OrilliaMatters will profile all the candidates seeking election in the Oct. 24 municipal election. Prospective candidates have until Aug. 19 to submit their nomination papers.
A lifelong Orillia resident and long-time Soldiers' Memorial Hospital business analyst is making a bid for a position on city council this fall.
Ward 1 hopeful Paul Cain, 50, has worked at the hospital for the past 28 years and believes the knowledge he has gained through his career will serve the city well with him on council.
“I'm a business analyst, so I'm experienced evaluating business processes and formulating improvements,” Cain told OrilliaMatters. “Coordinating with team members to create improvements is something I've been doing for a very long time, (and) teamwork is the key to any well functioning council.”
He said those skills and that experience will be helpful at city hall.
“I think this will translate fairly well in team environments, working to find the best solution that will impact the stakeholders,” he said. “Of course, I'm going to look for Ward 1 and their interests, but the city as a whole also needs to be top of mind.”
There are a large number of initiatives and issues that Cain would like to address, should he be elected this fall, and he hopes to employ a fiscally responsible approach in his decision making.
“Fiscal responsibility is key – a conservative approach to handling the finances of the city will benefit us for years to come,” he said. “We are, of course, leaving the pandemic behind and the city has many projects planned and it will be important to keep the costs on budget.”
In terms of what he would like to see in the community, Cain hopes to help the waterfront grow into a more vibrant space.
“If we can make our waterfront a fun, vibrant place for everyone, I think that's an important goal,” Cain said.
“I love the waterfront and would be happy to see that plan go ahead – it's important to keep the park itself intact for everyone in the community,” he said. “The Aqua Theatre is a jewel and needs to be in use three or more times per week.”
Cain also demonstrated concern about affordable housing and rising costs of living.
“Orillia needs more affordable and geared-to-income housing. It's going to get tough for people this winter as the cost of living is going up, and it will be important to ensure local services are able to get the support they need,” he said.
Infrastructure improvements also sit on Cain’s to-do list for the city, both in terms of its transportation routes and job opportunities for residents.
“I'd like to see infrastructure improvements. Laclie Street needs to be fixed, (and) I think the timeline for that should be moved up,” he said. “More light industrial shops would keep people working in Orillia and avoid them having to commute to work to outside communities.”
Cain also spoke of speeding on Atherley Road as a concern and thinks the city should add another boat launch.
As a parent, he hopes to see community safety zones reviewed and improved.
“I have one child in grade school, one who just finished high school and one starting university, so I've got the school ages all covered. If you want to talk about education in the city, I'd love to hear from you,” he said.
“I'm interested in community safety zones around Regent Park and St. Bernard's, which I feel are lacking, and all schools should be up for review,” he said. “At Regent, it's a nightmare getting in and out there to drop kids off, and you're not allowed to pull into the parking lots anymore, because that's what school buses own, so parents all jumbled up on the roads, basically … it's just nightmarish, and it shouldn't have to be that bad.”
Cain previously ran for a council position in 2010, and said that his decision to get involved in politics stems from his care for Orillia and a desire to give back to it.
“I'd like to give back; I've been here my whole life. I grew up as a teenager, in my 20s; I raised my kids here at the local schools,” he said. “I want to ensure that Orillia continues to grow and continues to be a good, safe place for families, and that people will choose Orillia."
Cain said he hopes to knock on every door in the ward prior to election time.
“I'm deeply committed to Orillia and the future, and I plan on staying here a long time. I plan on knocking on every door in Ward 1, so keep an eye out for me every day before election day,” he said.
Ted Emond and David Campbell are the current Ward 1 councillors. Emond has announced he will not be running this fall, but Campbell has filed his nomination papers to run again. Cain joins Rick Sinotte as the only other candidates, to date, in the ward.
