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.
The average rent price for a 1 bedroom apartment in Port Coquitlam is $1900. Experts suggest people spend no more than 30% of their gross income (pre-tax/deduction) on housing. To afford a 1 bedroom apartment here, you need to make approximately $63.3K a year. This is not the reality for many residents; further, we know that education costs/student loan payments and inflation are eating up a greater proportion of the income we do earn.
Despite progress from our current council in creating new affordable units, we remain deep in a housing & affordability crisis.
Solutions aren’t easy to come by. Municipalities have few revenue streams, reducing opportunities for fair, publicly funded solutions. Property Taxes, as currently configured, are regressive; any increases to property taxes will hit lower-income homeowners harder. Further, these costs are passed onto renters.
Our current council has approved a 3.55% hike on property taxes headed into next year.
Unfortunately, they lack the necessary tools to prevent raises for working & middle class residents.
We need councillors ready to work with MLAs to introduce reforms on the provincial and municipal levels, including:
- Introducing a progressive property tax to keep taxes low on working class & middle class homeowners, while asking wealthy speculators to contribute more
- Greater transfers from the province to municipalities for public projects
- Upzoning & Infilling existing properties to increase our tax base & expand revenues
- Expansion of public transportation to reduce traffic congestion, emissions, and keep our communities safe.
We need voices who both understand & are living through this housing crisis. I’m living through this crisis with you, and I’m ready to fight for systemic change.
If elected, I’ll amplify your voice on council, in the press, and to your other elected officials.
Sustainability
This campaign recognizes that we need to address sustainability on two fronts: Financial Sustainability, 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 ensures we can protect our wallets and the environment.
Engagement
The goal of engagement is to improve the health of democracy and to improve 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 summarised, 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, let's work with community leaders & experts in different policy areas. Those on council may not be experts in every