With less than a week left to go until the federal election, some Hamilton Centre candidates participated in an all-candidates meeting Tuesday night to talk about key issues hitting the city's downtown.

Three of the candidates — including NDP candidate Matthew Green, Liberal Jasper Kujavsky, and Green Jason Lopez — fielded questions about climate change, income security and affordable housing. The meeting was moderated by CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs.

Conservative candidate Monica Ciriello did not attend as she said she had a conflict with this debate as well as all of the other three proposed dates for this meeting. People's Party of Canada candidate Melina Mamone had been in an accident over the weekend and was also unable to attend.

The candidates who did attend took questions from Hamiltonians including those who have lived or are living in poverty including Katrina Gervais.

She spoke about being homeless and her struggle to find safe, affordable housing in Hamilton. She says city services were extremely valuable to her but she fears the election results could put these services in jeopardy.

"Although I remain thankful for all the services and programs that have helped me in the past, and continue to help me today, I'm scared that it's all at risk with each election and each promise made to reduce the deficit at the expense of the most vulnerable people in our community," she said. "I feel tired from the constant fight for what should be a basic human right."

Alana Baltzer also called for leaders to pay attention to the city's most vulnerable. She said that seeing children grow up in poverty like she did breaks her heart, and that those in power need to make a change.

"I feel that income security and poverty need to be treated as critically important issues in election debates because if we do not succeed in eliminating poverty, it's just going to get worse," she said. "No one will be able to succeed and the only ones running government and being in charge of us will be the ones who have the power, who have the money to succeed. "

Here's a condensed look at where the candidates stand on some of the issues.

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On affordable housing

NDP's Matthew Green: Green noted the NDP's pledge to build 500,000 affordable units over 10 years and a rental subsidy of up to $5,000 a year. He also noted the importance of decommodifying the market to combat "a situation where units are being used as storages of wealth, and not places for people to live."

Liberal Party, Jasper Kujavsky: Kujavsky mentioned the Liberal's $40 billion plan for the national housing strategy to reduce homelessness and a Canadian housing benefit, which would help families offset rental costs.

Green Party, Jason Lopez: Lopez called for investing in social housing but also for the establishment of a national co-operative housing program, which he feels should be funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. He also added that incentives should be shifted to help the rental market and that rental companies, like AirBnb, should be properly regulated.

On poverty

NDP's Matthew Green: Green stated that the NDP's policies on head-to-toe health care and affordable housing would be funded by a super tax.

Liberal Party, Jasper Kujavsky: Kujavsky said that the Liberal party's work over the past four years, including additions like the Canada child benefit and enhancing survivor's benefits for seniors, have helped alleviate this pressure. "All of these things work together," he said. "They're all interrelated in terms of creating a society within which, on multiple different levels, government is working to help you." He added that he would personally advocate for dental.

Green Party, Jason Lopez: Lopez said the most efficient way to tackle poverty is through a guaranteed liveable income, regardless of whether people are working or not. He said that Green party would also establish a federally funded national school lunch program with locally sourced produce "to make sure that every child has at least one healthy meal."

On climate change

NDP's Matthew Green: Green stressed the need for free, frequent transit and the importance of holding corporations responsible for their environmental impact. On Hamilton specific cases, he noted he has voted every Enbridge proposal down when he was councillor, and noted the need for building code changes to combat basement flooding, a problem that has become worse as extreme weather events become more frequent.

Liberal Party, Jasper Kujavsky: Kujavsky pointed to the Liberal's implementation of the carbon tax, the plan to bring back electrical vehicle subsidies, and over $1 billion invested in Hamilton infrastructure, including toward the cleanup of Randle Reef. He also claimed that the other parties would not be implementing their plans after the election.

Green Party, Jason Lopez: Lopez said projections made by the economic modelling firm Navius Research, requested by CBC, say that the NDP and Liberal platforms will miss the 2030 emissions target. He called for the parties to work together on mobilizing on climate action, more monetary support for municipalities, and for people to listen to the youth leaders in ongoing climate strikes.

Conservative Party, Monica Ciriello: Ciriello sent CBC Hamilton an emailed response on where the Conservative candidate stands for issues of poverty, climate change and affordable housing.

She said that a Conservative government would fix mortgage stress, increase amortization periods, and launch an inquiry into money laundering in the real estate sector.

She noted that Conservatives have previously targeting funding toward those who were "chronically homeless" and would remove "red tape" for housing programs.

Ciriello also added that the Conservatives would put forward a plan to protect the environment, which will be based on principles like green technology.

History of orange

The NDP has kept the Hamilton Centre riding orange since 2004. Green follows David Christopherson, who announced in July that he would be retiring. Many of Green's responses during the evening were greeted with great enthusiasm by his many supporters attending the event.

There are nine candidates in total for Hamilton Centre. Also running are Gary Duyzer for the Christian Heritage Party, and Edward Graydon, Tony Lemma, and Nathalie Xian Yi Yan, as independents.

The NDP received 45.6 per cent of valid ballots cast in Hamilton Centre in the 2015 election, with the Liberals collecting 33.4 per cent.

The debate was put together by a group including the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, Environment Hamilton, the Social Planning and Research Council for Hamilton, the Office of Justice and Peace at the Diocese of Hamilton, Eco-Locke Churches, and The First Unitarian Church of Hamilton.

Voters head to the polls on Monday, Oct. 21.