THUNDER BAY – Cody Fraser says he thinks it’s time to inject a little younger perspective on Thunder Bay city council.
At 26, he’s hoping to be one of those voices, one of five candidates vying to represent Neebing Ward at city hall for the next four years.
An aspiring future lawyer studying at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Fraser said it’s time for a new generation of community leaders to take the city’s reins.
“Over the past decade, at least, I think the city has taken a lot of hits. I think that the same names are being put forward every single year and I feel even the names that aren’t being put forward really come from the same demographic, the same generation of people,” said Fraser, a former forward with the Fort William North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
“I think it’s time for young people to start stepping up in our community.”
Fraser said it’s the city’s youth that has the most at stake.
“We’re the future,” he said.
“We have young families growing up. We’re going to be here ... longer than the older generation and basically I think (it’s) a fresh perspective. It’s changing times and there’s a consistently changing media landscape with the fake news media – you never really know what’s real out there.”
Infrastructure and road development are two of the issues he hears most about knocking on doors throughout the ward.
“I feel like most Neebing residents feel that Neebing is an afterthought, as far as infrastructure development is concerned,” Fraser said. “If you take a quick drive out 15th Side Road, you can see what I mean – crumbling roads.”
Fraser said Neebing residents are some of the highest taxed in the city, but don’t always get the benefit of the same services, including curbs and sidewalks, found in other neighbourhoods.
He pledged to fight to level the playing field.
“Unfortunately I think it’s actually a disservice to the people who live in Neebing,” Fraser said.
On a city-wide basis, Fraser said he would like to see continued development of Thunder Bay’s waterfront and more attention paid to recreational needs both in his ward and throughout the community.
The municipal election is on Oct. 22.
