What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
I am grateful to be coming into this campaign experience with a human service background entirely rooted in healthcare and social justice work that, at its core, aims to build equitable communities and offer services that seek to enhance the lives of all people, particularly those who have experienced marginalization and oppression. With a priority focus on people and our natural world first, my decision making process centres a compassionate, evidence-based approach. I believe that collective economic prosperity is only possible with a healthy, resilient, and well-resourced community. Fundamental to a healthy community is a respectful and reciprocal relationship with our natural, living world, therefore my decision-making will centre the needs and limitations of our environment, ensuring that our children will have the planet they deserve to live on for generations to come. With a focus on establishing systemic support for people to be lifted out of poverty, I believe there will be greater opportunity for greater equity and opportunity for our local economy to thrive while also honouring the capacity of our natural world.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
I will maintain a commitment to sustainably building and growing our local economy through an ethical decision making model that focuses on enhancing the resilience and capacity of the community itself: prioritizing meeting people’s needs, strengthening the social determinants of health, ensuring our community is affordable for all who live here, and creating opportunity for everyone to engage in our local economy. When it comes to economic development, I will prioritize creating opportunity for industry and business that are committed to environmental protection and Indigenous-led land stewardship. I do not believe it is in our community’s best interest to sacrifice our environment and natural world for more jobs and I am not swayed by financial interests. The lens I bring to this campaign recognizes that our local economy is only as prosperous as the health of our community members, and we need to focus on growing and enhancing economic opportunities, equity, and environmental protection simultaneously.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
My work as a nurse and community advocate in Nanaimo has been centred around supporting members of our community who experience poverty at the highest rates. After learning from clients over the years, I understand how inequities around affordability and accessibility keep people trapped in cycles of poverty. I see the tangible impacts of poverty in the people I serve every day, so I understand that the only way to support all members of our community is to commit to minimizing these inequities in multi-dimensional ways, including finding unique solutions to housing affordability, increasing accessibility and security of culturally appropriate food, enhancing the accessibility of our community in terms of both function and mobility, offering the necessary supports and services that will help people to participate meaningfully in the community including health access, affordable childcare, greater opportunities for entry-level job positions, enhancing understanding of trauma-informed approaches and cultural safety, as well as maximizing green spaces, access to the natural world, and growing the accessibility of third-spaces to promote social and cultural connection for all.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
My top four priorities and commitments for this campaign include enhancing housing affordability and accessibility, increasing access to health and social services, supporting opportunity for food security and food sovereignty, as well as climate justice, environmental protection, and Indigenous-led land stewardship. With these four priorities in mind throughout all decision-making processes, I believe we can make important movement toward more affordable, convenient (accessible), and resilient communities that meet and balance the needs of all community members, including the natural world around us.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
My entire career in healthcare and social justice has been focused on my commitment to equitable access to healthcare and the social determinants of health (including access to food and green space) for all members of our community. In 2018, I worked with a diverse group of individuals to provide access to low-barrier life-saving safe consumption services on the streets of our community. I have presented numerous delegations to the last two iterations of Council regarding the urgency of the public health crisis we are currently in and how our community must shift focus toward access to the social determinants of health in order to keep people alive. I have presented to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health about the health and community impacts of this crisis. I have also collaborated with a team that challenged the dangerous Bill C-34 proposed by our provincial government, with an emergency injunction granted by the BC Supreme Court on the grounds that this law would cause “irreparable harm”. Additionally, I have been a vocal advocate against the ongoing municipal practice of fencing off shared green spaces that limit access and mobility for all community members.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I have an extensive and detailed list of priorities for implementation and advocacy that offers specifics with regard to how I will ensure the people of Nanaimo have access to these important social determinants of health. Unfortunately this list is far beyond the 1200 character count of these answer boxes, so I will include my detailed list of priorities in an email upon submission of this questionnaire.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
My practice demands a high degree of professional responsibility, accountability, ethical decision-making, as well as a high level of skill and capacity to act as an advocate to uphold standards of care and professional practice. Without hesitation, I know that these are values and skills that will be transferred seamlessly into my role as City Councillor. I am also highly skilled in my capacity to offer transparent explanation for my rationale in all interventions. As an advocate in this community, I have experienced first hand the ways in which elected officials evade transparency and responsibility in their decision making. It is worrisome that many valuable voices in our community are not heard or considered in important decision-making processes, and that people do not have access to the information they need to understand how and why our municipality makes decisions about important community matters that impact everyone. Understanding government processes and political literacy can only be developed through education, and I believe elected officials have an obligation to the public to offer education and rationales with regard to how they come to their decisions.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
