Policy Positions

Over the last four years, the City has built new protected mobility corridors—like Esplanade and West 1st Street—improving connections with our neighbours and creating a more complete transportation network. More needs to be done, of course,  and we need to work closely with the District of North Vancouver. But we’re making headway. 

We’re making transit better too. We worked with TransLink to implement the new RapidBus service—dedicated bus lanes were created and now move thousands of commuters across the North Shore. Research and local experience tell us we can’t build our way out of traffic congestion. The only way to manage traffic is by giving people other options. Alternatives to the single-occupancy vehicle don’t just make mobility cheaper, easier and more efficient…they’re also more healthy and fun.

The city has done a good job of diversifying home shapes and sizes to meet the needs of people in our community. We built more on major corridors which, due to a coordinated effort with other levels of government, are now supported by the RapidBus service. 

Today, many new rental projects are coming online. In the last four years, the City has seen the largest increase in rental units since the 1970s. I supported increasing protections for long-time renters and helped people impacted by new buildings to relocate. 

I will continue to support more purpose-built rental projects, non-market co-housing and co-operative housing for people of all incomes while helping our most vulnerable including seniors and youth. 

We also need to integrate rental housing with commercial areas, such as retail and office developments — just like they do in some of the most vibrant and livable cities in the world. 

In North Van, public spaces mean community, and they mean economic opportunities. Public spaces also support mental health through fitness and social connection, two big pieces of the North Shore lifestyle which we must protect and build on.

I’ve supported initiatives to increase public amenities across the city—new parklets, more dog parks, expanding street tree coverage, and the new skate park. 

Living, moving and playing go hand-in-hand-in-hand, and I’m focused on making the City of North Vancouver a leader in public spaces.

A strong local economy means a strong North Vancouver. Dynamic, local economies reduce demand on our transportation network and give us more time with family and friends.

Along with our booming health care sector, our port industries and export terminals create good local jobs and a diverse industry base. We’ve also created new commercial space to run businesses in Lower and Central Lonsdale. 

Many small and family-run services businesses cannot find workers and are struggling to pay sky-high property taxes. This is where housing affordability links to economic sustainability. We need to think about workforce housing to support people who work here to live here. The city can do more to both support small businesses and attract knowledge economy players by continuing to enhance transportation and housing options.

The last time the city updated its economic development plan was 2008. Today, an update to the  Economic Development Strategy is underway. This new plan must consider changing global trends, including climate change and the re-localization of supply chains. The update will be critical to defining where the city goes next and will address the needs of our large port industries as well as our many new home-based businesses.