Brampton Has So Much Potential

I've lived in Brampton my whole life. I have to be honest, it took me many years to appreciate this city. The more I've explored, the more I've fallen in love with it. Brampton has beautiful parks, green spaces, woods and trails. Although I knew about the trails and few parks, I had no idea how much we had. I think it's amazing we have the Etobicoke Creek Trail that connects all the cities in Peel Region. And I think it's amazing that we can find old growth trees in the city too. Let's continue to protect these areas while making use of the land for more spaces like this.

Now that we are more aware of climate change, social and economic issues, the city has so much potential to change and grow. On the environmental level, we can become a zero waste city, plastic free, and pedestrian and cycling friendly. Let's have less cars on the road, more options for smart commuting and cycling. We should have more bike paths that have a safe barrier from the roads, and more shops that are accessible by foot. We should also invest in renewable energy, and provide incentives to go solar. We should have more smart buildings with rooftop gardens, and community gardens throughout the city with options for urban farming. There are so many possibilities!

I think these changes should come hand in hand by listening to our diverse communities, to improve quality of life for all residents. I'm still learning about all the communities in Brampton. I'm also aware that our government does not represent the diversity that exists in the city. We need more representation so that our leaders can not only listen but also understand the issues vulnerable and marginalized communities face. This is important for the city to implement better planning and services that cater to their needs. I have to be honest about the fact that I'm actually not well aware of many social issues that exist in Brampton. I think we need more awareness and I think this project to redesign Brampton is a great opportunity to learn about how we can improve.

My goal is to learn more about the social issues, which will further inform the implementation of environmental and economic solutions to create a better Brampton. However, a start would be to end poverty, and create more education and training, and job opportunities within Brampton.

We know that healthy communities start with healthy environments. There is a diagram that shows environment as the foundation, then the social and then economics. But to create change, we need to first use economics for better and equal distribution of resources that invest in community health, which goes hand in hand with environmental health.