My 5th priority is engaging in “equity-oriented, ethical, evidence-based decision making and fiscal management that is human rights-based and strengthens the social determinants of health, promoting health and reducing health inequalities.” This inherently requires transparency, cooperation, efficiency, and advocacy that upholds ethical, environmental and human-rights standards. As a nurse, I understand that the process of building trust and establishing safety is a slow, intentional, personal process that is shaped and informed by previous experiences, and I am aware that trust with government officials must be first be repaired before building can happen. To support this, I will maintain authenticity to my values shared in the campaign (I believe that when we show up fully as ourselves in all spaces, establishing trust and safety becomes more organic); I will be reliable and maintain accountability if/when I change my mind; offer rationale and transparency in all decision-making, be available to listen and learn, and I will continue my dedication to my own personal work with humility and self-awareness that I do not know everything and I have ample space to learn in this role.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
I think it is important that as a City we focus on what successful growth really looks like. I was thrilled to see how Nanaimo residents organized to protect local green spaces. As an elected official, I must consider this when making any future development decisions. Working with local nonprofits in town allowed me to connect and collaborate on many important topics. As a homeowner, I have a secondary suite to provide additional housing in our community. As a parent raising two teenagers in Nanaimo, I understand the pressures families face with affordability and the rising cost of living. I want to make sure we focus on ensuring all residents of Nanaimo have their basic needs met and ensure any further development protects our local ecosystems and environment, most notably our aquifers and wetlands.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
If elected, I would work to ensure I am listening to the priorities of the citizens of Nanaimo. For example, prioritizing and protecting our water sources is important to ensure we can live sustainably in Nanaimo. I also have the same concerns for the future when I hear how early we have hit our stage 3 water restrictions in Nanaimo and Stage 4 in the RDN. There are ways our city can continue to grow. Still, within sustainable limits, I would like to ensure the environment remains a priority as we continue to make decisions about Nanaimo’s future developments. I also believe there are opportunities to encourage more sustainable building practices, including energy-efficient construction and approaches that reduce long-term costs. I also recently moved to the South End of the city, and I already love how I can walk to the grocery store and the parkway trail easily. Ensuring that residents have access to walkable neighbourhoods that include local amenities and shared green spaces is an important part of building sustainable communities.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
As a resident of Nanaimo, and someone who is currently raising two teenagers here, I am thrilled that public transit will be free for both of them come September. I do think, however, that there is still work to be done with our current bus routes. I see firsthand how challenging it can be for my children to access certain areas of the city when routes are long or not well connected. Improving transit access and connectivity is an important part of making our community more convenient and accessible. When I think about resilient communities, I think about connection. We need to continue fostering a sense of belonging and create opportunities for neighbours to connect. Through my involvement within the community, I have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with many different partners and hear the experiences of people from a wide range of backgrounds. This has helped me better understand and advocate for the challenges residents are facing. I also understand the pressures around affordability. Even with a stable career as a RN I recognize how difficult it can be for many people to manage rising costs of living.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
If elected, I would work from a community-informed approach. I do not believe in top-down decision-making. I want to understand the realities people living in Nanaimo are experiencing. Good leadership starts with listening to all residents and valuing their lived experience, then working collaboratively to identify gaps and develop solutions. As a single parent raising two teenagers in Nanaimo, I understand how important reliable and accessible transportation is, as I can not be in two places at one time, so my children have used the bus in the past to get to school. I want the opportunity to review and revise and provide feedback to route planning so residents and especially students can access the places they need to go and make it a more overall reliable mode of transportation. When it comes to resilience, I have to admit I have never been a fan of that word because often people are forced to be resilient out of necessity, but having said that, resilient communities are built through connection. When people have opportunities to build relationships with their neighbours and care for their community, communities become stronger.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I see the interconnectedness of all these topics every single shift working in the ER. Wounds do not heal without adequate nutrition for example. We are also seeing the impacts of inadequate access to temporary shelter spaces, daily drop-in services, and basic necessities such as showering facilities for our unhoused community members. I have learned a great deal collaborating with and supporting the work of Poverty Advocacy Nanaimo, and it has reinforced for me the importance of reducing barriers. My work with a local nonprofit included running a low-barrier drop-in centre where breakfast and coffee services were offered to any community members who joined us. There is also a free clothing closet, which I coordinated with community partners. I worked to connect community members to additional resources such as the Brain Injury Society. Through this role, I have worked collaboratively with the City of Nanaimo to advocate for winter drop-in spaces and cooling spaces, connecting with other community organizations. One of the key issues is food insecurity, and I see that as an important area to address immediately if elected.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
If elected, I want to continue to explore upstream solutions for our community. I want people living in Nanaimo to have their basic needs met. From my exploration of our current City of Nanaimo budget, there is funding available; however, we need to ensure it is directed toward areas that help residents have a roof over their head and food on their table. We need to continue to strengthen our social foundations, including housing, social equity, healthcare access, and food security. I would explore creative ways to bring new primary care providers to the area, such as nurse practitioners. The Nexus Clinic is a great example of an innovative model that could be expanded or replicated to ensure residents have access to healthcare within their own neighbourhoods. Nanaimo also desperately needs at least one low-barrier drop-in space where our unhoused and low-income community members can access resources and connect with necessary supports to ensure equitable access to healthcare. Nanaimo residents have made their voices loud and clear about the importance of protecting our green spaces; this is a value that I also hold dear and will take into account for every decision.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
