Cheryll Watson’s Answers to Mayoral Forum Questions
Aging in place means having access to services, and health and social supports, to live and grow older in one’s home and community, safely and well. Surveys tell us that overwhelmingly, seniors want to age in place; seniors want to age in community.
- Accessible transportation is important for aging in place/community. For Edmonton seniors, what are current transportation barriers? As Mayor, how do you plan to deal with these challenges/barriers?
Current: Right now, there are several transportation barriers that face seniors in Edmonton. From a lack of bus service in certain nieghbourhoods to improperly cleared sidewalks in the winter time. My mother recently moved downtown to a seniors facility and I witness the struggles some have to even cross the busy street before the light turns green. Our city hasn’t prioritized development of infrastructure with an inclusive view.
As Mayor: I kicked off this campaign with the goal of building a “city that works”, this has now become our campaign slogan. And that statement gets to the heart of what we’re really trying to do. A city that works for all Edmontonians’ prioritizes development with an inclusive view. I’ll ensure our administration prioritizes snow clearing from sidewalks so that those with mobility issues don’t face unnecessary hurdles. I’ll work to ensure our city has equitable access to services, no matter where in the city you live (this means recreation facilities, libraries, transit access and more). The recent changes to ETS bus routes drastically impact some communities and we need to review the data and ensure we’re serving all demographics in our city equally.
- All levels of government provide services to seniors to support aging safely and well in community. At the municipal level, what current services for seniors do you think are a success and what are your plans to maintain/enhance those services? What services are lacking and how do you plan to address the service gaps?
I’m genuinely pleased with many of the services the city offers including assisted garbage pick-up with no extra charge, discounted rates at city recreation facilities, large font books at the Edmonton Public Library, several community seniors centre and more. I do believe we don’t communicate these offerings very well though and it would be a priority for me to ensure all seniors know about these offerings.
As above, I see the biggest gap in accessibility around transportation. We need to ensure seniors can move safely around the city and we need to prioritize that work.
2. Some might ask why have a mayoral forum on “seniors issues” at all. Some wonder if seniors are a unique constituency. Do you think seniors are a unique constituency? When you think about municipal policies, what issues and considerations about the Edmonton senior demographic are at the forefront for you?
I believe the seniors demographic is an important one. I reflect often that our city was built because of the passionate and incredible Edmontonians’ that chose to build their life here. Not only do we owe them gratitude, but it’s our job to ensure they receive top-notch services for the taxes they pay.
There are several issues we need to address that are critical to this demographics including: accessible transportation options (walking and transit), better communication of services offered (including garbage pick up and reduced user fees) and lastly, prioritizing opportunities to hear seniors feedback and views on city policies more often.
3. During the COVID pandemic, seniors have been differentially impacted. With Canada entering a fourth wave driven by the Delta variant, and coming changes in provincial public health policy, some seniors are concerned about their health and safety; and the healthy and safety of their loved ones. If elected Mayor, what will you do at the municipal level to address concerns and to support the health and safety of senior Edmontonians and families?
The pandemic impacted the lives of seniors greatly. Personally, I couldn’t see my mom, help her with her laundry or have a conversation with her in-person for over a year. As we learn to adapt to a world with COVID, we have to prioritize health and safety for all Edmontonians and I don’t think that is specific to seniors. Higher cleaning standards on transit and in city owned facilities, ensuring we follow provincial health guidelines regarding masking and so much more.
Our world has forever changed and we need to pivot and change with it rather than go back to our same old operating mechanisms.
