Climate Change
Active Transportation
Let's do our part and get bikes off of the main roads. It is safer and much more enjoyable riding a bike away from traffic.
We need more bike racks in our parks and facilities, and we need to encourage small business to install bike racks. They have been installing bike racks at transit hubs, but we need more of them, and better signage at SkyTrain stations about using the stairs when carrying your bike and which transit cars to use.
Electric Bikes & Scooters
We need more bike racks in our parks and facilities, and we need to encourage small business to install bike racks. They have been installing bike racks at transit hubs, but we need more of them, and better signage at SkyTrain stations about using the stairs when carrying your bike and which transit cars to use.
We need to get electric bikes and scooters properly insured for road use, and to get them off the sidewalks. The only machines that should be using the sidewalk are mobility wheelchairs and scooters.
Energy-Efficient Buildings & Retrofits
We must install a wide variety of technology on new builds, heat pumps, solar panels, carbon capture scrubbers. Different solutions to different builds. As many green technologies as possible.
With renovations, we get to keep as many materials as possible, and while doing that we can add more suites. Take a big house and make 2 units. Save material and house more people.
Make sure new builds take into account the local wind and sun direction to maximize natural lighting and airflow through the building.
We need to plan for the future. We need to build resiliency in our system in the event that transmission lines go down. We still need to heat our houses with our electric heat pumps, or charge our electric vehicle so we can commute or flee to safety if necessary.
Every building and neighbourhood that is capable should install solar panels, connected to a battery back-up. We already have a $5k homeowner grant for green energy retrofits. Why not build for a neighbourhood of 20 houses at $100k? If a single neighbourhood transformer goes down, then we can still have heat, and lights and refrigeration. Sell the excess electricity save/make the city or homeowners some money.
Parking
Parking is a contentious issue. We need more parking, but also less. Depends where you look.
Many people move to Coquitlam to be closer to nature. It is quite difficult to get to a lot of our parks and facilities without a car.
We need to be strategic, we need to encourage people to get out of their car by making transit more accessible. But we also need to make sure people have room for parking at their residence. Not everyone wants to be on transit only, and for many people it is impossible due to constraints of multiple jobs and priorities.
I see a major opportunity near Coquitlam Centre SkyTrain station. We have a massive open parking lot, that could easily be rethought to be a multi-story parkade, with more charging stations, and the remainder of that space dedicated to being a green space.
Housing & Homelessness
Affordability
With renovations, we get to keep as many materials as possible, and while doing that we can add more suites. Take a big house and make 2 units. Save material and house more people.
When I hear these two terms next to each other, all I hear is Affordable and Unaffordable Housing.
Housing Accessibility
We need to make sure new builds are designed for those with mobility issues. We need more ground floor walk-ups.
Property Taxes
We must deliver value for the money raised in taxes, and they are properly raised through proper land value assessments.
Services must help everyone, not just a few.
Rental Stock
We need more units. Units that can accommodate all levels of income and family dynamics.
We need to ensure our four-legged friends are able to come with us when we move.
Human Rights
Physical Accessibility
We need to make sure new builds are designed for those with mobility issues. We need more ground floor walk-ups.
Recent Immigrants
Across the board, we need to find ways to fast track immigrants, who have previous training and qualifications, to get their licenses and tickets here. We say we have shortages of qualified personnel in so many professions, yet we have fully qualified people sitting on the sidelines.
Refugees & Undocumented Immigrants
Sex Workers
Trans Rights & Access to Services
Local Government & Democracy
Youth Engagement
I'd like to hear teenagers thoughts on recreational activities. What they want to do.
The more we provide as options to recreate, the more likely we are to keep them out of trouble.
Mental Health, Drugs, & Addiction
Drug Decriminalisation
For small amounts of drugs, decriminalisation will free up police resources and court time. I believe this would enable the police to pursue bigger targets and really get rid the unsafe drug supply.
Mental Health Crisis Response
Obviously what we are currently doing is not enough. We need to approach this from multiple angles.
- Find ways of training more mental health nurses and social workers. This may require finding ways of licensing qualified immigrants in a fast tracked manner, and then hiring them into Coquitlam facilities.
- Food security and housing. When people are underfed and lack adequate housing, they are under stress, and this causes issues to inflate. We need to get more affordable housing and we need more higher paying jobs to help people afford quality food.
- Look into rethinking Riverview Hospital. Keep the arboretum. It can be a park, hospital, rehab, counselling and research center.
Overdoses & the Contaminated Drug Supply
Safe Supply
We need to provide testing locations
For small amounts of drugs, decriminalisation will free up police resources and court time. I believe this would enable the police to pursue bigger targets and really get rid the unsafe drug supply.
Treatment Programmes
Not everyone recovers the same. Some find it through group counselling, others through gardening. Lets find more ways to help, and not use a cookie cutter approach. Give people a sense of purpose, and they won't look for an escape.
Public Safety & Policing
Non-Police-Based Public Safety
We need to get electric bikes and scooters properly insured for road use, and to get them off the sidewalks. The only machines that should be using the sidewalk are mobility wheelchairs and scooters.
Upstream Causes of Crime
We need to find new avenues of recreation for those at most risk of falling into crime. Teen centers and groups. More after school sports programs for at-risk youth.
Give people a proper outlet, and they'll be less likely to do crime.
Public Spaces & Services
Fitness & Sports Facilities
This is a great and growing sport. I'd like to see another course installed in one of our many parks. Its cost to play is minimal and provides an amazing outdoor experience that is approachable by all.
Public Washrooms
I would like to see more public washrooms in parks and at all transit hubs. Not everyone can make it home when they are waiting for their bus.