My experience as an emergency room nurse and community advocate has demonstrated my commitment to collaboration and advocacy. Through my work with a local nonprofit, I have advocated for increased support for people living unhoused, including working with community partners such as the City of Nanaimo to help fund emergency winter drop-in spaces and advocate for the need for overnight shelter. This work has required building relationships and working collaboratively across organizations. As a nurse, I also understand the importance of evidence-based decision-making and advocating for people who are living more marginalized within Nanaimo, which also extends to women and children escaping intimate partner violence, seniors, Indigenous community members, LGBTQIA+ and other voices who are often not adequately represented at the decision-making table.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
If elected, I would build trust with the people of Nanaimo by listening and being transparent about decision-making. Especially in a time when many people are busy residents have still taken time out of their lives to advocate for places like Cable Bay, Rock City Wetlands, and raise their concerns about the data centre. To me, these actions demonstrate how much people care about Nanaimo and the future of our community. If that many residents of Nanaimo came together to raise concerns about a potential project and its environmental impact, there must be a willingness for council to pause, listen, and reevaluate. I think trust is also built by being accessible when in an elected role. I would make myself available for conversations with residents and be open to hearing different perspectives. Our community members don’t need a councillor who knows every answer, and we should be wary of those who profess to. What I can guarantee if elected, is that I will make the time to hear the values and priorities driving their concerns. I can guarantee that I will work tirelessly to find clear and effective solutions that accurately represent the needs of this City that I love so much.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
In my work with the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust (NALT) I have worked with concerned neighbours and groups to inform City council decisions on proposed developments in environmentally sensitive areas such as Cable Bay, the Harewood Plains, and riparian areas throughout our City. When an proposal is presented to the community without community input we are faced with the choice to accept it or fight it. When we engage community at the build in (rather than buy in) we are challenged to come up with development plans that work for the community as well as the proponent. We need to make sure we understand shifting baselines and cumulative damages when considering this or that proposal and not compound damage just because that is the way it has always been done. We can downzone properties to correct development planning based on past assumptions and planning goals.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
I would explore the idea proposed by Guy Dauncey regarding green industrial zoning to attract and support low carbon and post carbon industrial development in closed loop water balanced systems. In the short term I support removing heavy polluting industries from the current activities allowed under industrial zoning to make sure through council the community has a say in which industrial pursuits fit where with our climate change mitigation and adaptation plans within our ecological carrying capacity. Businesses and people move to communities that offer a plethora of parks and protected spaces in support of recreation, recharge, and biodiversity. Natural infrastructure also support City service delivery at lower costs than built infrastructure so expanded parks and conserved areas contribute to sustainable and affordable service delivery.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
I have participated at every opportunity with public engagement to inform active and public transportation in line with the 15 minute city model. In my work with NALT I have engaged with City staff and council to argue against sprawl and indiscriminate development of previously undeveloped lands within the City of Nanaimo.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
I believe green spaces are critical infrastructure in support of health, climate change adaptation and mitigation. Supporting the expansion of parks, conservation areas, and the urban canopy generally offer a cost effective way of supporting community health and the climate change goals of the OCP. We will need to look at the coastal inundation modelling to look at where we decide to protect infrastructure from sea level rise or retreat from inundated areas and restore natural habitat. I also believe that the affordability crises shouldn’t be borne on the shoulders of the most vulnerable and housing insecure. We can strengthen tenant protections to ensure that renovictions are a thing of the past.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I live within view of two supportive housing buildings and a supervised consumption site. My observation is that the conditions on the street have improved with these facilities coming on line. I believe that these housing options and healthcare facilities should also be distributed in the 15 minute city model with locations throughout our city.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I will support politics free medical health based on data and outcomes for those accessing the service. I also believe the province needs to increase investment in healthcare and services offered north of the Malahat Pass. Support for the development of local food production for local and near local consumption can be achieved through zoning and support of distribution networks. Data based decision making on the distribution of needed healthcare supports should be distributed throughout our community and will take engagement with our neighbourhoods to ensure that community concerns and needs are being met. Parks and protected areas are critical infrastructure and provide the landscape that is our sense of our home place. I will advocate for the expansion of park area in support of key biodiversity areas as well as equitable access in every neighbourhood.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
In my work with NALT I have engaged with individuals, groups, and agencies to support, promote, and protect natural values in the Nanaimo region. I have always practiced respectful and open communication with partners and others as the best way to act and to achieve goals. I have managed an organization with a budget of approximately $500,000 always working to achieve a balanced budget and fulfill our mission. I have often argued for upholding environmental standards to City council and the Regional District Board.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
I believe council needs to have more frequent engagement with Neighbourhood associations and organizations. I also believe the City needs to review its freedom of information policy and practice to make sure that information isn’t being unnecessarily withheld from the public. I also feel that decorum and respect are a two way street and the behavior expected of the public should also be practiced by mayor and council.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
That’s been my career. With 30 years of leadership in business and community impact, my perspective sits at intersections, not a single lane. I started in tech to build a value-added, sustainable economy. I worked with food security, waste diversion, inclusion, agriculture, immigration, 2SLGBTQIA+, students, survival trades, street-involved and unhoused people, and executives. I worked on projects like solar parking meters, greenhouse tech, and upcycling spent grains.
