VOTE 2022: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YORK-SIMCOE RIDING

#ONTARIOVOTES: INFO FOR GEORGINA, BRADFORD, EAST GWILLIMBURY AND KING TOWNSHIP VOTERS

Here's what you need to know about casting your vote in the 43rd general provincial election on June 2. Check back for regular updates.

THE RIDING:

The provincial Yorksimcoe riding straddles both York Region and Simcoe Country, consisting of Georgina, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Georgina Island First Nation, East Gwillimbury, except south of Green Lane between Bathurst Street and Highway 404, and part of King Township north of Highway 9 and Davis Drive West.

York-simcoe is about 1,100 square kilometres in

size and is home to about 124,000 people, based on 2021 census data — that's about a 20 per cent increase in population compared to 2016.

The median age in the riding is 40 years old, and those aged 30 to 59 years old make up about 43 per cent of the riding's population.

Georgina residents make up about 38 per cent of riding, followed by Bradford residents with 34 per cent and East Gwillimbury residents with 28 per cent.

THE RACE:

GREEN PARTY - Julie Stewart

LIBERTARIAN - Zachary Tisdale

NEW BLUE - Brent Fellman

ONTARIO PARTY - Alana Hollander

ONTARIO MODERATE PARTY Franco

Colavecchia

ONTARIO NDP- Spencer Yang Ki

ONTARIO LIBERAL PARTY Walter Alvarez-bardales

PC PARTY OF ONTARIO - Caroline Mulroney

THE ISSUES:

This election is chock full of pertinent issues for residents in the riding, from growth and development to transportation and protecting the environment.

The Bradford Bypass and Lake Simcoe Protection Plan are big ticket issues with lasting affects for the area.

A number of environmental groups and many residents are calling for an updated environmental assessment for the Bradford Bypass that includes a detailed impact on the health of Lake Simcoe.

Meanwhile, many residents along with local governments

want to see the decades-long project a reality in hopes of easing traffic and congestion through the area.

Residents, municipal governments and environmental groups are also awaiting a decision from the province on the Upper York Sewage Solution project, which will see about 47 million litres of treated water dumped into the Lake Simcoe watershed on a daily basis.

The proposed water treatment facility, located in East Gwillimbury, will also allow for water and wastewater servicing of more than 150,000 new homes in East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and Aurora.

BACKGROUND:

The York-simcoe riding has been a conservative stronghold, voting in a blue MPP in every election since 2007 when the riding was established and aligned with the corresponding federal riding.

The late Julia Munro held the seat from 2007 when the riding was first established to 2018.

In 2018, Caroline Mulroney was elected. Mulroney is the incumbent MPP for the riding and is also the current minister of transportation and minister of Francophone affairs.