West Van candidates on climate change
As part of the North Shore News’ coverage of the municipal elections candidates running for West Vancouver mayor and council were asked about their plans to tackle climate change.
These were their responses, in their own words.
What is your plan for local climate action?
Candidates for Mayor
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Council declared a climate emergency, approved a 1.5-per cent environmental levy, raising $1.2 million annually for climate mitigation and adaptation including:
the greenest building code in Canada to reduce energy use and carbon emissions;
incentivize home heating retrofits;
improve safety and convenience for transit, cycling and pedestrians;
address the threats of wildfires and floods; develop an urban forest management plan;
integrate natural capital assets into district infrastructure and budget; and,
reduce community and corporate waste, including single use plastics, and recycling in parks.
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Work together with leaders of climate change and government and industry levels to reduce emissions.
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Find ways to make real improvements and not simply virtue signalling.
We need to make informed decisions that are realistic and achievable.
Our mini bus solution would help to take cars off the road, making improvements to our cycling infrastructure would help not only the climate but our health and wellness.
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We lack a comprehensive climate action plan, so decisions are often ad hoc, with uncertain/unmeasurable impact.
We need a completed plan in less than 12 months that makes maximum positive/measurable impact, given limited district resources.
This plan must prioritize in-depth citizen participation/teamwork, leveraging their unique depth of expertise/knowledge.
I will immediately implement the completed plan and set specific metrics to define success.
It will be reviewed/updated every five years, to ensure it evolves given changing circumstances.
Candidates for Council
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1. Preserve our natural parks and educate our community about how District of West Vancouver has been leading in natural capital asset in B.C.
2. Increasing free electric stations across District of West Vancouver
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I support an e-bike low interest loan program for residents – to be paid with the tax bill.
I also support Mark Sager’s micro-transit proposal for West Van Blue Bus.
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Probably no signs, they must be discarded.
Ensuring official community plans follow eco-justice principles and correcting prior changes that were not.
Trialing local climate initiatives. Adapting global precedents for local solutions. Running studies to contribute globally.
Ending cut-throughs: These are dangerous, displace bicycles and pedestrians, prevent children from walking and cycling to school, add concrete and reduce green space, violate eco-justice principles, are very expensive, and hamper traffic solutions.
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This is an evolving issue.
1) incentivize passive housing,
2) support our foreshore initiatives
3) disallow tree clearcuts for building lots both above and below Upper Levels Highway.
4) increase availability of electric vehicle charging stations
5) expand electric buses and shuttle buses
6) increase availability of street recycling program
7) retain and expand our greenspaces. -
Implement community energy and emissions initiatives to lower greenhouse gases (land use, housing, etc).
Employ land-use regulations, non-structural enhancements and structural flood protection measures to reduce potential impacts on public safety and property from sea level rise and storm surge.
Explore opportunities to enhance creek corridors to accommodate for and reduce potential impacts from flood and slope hazards and extreme weather events.
Expand the use of green infrastructure (such as green roofs, natural landscape treatments, etc.) through public and private development.
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We create more greenhouse gas emissions per person than others in the region, by burning gas to heat our homes and drive our cars.
To decrease this, we must incentivize and support the retrofitting of homes with heat pumps and solar panels, and electric vehicle charging options in public spaces and multi-family buildings.
At the same time, we must adapt to climate change by protecting homes and infrastructure from wildfires and sea level rise, planting more trees in public spaces, protecting/restoring our natural assets by enhancement projects, and integrating the value of those natural assets into district budgets.
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• Stop the clear cutting of our forests for development and keep our streams clean.
• New construction projects pollute thousands of tons of carbon. Unless the first four years of future carbon savings is more than the carbon emitted during construction then do not build.
• Properly maintain storm water management systems to mitigate potential for flood damage. Reduce harmful contaminates including road oil that pollute our streams and groundwater
• Reduce stop and go traffic by improving traffic flow in key areas
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West Vancouver’s greenhouse gas emissions have been rising since before adoption of the official community plan in 2018. A district-wide climate action plan is long overdue.
New efforts should concentrate on establishing a carbon budget and applying high impact solutions (fuel-switching to electric heat pumps for example) to reduce community emissions.
Concurrently, we need to adapt to climate change by pro-actively working with senior levels of government to protect our foreshore, watercourses and forests from the effects of increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
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Climate change, housing, and transportation are inter-related.
We must take a strategic approach by integrating climate change initiatives/solutions when resolving our housing crisis and congested transportation on the North Shore.
Policy (official community plans, local area plans, and building codes) on new builds should leverage new technologies while building codes should be periodically reviewed for improvement. It is also important that the city does not deviate from the official community plan.
Revitalize Ambleside and Dundarave business town centres to promote a circular economy.
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Support federal and provincial initiatives, phase-in pedestrian malls and perimeter parking arcades; better north-south electric bus routes to improve commute times.
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Climate change is undeniable, so it is critical to continue expanding the environmental aspects of city planning with clear and transparent targets tied to the budgeting process.
Infrastructure design, building practices and investments need to recognize climate issues including rising sea-level, protection of ecosystems and environments, and carbon capture.
We can better leverage partnership opportunities and programs for co-funding. Citizen empowerment and understanding will assist in the adoption of residential, business, and municipal programs to help address this issue.
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Our unique geography and population require unique solutions.
I will participate in as many panels, committees and forums as possible, in and beyond our district, to ensure continued access to the best, most relevant and executable solutions.
There are many innovations that are used in other communities that we can apply in West Vancouver, and we need a council that is informed and open to adopting them. By aligning with other communities with shared values, we can better protect one of our most valuable assets: our environment.
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Mr Snider did not answer the question in the North Shore News Q&A. However, in an email to Positive Voices, he wrote:
At the time of that submission I was not prepared to answer that question as it was not optional. I have given it consideration since then and can respond as follows:
“I believe our priorities should be to be: be prepared for extreme climate events, reduce building emissions, promote green transportation, reduce solid waste and improve waste management practices, protect local wildlife and our forests/watersheds and develop a community engagement plan”
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Bring compliance to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change climate targets. Action plan and support for fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. Implement property assessed clean energy program.
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West Van is committed to better building practices. We have implemented an environmental levy. I want to ensure these practices are effective and the levy is directed to meaningful initiatives.
Partner with senior governments/organizations for funding/educational support. Support volunteer and stewardship groups - Shoreline Protection Society, Streamkeepers, Lighthouse Park Preservation Society and Old Growth Conservancy Society that provide meaningful work, research and education.
Explore more sensitive approach to provincially recommended flood construction level, the implementation of some of the wildfire protection plan practices and enforcement of fire regulations in apartment buildings.
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We need an impactful educational programme that encourages waste reduction and dependency on products from countries with lax environmental legislation.
The implementation of a micro-transit system will connect riders to existing bus routes that are often underutilized.
Synchronizing traffic lights will reduce emissions and improve traffic flow.
It is imperative that we increase our resiliency to future atmospheric events that cause the destruction of property and natural habitats by increasing protective measures on our foreshore.