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
While we must expand our system of bike paths, we need to educate and keep electric bikes off of our sidewalks. They are for pedestrians, people in mobility scooters, and perhaps children learning to ride bikes.
Reconciliation & Indigenous Nations
Indigenous Languages
As a city and a province, we need to do what we can to preserve the many languages that were here before European settlers. The language is rich, and tells stories of the land and people. We need more local place names to have traditional names. Have signs in multiple languages that can help people learn the words and traditions.
Places Names, Statues, & Other Commemorations
We need to celebrate and embrace the rich culture that was here before Coquitlam was "settled". We need to name our geography with what it used to be, or at least have secondary signage. When we build the Fraser Mills land, I would like to see Indigenous consultation, use indigenous words for new streets, and put up placards explaining the history and culture from before Coquitlam.
Transit & Getting Around
Active Transportation
Let's do our part and get bikes off of the main roads. It is safer and much more enjoyable riding a bike away from traffic.
We need more bike racks in our parks and facilities, and we need to encourage small business to install bike racks. They have been installing bike racks at transit hubs, but we need more of them, and better signage at SkyTrain stations about using the stairs when carrying your bike and which transit cars to use.
Electric Bikes & Scooters
We need more bike racks in our parks and facilities, and we need to encourage small business to install bike racks. They have been installing bike racks at transit hubs, but we need more of them, and better signage at SkyTrain stations about using the stairs when carrying your bike and which transit cars to use.
We need to get electric bikes and scooters properly insured for road use, and to get them off the sidewalks. The only machines that should be using the sidewalk are mobility wheelchairs and scooters.
New Transit Projects
Working with other municipalities, I would petition the Provincial and Federal governments for the SkyTrain to be extended along 2 different lines through Coquitlam.
- Twin Braid station, have it follow United to the new Fraser Mills development, another stop near the casino, and have that station built for extension to both Guildford in Surrey, and to follow Mary Hill bypass into Port Coquitlam near the Fremont connector at the Pitt River Bridge
- From Lafarge Lake/ Douglas extend the train into Port Coquitlam, near Shaughnessy and Lougheed, further to near the Fremont connector at the Pitt River bridge and beyond
We must connect the city, make it easy to get out of our cars to get to work and recreate.
Parking
Parking is a contentious issue. We need more parking, but also less. Depends where you look.
Many people move to Coquitlam to be closer to nature. It is quite difficult to get to a lot of our parks and facilities without a car.
We need to be strategic, we need to encourage people to get out of their car by making transit more accessible. But we also need to make sure people have room for parking at their residence. Not everyone wants to be on transit only, and for many people it is impossible due to constraints of multiple jobs and priorities.
I see a major opportunity near Coquitlam Centre SkyTrain station. We have a massive open parking lot, that could easily be rethought to be a multi-story parkade, with more charging stations, and the remainder of that space dedicated to being a green space.
Ride-Hailing
Look at ways that we can license individuals to work as independent drivers within the city. We don't need to have a multi-national conglomerate running everything with profits leaving to some head office in another country. We can find a solution, such that we can hire a local owner, who is vetted and insured as well as drivers are for the big companies.
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
While we must expand our system of bike paths, we need to educate and keep electric bikes off of our sidewalks. They are for pedestrians, people in mobility scooters, and perhaps children learning to ride bikes.
They may still in the future!
Biography
I've been a manager, a planner, a bartender, a student and I want to bring Coquitlam into the future.
Born and raised in Coquitlam. Went to two different elementary schools which are no longer running, and a high school (Centennial) which is now completely rebuilt. I've seen lots of changes.
One of my first jobs was at Maillardville Lanes, where I also bowled for 20 years, and that has now become a parking lot. We need to preserve our sports and recreational facilities when we develop. Find ways to make the feasibility of facilities like bowling alleys possible. See if we can get a developer to put a bowling alley in the base levels of one of their new high-rises. Everyone loves bowling.
I have been a bartender and waiter over the years, before working where I am now, I spent 3 years working in Rocky Point, down on the "Brewer's Row". Being in that job you learn to listen, and are often able to have some very in depth insights to the city from the local patrons. I would also like to try to bring the magic that is "Brewer's Row" to Coquitlam. A walkable, entertainment district, that is fun for the whole family. We're about to develop the Fraser Mills land, we need to make sure we have a fun place to recreate that is also walkable and close to transit.
For 16 years I worked with Real Canadian Superstore, from the garden center to graveyard stocking shifts, to inventory management, to systems training and operations management. The job showed me how important every penny is when you're feeding your family, prices are skyrocketing, and we need to find ways to keep costs down. I'm highly organized, and can manage multiple departments' staff, inventory and controls at the same time.
Having worked graveyard shift for many years, especially as a student, I know how hard it is getting to and from work when you don't have a reliable car in the middle of the night. With the population expansion that Coquitlam and the region is experiencing we are bound to have more night shift workers, and we must do our part to help them get to and from their jobs, expand SkyTrain and buses to 24hour service, extend the skytrain lines with new stations and really connect the whole Lower Mainland.
I earned my Bachelor's of Science in Physics from SFU, it is a mathematically rigorous problem solving degree. It took a few years, but I am finally utilizing my degree by getting people set up with off-grid and grid-tie solar solutions for their cabins, boats and RVs. I want to bring those skills and ideas to the city, and turn Coquitlam into a Smart Solar City so that we have reliable energy even if the main transmission lines go down. If we're to have electric heat pumps and electric cars, we will need some way of powering those in an emergency.
I've grown up here, I have seen many changes. We are going to grow even larger together, and we must preserve our greenspace, be as energy friendly as possible and still have a vibrant community with lots of options for recreation. We can achieve this if we have the desire. I will bring the willpower to make that happen.