I focused my MBA on regional clusters. Nanaimo could be a hub for sustainable coastal, marine, food, health, blue, green, and value-added wood sectors. I have led public outreach and entrepreneur programs, and worked on childcare, traffic safety, housing, Indigenous frameworks, COVID recovery and supply chain diversification…and pulled invasives at neighbourhood events. I attended learning opportunities from Nanaimo Climate Action Hub, NPC, VIEA, CVI Multicultural Society, Pride, Tourism Nanaimo, and Haven, and trained in trauma-informed practice and Indigenous cultural safety. I grew up with ancestral land-based learning. Saving the planet means collaborating and understanding one another and the decisions before us.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
We can have both a strong economy and a healthy environment. Nanaimo’s natural beauty attracts visitors, supports local businesses, and helps employers recruit and retain talent. We can grow our economy by supporting entrepreneurs, skilled trades, marine industries, technology, the arts, and emerging sectors while making it easier to invest and create good jobs.
I regularly support local markets, business openings, festivals, and industry events, and engage with the Chamber, Tourism Nanaimo, VIU, VIEA, Pride, CVI Multicultural Society, and Nanaimo Prosperity Corp. With 30 years in business and non-profits, plus service on the Chamber’s Community Impact Committee and on founding task forces for BCEdAccess and Canada’s first economic abuse initiative, I bring practical experience to economic development.
At City Hall, I’ll champion evidence-based decisions, stronger business cases, measurable results, streamlined processes, and transparent communication. Working with First Nations, governments, and local partners, we can strengthen infrastructure, innovation, port and customs development, and long-term prosperity while protecting what makes Nanaimo a great place to live and work.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
I have advocated for affordable housing, active transportation and safer transportation, the community impact sector, human rights and good paying jobs. I successfully advocated for safety at a park where toddlers ran into the road; for when the first All Ages and Abilities protected bike lane had no school access; and through BCEdAccess around elopement. I advocated for Loudon Park, saving trees, adding a community room (events, warming/cooling, childcare), improved trails and playground, an adult change table, universal washrooms and making it a community centre. I advocated on Departure Bay traffic safety, influencing RCMP prioritization. I presented to Council on school zones, including signage changes for summer and year-round sites and a need to reflect childcare and community use. I am on the Chamber’s Community Impact Committee, a non-profit director and a volunteer. I worked on the Downtown Eastside with people grappling with housing, survival trades, and food. I brought change to school exclusion and in-home MCFD supports vs voluntary care, through human rights work that led to precedents and systemic change.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
We often hear about community wellbeing or economic priorities. Nanaimo needs leadership that brings those together. With experience from the Downtown Eastside to the Fortune 500, I’m a bridge builder and systems thinker with experience delivering real results. Affordability is about more than housing; it’s about creating a community where people can thrive. I’ll work for good-paying local jobs, a wider range of housing, and neighbourhoods where people can easily and safely access services, parks, schools, childcare, local needs, and transportation options. I will work for practical investments that strengthen infrastructure, improve climate resilience, and make daily life more convenient while keeping costs down. I’ll ask for business case justification, risk analysis and key performance indicator reporting so that we can make better, more nimble decisions, rather than just hope. More transparent reporting and strong decision making can contain costs and improve the public confidence. By connecting and integrating economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and strong communities, we can build a Nanaimo that is more affordable, connected, and resilient for everyone.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
My professional and lived experience spans healthcare, food, social services and green spaces. I worked in a Downtown Eastside outreach offering street, meal kitchen, food processing, and food bank services, with partners in health, Indigenous, social services, and childcare. I led a national entrepreneurship pilot for a food processing trade association. I have MarketSafe and FoodSafe II and have actively promoted Nanaimo’s markets. I was the first to test the Moore case on school exclusion, and part of the first BCedAccess taskforce and school exclusion report. I advocated for changes to BCCH policy, the first in-home supports outside of CYSN, Supported Child Development, home outreach, one of BC’s first youth microboards, the Island’s first youth microboard, and MCFD’s first coercive control case. I was in Save Loudon Park and Friends of Loudon Park, invasive plant removal, and transportation advocacy. I was one of Nanaimo’s first scooter share users, using to explain, with high uptake. I grew up harvesting, tracking, and balancing decisions with our ecosystem. I was an intern at Bamfield Marine Station. I have more to learn and a duty to do so.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I’m an accountable, results-oriented person but no candidate can ensure anything. Council includes nine decision makers overseeing the CAO. The City involves networks, partnerships and collaboration with multiple governments, First Nations, and interest holders. But I can initiate requests, ask tough questions, and steer strong governance with transparent decision making, clear reporting, and risk and business case analysis.
