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Mayoral candidate Don Scott standing by two key platform points

PHOTO: Don Scott is running for mayor of the RMWB with the campaign slogan "For a stronger tomorrow." Jenna Hamilton. REPORTER

The municipal election is a mere four months away.

Don Scott the only candidate to announce he is running for mayor, is standing by two key pillars of his platform.

Scott believes that Bill 21 and fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations at the oil sands sites will have to be a top priority for the next council.

“Since announcing my mayoral candidacy in March, I have been meeting with a number of community stakeholders, and what has become very clear is that Bill 21 and FIFO present a serious economic challenge and must be addressed to ensure sustainability and viability of this region and our communities,” said Scott.

The provincial government has introduced Bill 21, that makes changes to the Municipal Government Act.

One amendment that would directly affect the community is changing the commercial to residential tax ratio.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s (RMWB) current ratio is 18.3:1, Bill 21 proposes it be lowered to 5:1.

“Add in the current price of oil, and we are facing the perfect storm of economic challenges in this region as we grapple not only with the rebuild of our communities subsequent to the devastating wildfire of 2016, but also with addressing the impacts of these issues that primarily relate to our main industry and revenue stream,” said Scott.

“One of the most concerning facets of Bill 21 is the lack of clarity from the provincial government. We must gain clarity on this issue and understand the exact impact it will have as we begin to make decisions for the future of this region.”

Back in December Wildrose Leader and Fort McMurray-Conklin MLA Brian Jean said the NDP government agreed to grandfather the RMWB, provided they go no higher than the current 18.3:1.

Another issue Scott says that is concerning residents is the oil sands sites flying employees in and out of their operations.

“FIFO is a significant issue given that this practice means these oil sands employees are not living in our region and thus not contributing to our communities in a financial or social sense. While both FIFO and Bill 21 serve industry well, they do not contribute to our communities and region,” said Scott.

Scott believes a new deal with the RMWB and industry partners would be beneficial.

He also notes that a possible solution would be a phased tax reduction for industry in exchange for a commitment to hire employees from our community and use the International Airport as their primary hub.

The municipal election is on October 16, 2017.