Johanna Kristolaitis
Johanna Kristolaitis is running for Council in North Bay.
Johanna Kristolaitis (she/her) has worked as an educator, entrepreneur, communications specialist, event coordinator, and community organizer, and has also experienced unemployment and receiving social assistance. Through these experiences, she has developed skills in critical thinking, research, short- and long-term planning, budgeting, supervision, working with individuals and organizations, rapport building, and resourcefulness. Johanna believes North Bay can become a more accessible and sustainable city where people are welcomed and valued, and that City Council should include a wider range of voices, including people with lived experience of low-income issues.
Why are you running for this position?
My main reason is to advocate for better city transit and active transportation infrastructure.
If elected, what is one thing you would like to accomplish during your term?
Better transit services. For example, we have some bus routes that only run when post-secondary students are here, even though we have city residents who also need that bus service. My first priority with transit is to get those evening bus routes running full year, and we can build from there.
What is one thing you would like to see your municipality do differently?
I would love to see our municipality focus more on issues that affect the day-to-day lives of residents, rather than big projects and so much talk of tourism. An arena that can host tournaments is of little good to the families who don't have a park within a reasonable walking distance or the seniors who end up homebound most of the winter due to poor sidewalk maintenance.
What does good local government look like to you?
It starts with actively caring for the needs of city residents, beyond those who vote. Then find ways to address those needs and related issues, if it's city jurisdiction, and advocate at higher levels of government if it isn't.
Run like a household, not a business: needs before wants. Look into grants for the wants, because they're also valid, but spend our local taxes on the local needs.
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
Create a fund to subsidize user fees and program costs for low-income residents so that the City could facilitate more participation for that demographic.
How do you approach working with people who disagree with you?
I try to understand their point of view and find common ground. If there truly is none, we can agree to disagree and still work together. We don't have to agree in order to get along.
What does having more women in local leadership change?
I look forward to finding out. I think North Bay elected more women last municipal election than to any previous city council; two of the results are better pedestrian infrastructure and a free summer bus pass for secondary students. I'm sure there are things I'm not aware of that can also be attributed to women on our 2022–2026 council.
What is something about you that you would like voters to know that they might not learn from your campaign platform?
I will always stand in solidarity with the marginalized of my community, both local and global, because solidarity is not transactional and injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.
Where can people find you?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593697514461
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johannakfornb/