Healthy communities are no accident. They are built through thoughtful planning and strong partnerships. While municipalities don’t deliver healthcare, Council can advocate for expanded healthcare, mental health, social services, access to healthy affordable food, and neighbourhoods with welcoming parks, trails, and gathering spaces. I bring a history of working on those initiatives ( food security, economic development, transportation, affordable housing, relationships) and I’ll work for inclusive communities where people can access services and amenities they need close to home. By collaborating with First Nations, governments, and local partners, we can improve quality of life and help make Nanaimo healthier, more connected, and more equitable — together.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
I have worked in leadership across levels in business, education and non-profits. I have worked with people on the streets and sidewalks and with people in boardrooms. I take the same grounded, present approach to everyone and try to centre humanity and our common experiences. I have repeatedly advocated to government around transparency, even asking for FOIPPA reports, and feel my unique professional and lived experience can help bring better transparency to Nanaimo. Because of my business and non-profit work, I have a strong orientation to asking questions around governance, key performance indicators, business case justification, return on investment, risk analysis, wait times and other results — and on explaining decisions and results and reporting back on them. I believe Nanaimo can do a much better job in these areas and also better report on its economic and wellbeing framework, which includes environmental standards.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
Leaders earn trust through openness, relationships and follow-through. I will make decisions based on evidence, community input, and Nanaimo’s long-term best interest. I support meaningful engagement, clear reporting on Council priorities and measurable outcomes, and explain how and why decisions are made. I’ll be accessible, prepared, and accountable, working respectfully with colleagues, staff, First Nations, businesses, organizations, and residents to deliver results people can rely on.
I attend workshops, discussions, markets, and business, health, multicultural, Indigenous, sports, civic, environmental, and other events. I aim to listen, connect, and maintain a consistent, active presence where people feel comfortable sharing with me. I aim to demonstrate authentic, steady values and approaches and that I integrate learning and share back.
I attend Council meetings and read City reports. We need clear business case analysis. I have seen cases where there’s no projection of users, costs, maintenance, revenues or return on investment or where questionably relevant cities are referenced. I’d like to increase key performance indicator reporting and justification for decisions.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
As an elected member of the 2022-2026 Nanaimo Council, I have made decisions consistent with my commitment to economic development that respects the limits of our living planet. For example, I voted in favour of the ban on natural gas as the primary heating source in new homes in the City of Nanaimo beginning July 2024. Council was subjected to a lot of lobbying and pressure from fossil fuel lobby groups but we managed to pass it with a slim 5-4 majority. Shortly after I was elected, I voted against the rezoning application for a data centre in Nanaimo due to the lack of information around the associated water use. I subsequently brought forward a motion to amend the City’s Official Community Plan to ensure that any future data centre rezoning applications would require that detailed information on daily/yearly water use, energy consumption, and water & energy conservation measures be provided to Council at the rezoning stage. This is to ensure that Council can make an informed decision. Economic development is important AND we also need to seriously consider the long term impacts and strain our natural resources are under due to the climate emergency.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
The City has established the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation (NPC), in partnership with SFN, Nanaimo Port Authority, Nanaimo Airport Commission, Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, and VIU. I think the partnerships involved in the NPC represent our best chance for success in attracting and creating new green jobs in Nanaimo by leveraging our strategic assets and supporting business development and innovation. NPC is championing the fact that Nanaimo adopted the “doughnut economics” model, which is about sustainable development and progressive policies that revolve around respecting the carrying capacity of the environment. They are working on key priorities that align with the doughnut economic model, including unlocking development lands, building strategic partnerships, enhancing the local business climate, and attracting investments. The City of Nanaimo was the first North American city to adopt this model and it is giving us a competitive edge by attracting attention on the national and international stage, which will hopefully in turn help attract more green jobs and businesses.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
My voting record on Council clearly demonstrates this, as I have consistently supported acquiring land for affordable housing and to expand parks and protected spaces, voted in support of housing density policies and initiatives to incentivize more density downtown Nanaimo, worked to make transit more affordable and accessible by voting in favour of free transit for youth at the RDN and advocating for more HandyDART hours, and supported the Nanaimo Rent Bank by voting in favour of funding rent subsidies from the Online Accommodation Fund. I also successfully brought forward a motion “to seek opportunities and create policies that support and advance planning of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) centres, including Country Club and Woodgrove, in a way that provides clear connection to the Island Corridor, which may be used for corridor-related transit in the future” to ensure we’re planning for a future that includes rail transit, which is an efficient and sustainable mode of transportation.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
I will continue to support efforts to build more affordable housing in Nanaimo, investments in public transit and safe walking and cycling infrastructure, initiatives to restore rail service on Vancouver Island, improvements to the City’s Leisure Economic Access Passes to provide free access for low income families and individuals to City Parks, Recreation and Culture programs and services, and continue making progressive decisions to build a more livable and sustainable city for people of all ages and abilities.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
As a Nanaimo City Councillor and Alternate Director on the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District Board, I have been actively involved in advocating for much-needed health care investments in our region, including a new cardiac and catheterization lab and patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, which we desperately need. I voted to preserve Five Acre Farm as farmland and park space rather than turning it into a site focused on affordable housing, as we have better locations for housing and it’s important to protect the small amount of urban agricultural land we have. I am a supporter of the Nanaimo Farmers’ Market and recognize the importance of shopping local and supporting local growers, makers and bakers. I supported the establishment of The Hub in Nanaimo, a year-round warming/cooling centre that offered access to basic services and overnight shelter beds, and even though we have since voted to close the previous location, I have continued to support finding and funding a new location. I have voted to acquire more parkland in and around Nanaimo, and pushed back on development proposals encroaching on green space valued by the community.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
