{"id":6,"date":"2022-08-16T14:04:04","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T18:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonniefokkens.ca\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2026-09-14T08:18:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T12:18:58","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bonniefokkens.ca\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Re-Elect Bonnie Fokkens for Welland City Council, Ward 6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vote on Monday, October 26th<\/h3>\n\n\n
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I am hopeful that you will entrust me as your Ward 6 Council representative for the 2026-2030 term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Provincial mandates, Strong Mayor powers and whispers of amalgamation threaten to reduce the voice of Welland Council, I truly believe that the voice of the residents, still matter. Reducing inflow and infiltration into our sanitation system that can cause flooding, Storm Sewer upgrading, road replacement, safe affordable housing and long term care homes, protecting farmland and the urban canopy, smart urban growth, affordable tax and water\/wastewater rates, attracting industry in a responsible manner and working with the Region for an alternate viable shelter placement for the homeless and the necessary services \u2013 are only a few issues that need to be addressed at the Council table. I have been your voice in the past, and I will continue to advocate on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Values<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Being elected as a Ward Councillor is not a job. It is a commitment to the residents – that you will respond and work on their behalf, to bring their issues to the table, to be financially responsible for your tax dollars – both in infrastructure and services, and to help guide the City\u2019s future while not dismissing the past. In my previous terms, I believe that I have fulfilled these commitments and have practiced honesty, integrity and transparency in all of my actions on Council, and as a woman, I believe that my view of politics, business and problem solving skills, offers a different perspective to the problems at hand.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Vision<\/h2>\n\n\n
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There are many challenging issues that Ward 6 and Welland will be facing in the next four(4) years and beyond. We can continue to achieve significant progress and continue to grow as a community by focusing on substantial responsible growth while improving our financial frame work, that would be stable and affordable for tax payers, streamlining services with cost savings metrics, better public involvement and communications, safety, health and attainable housing.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Core Issues<\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Smart Growth<\/h3>

As we continue to see our urban forest, farmlands and wetlands depleted and unprotected, we need to recognize and claim our responsibility for providing a healthy city – today and for tomorrow – and be ready to meet the challenges of Climate change. Through smart planning, enforceable Policies and by-laws, we CAN sustain, protect and enhance our green space while promoting infilling in appropriate areas in keeping with the culture of the existing area and providing affordable housing for our residents of all ages, work force and for the vulnerable. I am committed to advocate in providing leadership that will provide sustainable growth for Welland in this manner.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Effectiveness and Efficiencies of Current Policies<\/h3>

To stay current with Provincial mandates, and urban growth, we need to stay current on our existing policies, to ensure effectiveness for the future – both for the residents and the City. Policies are necessary to provide guidance to Council and Staff in effectively navigating issues with good governance and need to be reviewed on a consistent basis.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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City Services<\/h3>

While the City continues to grow, I will continue to seek that our level of services are enhanced and maintainable. While this may be in Public Works and Parks, or in keeping up with our aging infrastructure to reduce water\/sewer breaks, road rehabilitation or in reducing inflow and infiltration of storm water into our sanitary sewers to reduce residential flooding. From Health Care, to basic Customer Service – we are responsible to the residents, to provide quality service.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Homeless on our Streets<\/h3>

Wellanders have the right to feel safe in our City, in our parks, in our neighbourhoods and in our homes. We seem to have temporary or makeshift solutions that are not fully addressing those unhoused or in addiction. We need to work towards deeper integration of responses to homelessness, addiction, and mental health and we need to make these supports available by working with the Region and other levels of government. Unfortunately, Welland doesn\u2019t stand alone in these challenges.<\/p>\n

I believe we should be helping people before situations escalate into emergencies. This means adopting a sustainable plan of care. It may require us to shift towards health and social infrastructure focused on recovery, treatment, housing, and on-site wraparound support, using an integrated model of housing and healthcare to improve service access, system coordination and actual community health and well-being outcomes. It also means securing federal and provincial funding to invest in outreach and system navigation that gets folks off of the streets and into care.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Community Involvement<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Community involvement is important to understand the grass roots of the community. Listening to their needs and expectations with hands-on-involvement, helps build a better community.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Boards or Committees – City of Welland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my previous terms I have been appointed to the following Committees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n