How I’ll Serve
Good decisions don’t just happen. They result from doing the work well.
Every decision Council makes affects people’s lives. That’s why it’s critical that Council gathers good information, considers it carefully, exercises sound judgment, and is accountable for the decisions made.
If I’m elected here’s the approach I’ll bring to Council.
Listen First
The people most affected by a decision often have insights that aren’t obvious from a report or presentation. Listening doesn’t always lead to agreement, but it almost always leads to better understanding.
Ask good questions
Complex issues rarely have simple answers. I’ll challenge assumptions, explore different perspectives, and work to understand the consequences of different choices before reaching a decision.
Build on what works
Our Official Community Plan, Climate Action Plan, Transportation Plan, and other long-term plans represent years of community conversations, careful analysis, and thoughtful decision-making. I’ll build on that work while remaining open to improvements when changing circumstances genuinely call for it.
Think long term
Council must respond to today’s challenges while it also considers our community’s long-term financial, social, environmental, and economic well-being. Good decisions do both.
Explain my decisions
People deserve to understand not only what Council decides, but why. Even when people disagree with a decision, they should know it was made carefully, respectfully, and in the long-term interests of the community.
I won’t get every decision right. No councillor does. But I believe you deserve councillors who do the work well. That’s my commitment to you.
Building a Stronger Vernon
Healthy communities meet today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow.
Vernon has a strong foundation. We also face important challenges – from improving housing access and affordability to managing growth and transportation needs, to renewing the long-term infrastructure our community depends on. Addressing those challenges will require thoughtful choices and a willingness to look beyond the next budget or election cycle.
Here are three priorities I believe deserve Council’s sustained attention.
Expanding Housing Choices
A healthy community has room for people at every stage of life.
Housing is about more than buildings. It’s about whether people can build a life in Vernon.
Young adults should be able to build a future here. Families need homes that meet their changing needs. Seniors should have opportunities to remain in the neighbourhoods they know and love.
That means increasing the range of housing choices throughout our community —from purpose-built rental housing to affordable and attainable home ownership and housing that supports people as they age. It also means creating homes in places where people can easily reach schools, parks, shops, public transit, and other services that make everyday life easier and more affordable.
A community where people can flourish at every stage of life is a stronger community for everyone.
Growing Wisely
Growth should enrich our community, not simply make it bigger.
Growth is inevitable. Hillside sprawl isn’t.
Making the best use of existing neighbourhoods, infrastructure, and public investment helps create a more connected, financially sustainable city. This approach also creates an opportunity to strengthen our downtown. A healthy downtown has an energy that draws people in. More people living, working, shopping, and gathering in the core support local businesses, strengthen community connections and help make public spaces safer and more welcoming for everyone.
Thoughtful growth also supports walking, cycling, and public transit, protects valuable natural areas, and helps maintain and enhance the character of the community we value.
Forward-thinking growth should leave future generations with opportunities to put down roots and thrive here, not saddle them with unsustainable financial obligations.
Preparing for tomorrow
We can’t control every challenge the future brings. We can choose how well prepared we’ll be to meet them.
None of us knows exactly what the future holds. But we do know that the choices we make today will shape our ability to respond to whatever tomorrow brings. Communities that think ahead don’t simply weather change – they are better able to adapt, recover, and seize new opportunities.
That means strengthening Vernon’s foundations. It means helping local businesses adapt, grow, and respond to changing conditions while encourage new ideas and a more diverse local economy. It means investing in the neighbourhoods, organizations, and relationships that help people support one another. It means protecting the lakes, forests, farmland, and natural systems that sustain us while preparing for challenges such as wildfire, water shortages, and a changing climate. And it means managing the City’s finances wisely so future councils have the flexibility to respond when the unexpected happens.
These investments reinforce one another. Together they create a community that is stronger, more adaptable, and better prepared for whatever lies ahead.
The future is uncertain. But whatever it brings, we can move forward with purpose, adjust our course as needed, and keep working together toward a shared vision for Vernon’s future.