I will continue advocating for local healthcare investments and supporting the necessary tax requisitions to build up the reserves required to fund a hospital expansion once the Province finally follows through on its commitment to build a new patient tower and cardiac/catheterization lab, along with the other tertiary health services that should be available at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. I will support initiatives to enhance local food forests and prioritize planting fruit-bearing trees on public property, and look for opportunities to increase City grant opportunities for social programs aimed at providing affordable, healthy food to low-income community members. I will continue supporting the removal of barriers to accessing City programs, services and amenities, including both physical and financial barriers. I will seek out opportunities to expand and enhance City parks and natural areas, and look for opportunities to enhance our riparian area protections and urban tree canopy.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
As a former reporter, transparency and accountability are very important to me. I have worked hard to openly share what Council is working on by writing regular updates on my Council Facebook page and Instagram feed, and making myself available to meet with everyone who asks. I have done my best to work cooperatively with my council colleagues to achieve shared goals, even if we don’t always agree on everything. I have spoken up about the issues that are important to my community, and have used my position to advocate for the changes I believe are necessary to help build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city. I have brought forward motions aligned with these values, and spent time volunteering to support these same causes. For example, I have participated in many invasive species removal work parties since getting elected, and also brought forward a motion to ban the sale of invasive plants in Nanaimo. I hope to be part of the next Council that will be responsible for finally adopting the bylaw to ban the sale of invasive species, as well as the amendment to the OCP bylaw requiring detailed information on data centre water & energy use at the rezoning stage.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
I will continue my commitment to being a full-time City Councillor, which means not having another job while I am on Council and making this role my central focus. I made this commitment when I first ran in 2022, and it has meant that I have the best attendance record on Council, while also serving as Chair of the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness, Co-Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and as Council’s representative on the Design Advisory Panel. I will be available to meet or talk with anyone who wants to discuss issues that are important to them, and will commit to following up, seeking out answers, and bringing forward motions to address community needs. I will continue sharing information regularly online on both Facebook and Instagram, and championing the issues our community deeply cares about. I will act in alignment with our shared values, and continue speaking up about the progressive actions we must take as a City to address the climate crisis, the affordability crisis, and the mental health crisis. I will do my very best to serve this City with a deep sense of love for this community, care for our environment, and appreciation for this land.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
Balancing community wellbeing, environmental stewardship, and economic growth is one of my highest priorities. Building my own small business (Kind Society Yoga Collective) in downtown Nanaimo has given me firsthand experience with the challenges local entrepreneurs face, especially in creating a business that is both financially sustainable and socially valuable.
My experience has also provided me the opportunity to consider responsible growth in Nanaimo, both economically and socially. With accessibility as a core tenet of Kind, I’ve made it a priority to ensure that wellness is available to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or physical ability. To me community wellbeing on a greater scale includes prioritizing environmentally-focused infrastructure as Nanaimo grows, which includes walkable neighbourhoods, healthy and protected tree canopies, and sustainable building practices.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
Nanaimo’s vibrant local businesses are a big part of what makes our city unique and worthy of people building their lives here. I feel strongly that we are at a turning point where we need to take stock of our city’s balance between supporting local entrepreneurs as they work to build a commercial sector that is uniquely Nanaimo, and encouraging larger anchor tenants (ie, chain & big box stores) that provide economic stability.
My vision for Nanaimo is for our economic growth to be balanced with environmental stewardship and community wellbeing. To achieve this, we must be thoughtful about the new developments we approve; increasing density must be accompanied by developing viable alternatives to individually-occupied cars. We need to look at neighbourhoods as a whole when approving new building or rezoning initiatives, and ensure we are creating the infrastructure needed for responsible growth – increased public transit, walkable neighbourhoods, and integrated transportation networks that aren’t just built for today’s capacity but for what our city will look like 20, 50, and even 100 years into the future.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
Four years ago, I founded Kind Society, a non-profit yoga collective in downtown Nanaimo. Since the beginning, our main focus has been to ensure that everyone has access to the benefits of mindfulness and movement practices regardless of socioeconomic status or physical ability. We provide accessible yoga on a sliding scale, and we’ve offered free classes not just in our studio but also in parks and other spaces around Nanaimo with the aim of bringing wellness options to different communities that may otherwise not have easy access.
Founding, building, and managing this community has provided me with firsthand experience in making a community resource accessible, welcoming, and responsive to people’s needs. We now have a thriving inclusive yoga community, and I consistently receive feedback from our practitioners about how welcome, seen, and comfortable people feel in our space and our classes.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
These priorities are at the heart of my campaign. When we invest in evidence-based and effective supports, it not only helps meet individual needs, but builds stronger and more resilient communities that benefit everyone.
I am supportive of sustainable density increases, which includes developments that are a mix of market and below-market and subsidized housing, as well as communities that provide access to the supports they need before challenges become crises.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
True health isn’t just about healthcare. Under my direction at Kind, we’ve partnered with local organizations including Nanaimo FoodShare’s Homegrown program and Island Crisis Care’s Project Rise to offer accessible yoga classes as participants go through these programs. I’ve also provided support to picketing nurses, and have been vocal about supporting public health and increasing access to primary care providers.
