Ray Hobson

Picton Ward One

One of the key concerns in Ward 1 for Ray Hobson is the recruitment of doctors to live and work in the County. Even though headway has been made on the subject, Hobson feels that the recruitment process should be more continual, considering the imminent need for more doctors due to some pending retirements.

“I continually hear people complaining that they can’t get a doctor, and that the doctors here are overburdened with too many patients. There are voids that have not been filled from previous doctors retiring. That’s why our emergency room is so busy,” says Hobson.

Another major concern is finding jobs for people looking to stay in the County.

“If we want to keep people, jobs are key. The right jobs as well. Today’s youth need to decide early on whether to stay or leave for school. We need reasons for them to stay here.”

Hobson is running to challenge what he calls “PEC voter cynicism”. He plans to use his engineering skills to work hard and research all the details relevant to the issues that affect the taxpayers of the County. As an engineer, he is skilled at problem analysis and solutions. He is convinced that his attention to detail will be useful in council decisions. Another useful factor that Hobson has on his side is time. He can commit full-time as a councillor and says that he has already done heavy research on many topics affecting his ward. He is not concerned with salary or re-election either, because his motives for running aren’t political. He wants to get inside the machine and make it run more efficiently.

Healthcare is a top priority for Hobson, who also wants to make sure the hospital gets built. He considers it integral to the growth of our community and wants to make sure the message gets out that the public must contribute a whole lot more if the hospital is to become a reality. Businesses are starting to do their part, now it’s the public’s turn to rally, according to Hobson.

Affordable housing is another priority, although Hobson says that the parameters of affordable housing must be defined, and that he is still confused as to how the allotted funding for affordable housing will be spent.

“It’s an interesting concept to put $250,000 aside, but what are we going to do with it? How will the money be spent? Affordable housing is also not just a local issue, it’s a global problem that everyone in facing,”

As for opportunities for the next term of council, Hobson has an idea to gain income from governance on short-term rentals. With the amount of money Airbnb owners are making, he feels it only fair for some to be given back. Hobson also sees opportunities for council the engage youth more by way of exposing them to our political process in a way that will engage them. Hobson would also like to see us look to our neighbours and adopt best practices from other municipalities.

Hobson moved to Picton when he was five years old, and currently lives in the house he grew up in. Although not a homeowner currently, he once owned a property in the ’80s at the end of Brewer’s Road, which some may know as the epicentre of the wind turbine fight. Hobson ended up selling his property on Brewer’s, but at a six-figure loss to what it could have been had the wind turbines not been to close to the property. On top of the financial loss, it took three years to sell the place. Hobson’s background is in engineering and he is of the strong opinion that more research needs to be done, and better questions need to be asked if the County is going to make headway on the issues it currently faces.