Affordability

My primary goal as city councillor will be to Keep Poco Home. This simply means I want our kids who grow up in Port Coquitlam to be able to stay in Port Coquitlam.

When I moved out of my family home, I desperately wanted to stay close to friends and family in Port Coquitlam; unfortunately, I had to leave due to high prices and poor availability at the time. I know I’m not the only one. More young people want to stay in Port Coquitlam, but the opportunities simply aren’t here.

As a city councillor, I’ll oppose the development of luxury condos, and work to ensure the approval of modern, family friendly & income-concious projects for both renters and buyers. Further, when the city has a say in rezoning, I'll advocate for family-first (not investor-first) development. 

Housing doesn't just fall under municipal jurisdiction: the Provincial and Federal governments each play a role. As city councillor, I’ll use my platform to pressure politicians in Victoria and Ottawa to help create better collaborate with municipalities for the bigger changes needed.

Sustainability

This campaign recognizes that we need to address sustainability on two fronts: Financial Sustainablility, and Environmental Sustainability.

As we look to improve Port Coquitlam, we need to make sure we don’t take a tear it all down and start over approach. Being too rash fiscally puts residents of our city at risk. Environmentally, if we tear down our parks & forests for endless expansion, we risk losing something we may never get back. 

While the onus for stopping the climate crisis is on national governments & multinational corporations, it’s imperative that city council acts responsibly when dealing with nature. 

The changes Port Coquitlam needs should happen as an ongoing process, not as a 1 time rubber stamp. Taking our time with changes ensure we can protect our wallets and the environment.

Engagement

The goal of engagement is to improve the health of democracy and to imporve how the city communicates with its citizens. Port Coquitlam had an abysmal voter turnout in the 2018 municipal elections, which is incredibly problematic when the right to govern should come from the people. 

My main goal this election season is to increase voter turnout. Go vote, even if you won't vote for me.

After the election, engagement shifts to ensuring our city actually communicates with people through the pathways they’ll likely receive the information. 

• Council meetings should be summarized, edited, and repackaged in a way easily digestible for citizens. 
• City councillors should regularly having office hours / community meetings to gather feedback from citizens
• Council Meetings should be broadcast on streaming services (Twitch, Youtube), and summaries should be provided through major social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and yes, Tik Tok)

With greater engagement, we can truly understand what programs or events people want to see, what isn’t working, and how we move forward. 

Finally, we need politicians to engage more with experts, and less with their egos. Let’s ensure the decisions we make work for the community, and actually make sense logistically.