I’ve supported Vancouver Island growers by building relationships with vendors while shopping at farmers markets and, for a time, sitting on the board for the Island Roots Farmers Market. I wrote to City Council with my opposition to the earlier planned upgrades to Loudon Park on Long Lake – despite being a rower myself, I recognized the importance of the beautiful shared green space and mature trees that are there, and I knew a better option was possible.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
My campaign slogan is “A Better Nanaimo, for Everyone.”
I believe that City Councillors have a responsibility to not just listen to the loudest voices, but also to seek out and listen to the lived experiences of those who may not otherwise have the capacity or ability to be heard. This includes parents of young children, busy students, and people just trying to make ends meet. When making decisions, I am committed to asking, “who benefits from this; who are we neglecting to serve; and what barriers can we remove?”
If elected to City Council, I will support policies that: remove barriers for people to access local food; advocate for bringing more primary care providers to Nanaimo; balance economic growth with environmental stewardship; and support truly accessible services that meet people where they are.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
In building a community-serving non-profit from the ground up, I’ve had the opportunity to develop many skills that will serve me well as a City Councillor. I’ve had to ensure that all of my decisions, whether financial, social, or practical, are transparent and justifiable. I have partnered with other organizations and local businesses, and I’ve advocated for safety and support for Queer & Trans folks and people with mobility challenges and disabilities.
Working with a very limited budget, I’ve learned to make every dollar count, and to be very intentional about what priorities to focus on that will best serve our community. I’ve learned to wear many different hats, and to not only create best practices that will save time and money, but to re-examine those practices periodically to ensure they are still serving us well. As we’ve grown, it’s been my job to ensure that growth is balanced with responsible governance and reflects true community need – a skill that transfers well to balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
I have felt called to build community my whole adult life, and to be the kind of leader who earns trust through action and integrity. Through both my leadership of Kind Society and my time as a Student Residence Coordinator at UBC, I have sought to create spaces where people feel genuinely heard and represented. With Kind, I’ve built a community in which practitioners repeatedly tell me they feel comfortable and able to show up authentically.
One of my biggest lessons has been to not just listen and learn, but to ensure I’m acting on the feedback I’ve received. I’ve prioritized transparency and accountability in both my professional and personal lives, because I believe that children and adults alike deserve to understand why decisions are made. I’ve developed systems and frameworks to ensure that my work is consistent and reliable, and I want to do this for Nanaimo’s governance as well. Trust isn’t something that is given freely; it’s earned through repeatedly listening to and taking action on issues that will help create a better Nanaimo for everyone.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
For eight years, I have focused on leveraging City resources to support an economy that meets people’s needs while respecting environmental limits. In 2020, I introduced the motion that made Nanaimo the first Canadian city to adopt Doughnut Economics for civic planning and decision-making. The model measures progress on community needs, including housing, food, health and meaningful work, alongside climate, waste and ecosystem limits, and became a foundation of our OCP. I also helped advance the Sustainable Procurement Policy, supporting local purchasing, lower emissions, fair labour and waste reduction. As a community advocate and Chair of the RDN Solid Waste Committee, I championed a 90% waste-diversion target, mandatory separation of organics and recyclables for industrial, commercial and institutional waste, Nanaimo’s Zero Waste and Circular Economy Strategy, and a $300,000 annual grant for local circular-economy initiatives. I also helped re-establish the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation and ensured its mandate reflects Doughnut Economics prioritizing developing the marine and blue economy, clean technology & sustainability and advanced manufacturing sectors.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
I will complete implementation of the Regional Solid Waste Plan and Mandatory Source Separation Bylaw to advance the 90% waste-diversion target. I will strengthen the City’s Sustainable Procurement Policy to better support local businesses, fair employment, low-carbon products and waste reduction. I will complete implementation of Nanaimo’s Doughnut Economics monitoring strategy so residents can track progress on social and environmental goals. I will protect industrial land for clean and emerging industries while opposing high-emission development and speculative re-zonings that threaten sensitive ecosystems without broad community benefit, including more protected land and eliminating emission intensive uses for the proposed Cable Bay heavy-industrial development. I will continue supporting building retrofits, low-carbon energy, transit, walking and cycling infrastructure, and local food producers and markets. I will also advocate for stronger producer-responsibility programs so producers and not local taxpayers pay the cost of managing waste.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
I helped develop City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined, which supports complete, walkable communities with housing, services and daily needs located closer together. I initiated one of the RDN’s largest transit expansions through the City’s 2019 Climate Emergency Resolution and moved the nearly unanimous motion to provide free transit for youth under 18. I have also supported safer walking routes and connected cycling networks. A major focus of this term has been expanding non-market housing. I championed the Nanaimo Housing Collective, which brings together community land, low-cost financing, innovative construction and local housing partners. Council has now funded a pilot to test this model. I also supported pre-zoning for social housing and introduced a motion for building-permit reforms with clear service standards, faster approvals and quarterly public reporting. Together, these initiatives improve affordability, reduce emissions and vehicle dependence, protect natural areas and strengthen Nanaimo’s resilience to economic and climate disruptions.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
