My Official Municipal Platform
Better Solutions for Burnaby's Housing Market
The cost of real estate has risen to the point that the average BC resident can't afford to purchase real estate without making substantial sacrifices. One reason is a dependence on building materials that cost substantially more due to inflation and supply chain interruptions. Burnaby would lead the way in building construction using cutting edge construction methods such as 3D printing, and using revolutionary materials such as concrete containing recycled plastics.
The BCNDP has rammed through one-size-fits-all legislation which offers more flexibility and less red tape in its residential zoning practices, but creates a whole new set of problems. If elected, I will bring back less onerous public hearing sessions so all Burnaby residents have an opportunity to have their concerns addressed.
As well, I will update the current building permit conditions so it includes cleaning the neighbouring community around the building development's perimeter.
A Cleaner (and Quieter) Burnaby
Burnaby is one of the Crown Jewels of British Columbia and deserves to be the Cleanest Community in British Columbia.
I will lead a community cleanliness campaign at the municipal level that encourages and rewards involvement at the residential, commercial and industrial levels. Burnaby will invest in technology to make litter clean up more efficient and equipment that will make litter clean up faster and easier.
Burnaby City Council will review the noise bylaws of this municipality and take steps to reduce excessive noise so people can live, work and play a more stress-free life in this great city. I will also enable all front line Burnaby staff to act as a Bylaw Officer on behalf of the municipality to increase overall coverage and availability for bylaw related issues.
A Greener Burnaby
Burnaby needs to lead the way in creating opportunities and programs that eliminates plastic based packaging in favour of paper, hemp and mycelium based alternatives. BC should lead the way in creating products and industries using recycled plastics, including cutting edge materials that could be used to build housing quickly and more economically.
Burnaby needs to invest in a robust, efficient and safer network of mobility (bike) lanes that have no infrastructure gaps by 2030. We must also invest in facilities that will keep Burnaby residents' mobility devices safer.
We must protect our old growth trees in this community, and must prioritize maintaining then increasing our tree canopy instead of significantly depleting it under the rule of Mike Hurley and the Council majority Burnaby Citizens Association.
A Safer Burnaby
Burnaby will review our current law enforcement capabilities and discuss the possibility of creating a Provincial Police Force to maximize cost savings and law enforcement efficiency.
Burnaby must take immediate action in curtailing homelessness while offering programs and incentives to get people's lives back on track free from the scourge of fentanyl, opioids and other hard drugs.
A More Accountable Burnaby
The BCNDP and BC Liberal governments of the past three decades have done a great disservice to British Columbians when it comes to government accountability at the provincial and municipal levels, as well as access to documents through the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act.
I would support legislation that would give Burnaby's voters the power to censure and expel badly behaving politicians at the federal, provincial and municipal level and in their respective municipalities.
I will introduce legislation that would make it mandatory for Burnaby create a lobbying registry, and compile a quarterly report regarding elected officials' pay and expenses.
Burnaby voters deserve the option of ward representation to make sure Burnaby's many neighbourhoods are equally represented at the City Council level.