The problem, then the promise

Wastewater plant accountability

• ProblemThe plant’s cost grew from an estimated $700 million to $3.86 billion, and North Shore ratepayers carry much of it.

  PromiseI will press for the largest possible share of the $235 million settlement.

• ProblemResidents still have no full public account of how the costs grew.

  PromiseI will support a full, independent inquiry and the fullest lawful release of Metro Vancouver’s review.

• ProblemDecisions about this plant are made at the Metro Vancouver board, not at Municipal Hall.

  PromiseI will seek Council’s appointment to that board and argue for fairer regional cost-sharing.

• ProblemOne mayor’s voice is easy for Metro Vancouver and senior governments to ignore.

  PromiseI will launch a North Shore wastewater fairness petition and report every quarter on the responses.

Good governance

• ProblemCampaign promises are easy to make and hard for residents to check.

  PromiseWithin my first 100 days in office I will publish a public tracker of every commitment, updated every quarter.

• ProblemPlatforms rarely say what each promise costs or when it will happen.

  PromiseWithin six months I will bring forward a plan showing costs, staff time and what depends on Council or outside funding.

• ProblemNew programs are often announced before the money exists.

  PromiseI will propose funding new work only from verified savings and confirmed partner money, and say publicly when a project must wait.

Budgeting

• ProblemResidents are asked to pay more each year without a clear look at whether every service delivers value.

  PromiseIn my first year I will propose a core service review to find savings and duplication.

• ProblemProperty tax increases are hard for households to plan around.

  PromiseI will ask Council to target tax levy increases at or below B.C. inflation, and to explain publicly any increase above that.

• ProblemTax bills mix District costs with regional and provincial costs, so it is unclear who is responsible.

  PromiseI will ask for a plain-language breakdown in every budget of what the District controls.

Long-term plan

• ProblemGrowth is sometimes approved before the pipes, roads and services are ready.

  PromiseI will propose public infrastructure and financing statements for major rezonings, showing upgrades and who pays.

• ProblemSchools and transit are run by other agencies, yet growth decisions depend on them.

  PromiseI will ask that they be reported separately, as dependencies the District cannot guarantee.

• ProblemLions Gate residents were told growth would come with public spaces and transportation improvements.

  PromiseI will ask for a public list of what is secured, what is missing and who is responsible.

Affordability

• ProblemHigh rents are pushing workers, young families and seniors out of the District.

  PromiseI will pursue a first-term target of securing sites and funding for 1,000 affordable rental and co-op homes.

• ProblemHousing targets are easy to announce and hard to verify.

  PromiseI will count a home toward the target only once its site is secured, the project is approved and its financing is committed.

• Problem“Affordable” housing often goes undefined.

  PromiseI will ask that every project define it up front.

Public and non-profit housing

• ProblemThe District cannot build affordable housing alone.

  PromiseI will work with non-profit, co-op and other qualified housing partners on suitable District-owned and partner lands.

• ProblemHousing promises often come without a funding plan.

  PromiseIn my first year I will bring forward a plan naming sites, realistic capacity and funding sources, counting no money until it is committed.

Rental homes

• ProblemResidents facing displacement and people who work here often cannot find a home in the District.

  PromiseWhere the law allows, I will support fair local-connection criteria for new affordable homes.

Roads and parking

• ProblemDrivers lose time at the same bottlenecks every day, with no public plan for which get fixed first.

  PromiseIn my first 100 days I will ask Council to publish a ranked list of ten top bottlenecks.

• ProblemOverlapping road closures from municipal, utility and development work make getting around harder than it needs to be.

  PromiseI will propose a shared public construction calendar to coordinate them.

• ProblemHighway 1, the bridges and the Ironworkers approach are run by the Province, not the District.

  PromiseI will press the Province and TransLink for timelines and coordination with District roadwork.

• ProblemResidents find park parking passes confusing, with repeat check-ins and no option without a smartphone.

  PromiseI will propose simpler annual registration and a non-smartphone option.

Transit

• ProblemPhibbs Exchange has lighting, crossing and accessibility gaps, and it is unclear who must fix them.

  PromiseI will work with TransLink and the Province on a public list of who owns and funds each fix.

• ProblemVisitor traffic to local attractions clogs neighbourhood streets.

  PromiseI will seek agreement with attraction operators and TransLink to expand shuttles and transit where they cut car trips.

Walking and cycling

• ProblemResidents on Kilmer Road and Delbrook Avenue cannot see whether past safety changes worked.

