Four Flamborough-Glanbrook candidates faced off Thursday night in a Cable 14 debate, ahead of next week's provincial election.
Three of the candidates, Ontario Liberal Joshua Bell, Ontario NDP Lilly Noble, Ontario Green Janet Errygers, took Ontario PC candidate and incumbent Donna Skelly to task on her seven-year-long run as Member of Provincial Parliament — and Doug Ford, the premier she has served under.
"Doug and Donna, our leaders, are not acting in our best interest," Errygers contended.
Bell called the winter election "unnecessary" and Noble alleged that Skelly, as MPP, has ignored the will of her constituents.
Skelly opened the debate by warning Flamborough-Glanbrook residents about the tariff threats from the United States, saying Ford and the PC party are the only ones equipped to stand up against U.S. President Donald Trump.
New Blue candidate Kristen Halfpenny was not invited to the debate, but aired a video sharing her platform halfway through the event.
The debate became heated at times, with all candidates talking over each other about the Greenbelt, protecting farmland, traffic in Waterdown, intensification, stormwater fees, housing, education and healthcare.
The candidates
Skelly, 61, worked as a journalist for 30 years before becoming a Hamilton city councillor in 2015. She was elected Flamborough-Glanbrook MPP in 2018 and is seeking a third term.
Noble, 59, is a former cancer researcher and University of Toronto faculty member. She was heavily involved in the Stop the Sprawl movement, opposing Ford's Greenbelt land grab attempt. This is her first time running for office.
Errygers, 33, is a project manager at a pharma company in Brantford. She has run for office four times — once for Brantford city council and three times for Flamborough-Glanbrook MPP. This is her third MPP election.
Bell, 21, is a nutrition associate with Hamilton Health Sciences. He graduated McMaster University with a political science degree and is an active advocate for mental health in Hamilton. This is his first time running for office.
Candidates talk education, stormwater fees
During the debate, Bell and Noble both referred to several municipal issues — like public park placement, municipal transit and snow plowing — that Skelly pointed out are not provincial responsibilities.
Bell said MPPs should work with the municipalities when constituents bring up these issues.
Noble brought up that Mary Hopkins Elementary is overcrowded from the rapid growth of the Waterdown community, and the east end of Waterdown needs a new school.
"We have to actually fund for schools to be built," Noble said.
Skelly was quick to correct them, and said she has been able to open three grade schools in Flamborough-Glanbrook over the past seven years. Skelly said she has three new schools coming to Flamborough, including a new elementary school in Waterdown.
While Skelly touted that the Ford government has spent more on education than any previous provincial government, Noble said students receive $1,500 less each on average than before the Ford government took over.
"It's not enough," Noble said. "Every school board in Ontario is running at a deficit."
Skelly said that's the responsibility of the school boards, not the province. She added that her government took cell phones out of the classroom.
Bell said he comes from a family of educators who have seen under-funding in Ontario's classrooms firsthand.
"These family members of mine are in these classrooms... There is under-funding with the resources," Bell said.
A reporter asked Bell about one of Flamborough's hot button issues, municipal stormwater incentive fees, also called the rain tax by some, that are to begin April 1, 2026. With the new funding model, businesses and residences with non-absorbent surfaces on their properties, like blacktop parking lots or large buildings, will be charged for the upkeep of stormwater collection systems, like ditches and culverts.
But some farmers and rural residents have concerns that these fees will end up costing them tens of thousands of dollars and will push farmers out of Hamilton region.
Bell replied that as MPP, he would protect wetlands.
Skelly has brought a motion to Queen's Park to keep municipalities from charging agricultural properties these fees. She called the fees "egregious."
Noble argued that the city still has to pay for rural stormwater management, through culverts and ditches. In February 2024, Ward 13 Coun. Alex Wilson told FlamboroughToday the city spends about $3 million a year clearing rural ditches.
"That's not farmers. Farmers don't have huge parking lots," Noble said, adding that some councillors are working on credits for farmers.
But Skelly said the rebates are too unclear and that the city should take no funds from farmers, and in her experience, most farmers clear their own ditches and culverts when there are massive rainstorms. She said the Ontario NDP has supported her motion against the stormwater fees.
"Ditches are cleaned by the farmers themselves... This was a tax grab by the city, a foolish tax grab," Skelly said.
New housing, intensification and protecting the Greenbelt
During the debate, outside of taking shots at the Ford government and Skelly's time as MPP, Errygers was focused on protecting Flamborough-Glanbrook's greenspace and building housing and businesses where development has already happened.
Errygers suggested hubs like Waterdown and Binbrook need to build more intensified housing, instead of detached, semi-detached and town homes, which are common in the area.
"We believe in community hubs," Errygers said, adding she would open up residential neighbourhoods for corner stores and cafes.
Skelly agreed that housing solutions may need to get more creative, pointing to a new-build home in the riding she visited that had a main residence on the second and third floors and a rental unit on the first floor and in the basement.
Skelly said more intensification in places like Waterdown and Binbrook will likely not go over well with those communities.
"There is always a give and take within the community," Skelly said.
While the candidates agreed on the need to strategize how housing is built, Errygers asked why the PC government hasn't already done something in the past two terms.
"The Conservatives are wondering where all these affordable homes are supposed to come from, without thinking maybe it is their responsibility," Noble said.
Skelly said the government should not be taking over the creation of social housing, while Noble and Errygers strongly agree.
When asked about changes to the urban boundary, which expands what rural land in Hamilton can be developed, Skelly said that is a municipal decision. She added that Ford has apologized for encroaching on the Greenbelt and pointed out the provincial Liberal government opened up the Greenbelt 17 times.
Skelly asked why it was OK for the Liberals to open the Greenbelt land to create a golf course, while Noble noted the amount of land the PC government tried to take out of the Greenbelt was much larger.
Bell pushed back, reminding residents that the Liberal government created the Greenbelt in the first place.
"She can't be trusted on this at all," he contended.
"The Greenbelt is 2,000 acres larger today that it was before," Skelly said.
Noble noted that was hazard land and couldn't be built on anyway.
Candidates take digs at incumbent MPP
During the debate, a reporter asked Skelly why she came to the debate, when the PC government has largely abstained from debates and interviews during the election.
"I wanted to be here and I'm here," Skelly said.
Errygers congratulated Skelly on showing up for her "job interview," while Bell alleged Skelly is only available for her constituents when it's time for an election.
Errygers repeatedly pointed to Skelly's 1.9-star rating on Google, which she suggested shows Skelly has not shown up for her community. Errygers suggested the Ford government is counting on a low voter turnout to secure a third term win.
Skelly countered that the low voter turnout is because the other provincial parties have failed at inspiring voters.
"You weren't inspiring them and you are probably going to see lower voter turnout now because we don't have a very attractive alternative," Skelly said.
