Council candidates: Geza Wordofa

Introduce yourself to readers. Who are you?

I’m Geza Wordofa. I was born in Ethiopia, studied in Moscow and moved to Stratford in 2011. I have been advocating for a homeless shelter for years.

What are the core issues you are focused on this election?

The major issues are homelessness, development of the Grand Trunk building, a new police building, a new library and the replacement of the YMCA, and tight financial control.

Next year’s budget, like last year’s, will be presented and guided by the mayor. As a councillor, what will you do to keep the tax levy low?

As to the budget, I will challenge anything that, in my opinion, is a want and not a need. That is why I opposed a DEI department. I question the need for a new police station, projected to cost $40 million. There must be a cheaper alternative.

Housing and homelessness in Stratford continues to be a challenge. What, in your opinion, is the strategy the city should be taking in building more homes and/or improving affordability?

On homelessness, we need a men’s homeless shelter. Homeless people need to know where they can go, rather than being sent to expensive local inns, or being driven to other communities.

Are you in favour of the current council’s direction on the GTR? If not, what strategy would you be in favour of?

… We have to solve the problem. It has dragged on for too long. The cost of demolition and site remediation is expensive and we would lose a lot of land because of the set-off required from the railway tracks. Repurposing the structure would cost in excess of $100 million. The better alternative would be to repurpose the building, if we can get commercial and business participation. The repurposed project could house a new library, police department, shopping and parking, all downtown. The $40 million budgeted for the new police station could be used to locate the new police station here.