  PromiseI will ask for the speed, crossing and collision data to be published, and act on the evidence.

Police staffing

• ProblemThe District’s draft financial plan shows 119 RCMP members, down from 129 in 2022, returning to past levels only by 2030.

  PromiseI will ask for a public explanation and whether that can be sped up.

• ProblemStaffing totals do not show how many officers are actually available for duty.

  PromiseI will ask for a breakdown of funded positions and vacancies, and bring a costed proposal if gaps affect safety.

School safety

• ProblemFamilies have reported concerns about drug activity near schools.

  PromiseI will seek a coordinated school-safety plan with North Vancouver RCMP, the School District and community partners.

• ProblemStudents deserve safe routes home and protection from trafficking and exploitation.

  PromiseI will advocate for visible patrols and focused enforcement where police evidence shows a threat.

Industrial safety in Maplewood

• ProblemMaplewood residents live near the Chemtrade chemical plant and need clear guidance on what to do in an emergency.

  PromiseI will ask for a plain-language safety summary and shelter-in-place guide.

Prevention and early help

• ProblemStudents, parents and school staff are not always sure where to report drug concerns.

  PromiseI will support clear, simple reporting channels for them.

• ProblemEnforcement alone does not keep young people away from drugs.

  PromiseI will support drug education, early intervention and youth support services, working with the School District and local partners.

• ProblemFamilies want to know whether school-safety efforts are working.

  PromiseI will seek regular public progress reports that protect students’ privacy and ongoing investigations.

Wildfire and emergency preparedness

• ProblemMuch of the District borders forest, and residents cannot see how wildfire prevention work is prioritized.

  PromiseI will ask for a risk-ranked prevention plan with measurable FireSmart targets.

• ProblemIn an emergency, residents need to know alerts and evacuation plans actually work.

  PromiseI will support alert tests, tabletop exercises and voluntary drills with North Shore Emergency Management.

• ProblemNot everyone can simply drive away in an emergency.

  PromiseI will ask that emergency plans address people without vehicles, residents who need assistance and accessible communication.

• ProblemWildfire is not our only risk. Smoke, extreme heat, flooding, earthquakes and power outages also threaten residents.

  PromiseI will ask that preparedness planning covers all of them.

Flooding

• ProblemLow-lying areas such as Norgate and Deep Cove face flooding and drainage risks.

  PromiseI will ask for updated flood-hazard information and a public, ranked list of drainage and coastal fixes.

Parks, trees and green space

• ProblemResidents worry about losing healthy trees to construction, and it is unclear how well our tree bylaws work.

  PromiseI will ask for a public review of how well the bylaws protect healthy trees.

• ProblemDevelopment near the Maplewood foreshore and conservation areas can harm sensitive habitat.

  PromiseWhere the District has authority, I will seek proper studies, safeguards and monitoring.

• ProblemNeighbours of Eastview Park have documented noise, trail damage and parking problems.

  PromiseI will ask for action through restoration, routing and enforcement, while keeping the park open to all.

Business permits

• ProblemBusinesses often deal with several departments and no single contact at Municipal Hall.

  PromiseI will bring a proposal to Council for one coordinating contact for business permits and renovations.

• ProblemThe District does not publish how long business permits take.

  PromiseI will ask for current processing times to be reported publicly, then propose realistic service targets based on that data.

Jobs and employment land

• ProblemOnce employment and industrial land is rezoned, the jobs it supports are hard to bring back.

  PromiseI will vote to keep the employment land that adopted plans set aside in Maplewood and Lynnmour.

• ProblemLocal jobs depend on attracting new employers while keeping the businesses we already have.

  PromiseI will focus investment outreach on film, digital production and clean technology.

Evenings in our town centres

• ProblemOur town centres could be livelier in the evening, and local businesses and performers have few chances to draw people in.

  PromiseI will ask Council to approve a one-year evening activity pilot.

• ProblemPilot projects can continue or end without anyone checking if they worked.

  PromiseI will propose a set budget and a public review of attendance, neighbourhood impacts, safety and business results.

More childcare spaces

• ProblemFamilies struggle to find childcare, and new facilities need approvals from several agencies.

  PromiseI will propose a priority review stream for new and expanding childcare facilities.

• ProblemFinding suitable space is one of the biggest barriers to opening childcare.

  PromiseI will ask for an assessment of underused District-owned spaces that could host it, counting none until confirmed.

Partnership

• ProblemEmergencies, flooding and growth do not stop at municipal borders.

  PromiseI will seek partnership with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔł (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations on shared priorities.