERIENCE TO WORK FOR YOU AT CITY HALL