Dee Hazell

Hillier Ward Seven

Dee Hazell, who moved to the County in 1998, has fond childhood memories of visiting her grandparents at their family farm. So, when she decided to buy a home and settle down, she was naturally drawn to her family rooted here. Since then, she has worked as a nurse in both hospital and primary care settings and has not only taught nursing but was also a forensic on-call nurse for over a decade. Since her retirement a couple of years ago, she now farms for a living.

Hazell, who lives with her spouse, a few dogs, cats and a couple of dozen alpacas, volunteers at the local humane society and at Alternatives for Women as a board member and chair of the housing committee. She has also volunteered with the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District, the Hillier Ratepayers Association and Friends of Hillier Beaches and Dunes. “This volunteer work has opened my eyes and heart to the struggles and joys of neighbours, friends and strangers alike,” she said. “My paid and unpaid work has taught me to work with teams and groups, alone and with individuals. I am running for council to address the issues and concerns that are important to me, the community, friends and neighbours.”

She advocates a creative approach to solving the issue of affordable housing by encouraging developers to build more small starter homes with higher density. “I see lots of luxury being advertised and built. I don’t see any developers advertising or building at the other end of the spectrum. As a community, we need to work to ensure everyone has a safe and affordable place to live.” Hazell said, “The County is an amazing place to live and grow. A story I have often heard is our youth want to stay and raise their families, but just can’t afford it. Once we work on getting more simple and affordable housing, that will begin to solve the problem. A healthy community is a diverse community.”

When asked about tourism management, she said there needs to be a better balance between the needs of those who rely on tourist income and those residents who feel overwhelmed by the influx of visitors. “We need enough tourists to support the established tourist venues, yet not so many that the residents can’t live in their own community,” she said. “We have to get creative in how to manage the tourism sector so folks who depend on tourism can survive yet those of us who are year-round residents can enjoy the place we call home.”

On the issue of expensive water bills, Hazell said she needs to educate herself on the intricacies of the water system. “Those who use the water should pay, but why so much?” she said. “Understanding how the waterworks functions and why County water is so expensive will be one of the many issues I will be learning about if elected.”

She said the next council must address the issue of climate change. “We are in a climate emergency,” she said. “Every decision we make needs to ponder its environmental impact.” At the same time, Hazell said it is important to maintain the county’s heritage. “Recognizing our history and respecting it is very important. We are where we come from. If we don’t respect and celebrate our history, it becomes lost and we lose.” She said she has been encouraged by some businesses saving old barns by repurposing them, although she points out there is a challenge in expanding the County’s housing while protecting agricultural land and wild spaces from urban sprawl.

Hazell thinks the size of council could be reduced slightly but said it is important that all rural and urban resident be represented. “We need our council to reflect the County, its people and its values.”