2022 Election Platform
My platform is framed by my views on what is needed for Good Governance.
Good Governance happens when decisions are made that treat environmental, social, and economic responsibilities as equally important and there is a solid policy framework that facilitates transparent, accountable and inclusive practices that are used to make these decisions. So what does this mean for Powell River?
Environment
Climate change is impacting everyone on the planet and it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation. Powell River needs to be an active participant in planning and implementing strategies to lower carbon emissions both for the city operations and its residents. Energy efficiency is one of the best ways to both lower carbon emissions and lower operating costs. Much of the costs for improvements to buildings and infrastructure are supported by grants from other levels of government or agencies, including Fortis Gas. Planning that identifies and makes these projects ready to win grants need to be prioritized and acted on.
The recommendations from the Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation Committee’s August 16th Memo to City Council are a list of future actions the city should explore and include in future actions.
I support the City top-up contribution to the CleanBC program, which provides grants to home owners who are upgrading the energy efficiency of their homes.
Social Responsibility
The lack of childcare spaces in the city and the entire region is a serious barrier to workers with young children. I support exploring the option of the City applying for grants to build a child care centre near the Recreation Complex that could share resources with existing facilities.
There is a shortage of all types of housing and a crisis for low- to middle-income households throughout the city and region. This is creating barriers for the recruitment of workers in all sectors and impacting the local economy. Poverty and homelessness are on the rise. The ability to respond to the need for housing cannot be met by the private sector, and the need for affordable options is critical to the health of our community.
I support the creation of a Housing Authority that could apply for and build BC Housing (or other government and non-profit) funded projects that contribute to community building and the long-term sustainability of Powell River. These projects need to be planned and designed here in our community so they support a cross section of sustainable goals for the community. There needs to be an increased focus on suitable housing for low-to-moderate-income working households. Purpose-built rental units have the highest need, and are the least likely to be solved in the current model.
A stream-lined building permit process for energy efficient projects that address shortages of affordable and rental units would be a great incentive to help developers that are interested in tackling this niche.
Pre-approved energy-efficient designs for secondary homes and carriage houses that allow people to bypass a lengthy and expensive development permit process has been implemented in other cities and could work here.
I support a review of zoning and bylaws impacting development permits, with the goal of a process that is easy to understand with clear expectations and is unlikely to have timely delays. A modern more permissive zoning system would provide better guidance and result in fewer zoning amendments.
I support exploration of options for Safe Park areas that allow overnight temporary parking with facilities, and a permit process that allows for a serviced RV pad on an adequately sized residential lot where the owner occupies the home.
City-owned land should be identified and made available to support purpose-built rental housing initiatives for low to moderate income households.
Development positions for building Inspectors need to be a permanent part of city staff to ensure the capacity to keep up with inspections is continuously built and improved.
There is an opioid overdose emergency that has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen a rapid increase in poverty, homelessness, and poisoned supplies of illegal drugs. I support safe supply strategies and advocate for treating substance-use health issues with medically prescribed safe alternatives to illegal substances. I also believe we should legalize, regulate and tax all recreational substances, as it would be safer and would stop organized crime from profiting on vulnerable populations. The additional taxation and economic activity would support health care costs.
The health care system is currently shifting gears and reacting to this crisis but has been hampered by concurrent health emergencies. In Powell River, there is a Community Action Team (CAT) that meets regularly to coordinate the actions of all the local groups, agencies and levels of government that are involved in finding solutions for this crisis. There is representation from Vancouver Coastal Health, RCMP, LIFT, BC Ambulance, SUSTAIN, Moms Stop the Harm, Inclusion, health professionals, pharmacists, city council, the provincial government representatives, and many more. I support asking this group to adapt its membership to changing circumstances and include representation from impacted neighborhoods when solutions are needed. This would add a level of adaptation to an existing process that could improve outcomes.
Powell River City Council met with the Honourable Murray Rankin, Attorney General and Minister responsible for Housing, at UBCM to discuss the increased theft and crime safety problems in the community. The meeting was positive and the Minister was interested in helping to fund Alternative and Restorative Justice Systems that could support the already announced or existing complex care funding and housing projects within the city. He indicated a desire to look at any proposed pilot projects of that nature. He recognized the need for a structure that was a pilot, as systemic issues are complex and multi-level and take time and the cooperation of the federal government to change. I support developing a proposal for a pilot for our community that includes input from the impacted members and the professionals involved for consideration of the Minister.
