Rajni Agarwal is running for Council At-Large in Thunder Bay.
For the past 31 years, Rajni has worked very closely with hundreds of residents in Thunder Bay and the area. Born and raised in Northwestern Ontario, the 4 years away at the University of Toronto and then 3 years in Mexico only made Rajni appreciate Thunder Bay even more. Her career has been broad and includes several businesses as a realtor and broker, restauranteur and real estate developer and property manager, and other local and international businesses. She was the Chair of the Special Olympics Winter games event (Kidnapped for a Cause, which raised $84,000 net in 2019 and $46,000 in 2010), President of Fort City Kinettes from 1999 to 2001, the National Chair of Entertainment for CF Telethon (1994-1997), and designed a fundraiser for organ donation awareness (Maharaja's Gala 2010 -2011). She also has won multiple awards and has been recognized for her accomplishments as a top producer in local real estate and an influential businesswoman. Rajni Agarwal has proven herself in business, development and care for the community.
Why are you running for this position?
With over 31 years of full-time real estate sales and development experience in our city, I have heard our homeowners and their concerns. I have worked on large-scale development projects and seen the hardship of the red tape. Thunder Bay has been my home since elementary school at Claude Garton. I have seen the great days of success and growth and also now see some of the hardships we face. Thunder Bay is one of the most scenic cities in our country. It is located in the center of our great country. We have all forms of transportation for all types of goods. I want to create growth in the city. With growth comes an expansion in our tax base. With extra funds, we can pay down the tax burden on the citizens. At this time we are known to have the 2nd highest tax rate in the province and the highest crime rate. Both of these should change.
We need to showcase Thunder Bay as a city of opportunity. For families and businesses alike. I work hard in all my businesses. I will do my research and make educated and calculated decisions. Our city needs to grow - new business, new industry, clean parks and streets. Proactive review and repair or replacement of infrastructure. My motto as a realtor is that you do not wait until the shingles are blown off and causing a leak in your roof..you change the shingles when they are near the end of life. The same should happen here in our infrastructure. I have the skills and knowledge for large-scale projects. I am qualified as a property manager, a realtor, a developer and a businesswoman.
Thunder Bay needs to work on the simple premises.
let's clean the city, parks, and roads for our citizens and tourists alike.
let's repair or replace infrastructure and property in a proactive manner
let's not go into debt more than we can afford. and lower the tax burden on the citizens by attracting business and industry.
We have some of the most affordable real estate in the country. We can attract people here who will contribute to our wonderful city. We need to reduce our tax burden on the citizens, especially our foundation builders (our seniors). They built our city, and now many cannot afford to live in their own homes. It saddens me when I meet with these owners, and they are selling as they cannot afford the basic necessities of life due to the cost of their water and taxes. We need to work together to make this more affordable for everyone.
What innovative projects would enhance life in your municipality?
I would like to see an increase in new business and also acknowledge all the employers who are contributing with jobs and services to our community. With new business/industry we increase our tax base and that helps reduce the burden on our citizens. By appreciating our local businesses from the sole proprietor to the major business we empower the hard-working individuals within each. This creates an extra bit of pride. Congratulate owners for cleaning up their neighbourhoods and assist them as well. The cleaner our city is the better it will be appreciated by our local citizens and our guests as well.
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
With a million dollars we can only use it to leverage more funds to build much-needed facilities. If we were not able to leverage the $1 million then I would invest in projects and parks for the youth and seniors to enjoy. Clean safe places of recreation for all ages. Simply getting the garbage cleaned up, the trees trimmed and the flowers weeded will create beauty for everyone.
What do you think are the greatest challenges your municipality faces?
Crime along with addictions are the major issue we hold. We need to apply for funding from the provincial and federal governments to get the detox facilities built here. This is something we have to stop talking about and just get it built. Maybe re-purpose the LPH? It is a secure facility.
And we need to retain the youth. Thunder Bay has an aging population and aging workforce. We need the younger population to stay in Thunder Bay. Our housing is affordable, yet they are still leaving. The younger generation wants and needs recreation, culture and diversity. We have to put this together yesterday for a better tomorrow.
Other than the official communication methods (minutes, municipal notes), how else will you reach out to your constituents to involve them in the decision making process?
Open meetings are always important, face to face with the citizens from small groups at kitchen tables to larger groups at the community centers. I am always available to everyone. When there is something larger to discuss then we may start with a social media poll to see the citizen's views on the matter at hand. We are in a digital age and we need to use the tools provided to communicate to the citizens when they wish to engage.
What is your favourite thing to do in your municipality?
I love going to the children's sporting events in our local parks, ski hills, and arenas, then after celebrate at any one of our many different culinary dining experiences. And of course in summer anytime backyard barbeques.
Why do you think it’s important for women to be represented in civic leadership, including on committees, boards and municipal councils?
It is extremely important to have a diverse makeup of all levels of government, boards etc. Women are generally multi-taskers and work to be result oriented. Decisions are made quickly, and results are achieved.
The youth need to see that gender, race, religion, etc should never stop anyone from doing anything they wish to do. We must all do our best to contribute together to make our community the best it can be.
What does a ‘feminist city’ mean to you?
Means everyone can do everything their heart desires. Work together to achieve goals.
Please identify the most critical policy, project, or initiative in your platform that addresses systemic barriers faced by women in your municipality, and describe why:
Development and the red tape at administrative and legal levels are extremely taxing on everyone. The development strategy of our community has been predominately male-dominated. We need to take into consideration that women are equally if not more than qualified to develop and enhance various sectors of our community. As a residential condominium developer, I found it challenging if not discouraging at times to deal with some many levels of administration. Streamlining the process and decreasing the red tape will encourage community development.
Social Media Handles
Where can people find you?
www.RajniAgarwal.ca
Campaign office at 640 Beverly St. Thunder Bay; Meet and Greets coming on the website for town hall meetings for citizens.
