My Priorities

Results-oriented city government:

• Strengthen an innovative results-oriented culture at city hall.
• Increase accountability for progress on key strategic initiatives
• Use council strategic plan objectives to drive policy priorities, budgeting, capital plan and advocacy at the provincial level.

More affordable housing: 

• Allow more secondary suites. 
• Pre-zone appropriate land parcels for affordable housing.
• Align zoning bylaws with city plan density targets. 
• Decrease building permit times by increasing professional reliance.
• Encourage the development of family-oriented units.
• Expand partnerships with non-profit housing providers.
• Investigate a municipal housing corporation and public housing model.

A combined health, housing and community safety response to homelessness and social disorder: 

• Increase civic leadership in co-ordinating an improved response to reducing homelessness.
• Advocate strongly for provincial investment into complex care housing, addiction treatment, criminal justice reform and supportive housing to help people off the streets and into the right type of care.
• Develop appropriate locations for shelters, harm reduction and outreach services, and ensure proper resourcing to maintain community safety.
• Support development of co-ordinated access for increasing efficiency of community response.
• Continue to support the Nanaimo community safety officer program, RCMP staffing levels and clean teams.

Climate action and environmental protection: 

• Fully implement City and RDN climate action plans.
• Complete the RDN waste plan implementation to reach 90% diversion of waste from landfill.
• Increase retrofit programs for low carbon energy systems in buildings, and support these in all new builds.
• Protect environmentally sensitive areas, and create more parkland including on the Nanaimo River.
• Continue to invest in public transit and active transportation infrastructure.

A strong local economy that meets the needs of our community:

• Reduce development and building permit times through increasing professional reliance
• Advocate and secure funding for expanded Nanaimo hospital services.
• Improve local food security through incentivizing production and markets.  
• Continue investing in accessible recreational and community facilities.
• Continue investing in Arts and Culture.
• Conserve industrial lands and support use for emerging sectors
• Continue to support the Nanaimo Prosperity Agency
• Attract and develop businesses that convert waste to resources and contribute to a circular local economy. 
• Continue expanding public transit and active transportation infrastructure. 
• Continue with plans to develop the downtown core.