The City’s relationship with Tla’Amin Nation is paramount to the future success of everyone. Partnerships between the city and the nation for infrastructure and economic development initiatives will benefit everyone. These partnerships are more likely to form within a positive relationship. The city and the nation have signed a Community Accord that sets out how we work together and address matters of mutual interest. The government-to-municipal-government commitments made within the Community Accord must be respected.
I support the recommendations of the Joint Working Group on the Possible Name Change for the city. The next steps are to continue building consensus in the community on this issue. Future conversations should include community ideas for potential new names to find a name that the community can love and support. I am committed to building consensus and uniting people within the community.
Continued learning about multi-generational impacts of past harmful colonial practices for indigenous people and the systems that still exist today that were formed by this history are important to the reconciliation process. Our community is full of warm, beautiful people, and I have faith we will land in a good place. I believe, with time, we will find a name for our city that we can all love and be proud of.
Economic Development and Fiscal Responsibility
City Harbours need a new management system that is more responsive to users, takes better care of our harbour infrastructure and contributes benefit to the community at large. A better management model should be developed via an advisory committee formed for this purpose with membership from current users and other community members along with City Council representation. Goals should be to improve services, city’s harbour asset management, and ensure the Harbours contribute a fair share of revenue to the city based on a taxation model comparative to leased property of similar design.
The city should continue with financial and in-kind support for a thriving arts and culture sector, including:
- PRISMA
- Kathaumixw
- Arts Council
- Academy of Music
- Museum
- Patricia Theatre and the Film Society
- Maintain membership and support to the Creative Cities Network
- Support application to UNESCO for recognition as a City of Music
I support the close monitoring of mill environmental responsibilities associated with closure of the mill and ensuring Brookfield Power pays their fair share of taxes. I met with Evolugen by Brookfield Renewable representatives Remi Moreau, Vice-President and Mike Peters, Manager at the UBCM Conference and discussed the community interests. I conveyed the City of Powell River’s interest for power from the local dams to support local industry, and if that wasn’t possible in the short-term then revenues gained from exports of power should be shared with the community. We discussed the need to maintain the assets and generate enough revenue to do so plus pay taxes and provide support to the community to fulfill expectations and maintain a social licence. These connections will assist in future communications toward good outcomes.
BC is reviewing the way it calculates stumpage for Community Forests in order to prevent tariffs that may be triggered by what could be deemed as subsidies under the Softwood Lumber Agreement. Powell River City Council met with the Parliamentary Secretary of Forests to ask that stumpage rates be calculated the same as they have been. Alternatively, if increases in stumpage rates are unavoidable then a grant program should be implemented to provide stumpage revenues back to the community. This meeting went well and they seemed very interested in a grant back program concept.
There is a planning process for the City-owned lands on the waterfront that has gained public input and which staff continue to work on. I support a public planning process that everyone can participate in to decide the future of our waterfront. I am hoping the waterfront has mainly parks, walking trails and mixed commercial-residential and industrial uses. Increased Marine Industrial purposes along with uses that are publicly accessible and useable would be my hope for this area. The city should retain ownership of any areas dedicated to industrial purposes and lease those lands only.
I support continuing to implement the Airport Runway Expansion project.
Attracting new industry to our region and city are important to diversify from a mainly resource dependent community to one that includes a broad range of economic activity. A Standing Committee that focuses solely on outreach and partnerships for economic development purposes should be formed.
Policy Framework
I support developing a code of conduct for Council members. A public consultation process should be part of the development process. This will lead to a transparent, accountable Council.
The City should develop a policy that supports a service-oriented work culture for all departments. All permit application processes should have clear concise guidelines with as few steps as possible. The goal should be to never say “no,” only an explanation of where, what and how people can get what they need.
City zoning needs to be modernized and simplified to allow more permissive mixed use zones that still adhere to good city planning. A vibrant and adaptive city zoning bylaw avoids needless delays in development permitting. There is a shortage of industrial and commercial zones and residential purposes should be allowed to exist within most zones in upper floors or attached to main buildings. This could increase rental accommodations and allow businesses to facilitate worker housing options within their spaces.