In the run up to the 2017 election, we asked our readers and listeners what issues matter most to them. Every day, we ask candidates for their thoughts on healthcare, growth, traffic, city facilities, downtown, and the other issues important to their campaign. Today, Serge Desrochers addresses your issues.

When it comes to his campaign priorities, Council candidate Serge Desrochers said addressing traffic issues is at the top of his list. He said one area of Airdrie in particular sticks out.

"The big one is Yankee Valley Boulevard. This is totally a mess right now. Each single light, you have to stop because it's red. I've been to other cities, you have coordinated traffic lights. You hit one red light, and after that, if you follow the speed limit, you're going to get through all the other lights."

Desrochers also believes it's imperative for the City to monitor and control growth.

Desrochers stated his belief that Airdrie is growing too fast, and services are not keeping up to the rapid spike in population. The rapid development has strained Airdrie, especially when it comes to traffic, and Desrochers thinks the growth needs to be slowed.

"I think we have to manage that more, maybe slow down a little bit of the growth for the system here to absorb all that new people."

Desrochers thinks one way to do that would be a cap on development and building permits by the City. He doesn't believe that cap needs to be rigid, but he believes easing growth would be beneficial for the City.

Desrochers listed a third priority for his campaign in this election: Public safety.

"We need more police officers, in my opinion. We need to support the RCMP. We're already supporting them but we need to support them more, give them more options to help the city to be safer."

Desrochers thinks as Airdrie has grown, there has been an increase in crime. He believes the RCMP is already doing a good job in the community, but doubts they would turn down additional officers and resources if supplied by the City.

Desrochers has been campaigning on a promise to improve the quality of life of residents. He believes one way that can be accomplished is through additional city facilities. Desrochers said if the community wants some type of new facility, that is something he would support. He does not have specific ideas on where or what that will end up being at this time.

Some other issues fall further down the list of Desrochers priorities. He said is was not sure if there are in fact significant gaps in healthcare in Airdrie. He believes the Urgent Care's 24 hour service does a great job providing emergency care, and Airdrie's proximity to Calgary means we are not that far from hospitals that can provide extended care. Because we are so close to Calgary, he thinks it is unlikely we will see a hospital built in Airdrie. In his opinion, Airdronians have as much access to hospital care as most Calgarians.

Desrochers also does not think downtown redevelopment should be a priority at this time. While he acknowledges that the core does need a facelift, he thinks that is something that can be left to the future, as there are other things to focus on in the present.

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