If re-elected, I will make delivering non-market housing at scale a priority by building on the current pilot and establishing a City-supported coordinating body, such as a housing development corporation. I will continue using pre-zoning, density bonusing, City-owned land and partnerships with non-profit providers to expand affordable housing. I will complete building-permit reforms with clear service standards and faster, more predictable approvals. I will advance complete communities through better transit, safer walking and cycling routes, more housing choices in every neighbourhood and homes that support aging in place. I will support low-carbon building upgrades, protect sensitive areas and expand parkland along the Nanaimo River, Cable Bay and Linley Valley. I will also support full implementation of the RDN’s Natural Asset Management project, stronger climate and emergency planning, and continued advocacy and reserve funding for Nanaimo Regional Hospital expansion and improved primary care.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
Before entering politics, I worked as a registered clinical counsellor, including in the prison system, which taught me that housing, health, safety and social services must be addressed together. On council, I supported the Health and Housing Task Force, leading to stronger City staffing and a coordinated table linking provincial agencies, local service providers and City resources. Through council, AVICC and UBCM, I have advocated for supportive housing, primary care, mental-health and substance-use services, and expanded hospital capacity. As a Nanaimo Regional Hospital Board director, I supported funding for a new patient tower, cancer centre and catheterization lab. During the pandemic, I supported the emergency food and nutrition strategy and later efforts to create a food policy council. I have also championed local food production, including the purchase of the Harewood 5 acre farm. I have consistently defended streams, watersheds, parks, trails and public green space, including stronger riparian protections with introducing “net gain” policy, and fighting for a better plan for Loudon Park and Cable Bay.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
If re-elected, I will continue advancing a community safety and well-being approach that brings housing, healthcare, outreach and social services together. This includes supporting the re-establishment of the Nanaimo Homelessness Hub in a more suitable and sustainable location. I will advocate for the Province and Island Health to expand hospital capacity, including the patient tower and catheterization lab, improve primary care, and strengthen mental-health and substance-use services. I will use evidence and service mapping to identify gaps and improve coordination. I will support food-security organizations and increased investment in the Beban Farmers’ Market. I will also advance safer treatment of biosolids through thermal processing that destroys contaminants and produces carbon-storing biochar. To improve access to nature, I will protect and expand parks and green spaces, including the Nanaimo River corridor, Cable Bay and Linley Valley. I will continue supporting the City’s Accessibility and Inclusiveness Committee so parks, recreation facilities and public spaces are designed for everyone.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
I have worked to make government more transparent, collaborative and accountable. I moved the 2020 motion making Nanaimo the first Canadian city to adopt Doughnut Economics, required a public City Portrait with measurable social and environmental indicators, and helped embed this work in City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined. I also supported establishing an annual budget town hall and proposed a public building-permit dashboard, clear service standards and quarterly reporting.
I helped rebuild cooperative governance by supporting renewed working groups with Snuneymuxw First Nation and the Nanaimo Port Authority, establishing the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation and the Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization, creating the Governance and Priorities Committee, and strengthening neighbourhood association engagement. Regionally, I have chaired the RDN Solid Waste Committee, the Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Solid Waste and Circular Economy Committee, and co-chaired a regional climate action initiative. As AVICC President, I led advocacy on affordable housing, watershed security and reforms to strengthen regional districts.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
If re-elected, I will further establish City Plan monitoring and strengthen the process that links key social and environmental indicators to the annual OCP Action Plan, staff work plans and budget decisions. This will allow residents to see what the City is working on, how much is being spent and whether we are making progress toward community goals. I will also establish a stronger annual performance review for the Chief Administrative Officer, measured against the OCP Action Plan and Council Strategic Plan. For major projects, I will improve public communication and involve affected residents and stakeholders earlier in planning, design and construction. Lessons from Loudon Park, Commercial Street and the Nanaimo Operations Centre show the need for earlier engagement, clearer construction updates and more detailed design and costing before borrowing decisions are made. These changes will reduce risk, improve accountability and build public confidence in major City projects.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
I’m Council’s representative on the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation Board of Directors. I sought that appointment to better understand the economic pressures facing our city and to help shape our response. Sitting alongside representatives from Snuneymuxw First Nation, the Nanaimo Port Authority, Nanaimo Airport Commission, VIU and the Chamber of Commerce, I’ve learned that many of Nanaimo’s corporate leaders share a vision for a vibrant and sustainable local economy. There is growing recognition that business as usual cannot be our only paradigm. We need innovation, creativity and the courage to think differently.
I’ve learned this most powerfully from Snuneymuxw First Nation, whose understanding of wealth includes how we care for one another and the land we live on. It is an approach I hope the NPC continues to embrace and learn from.
In practical terms, I’ve also spent nearly eight years advocating for safer pedestrian and cycling infrastructure that makes our city more sustainable, accessible and affordable.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
If re-elected, and re-appointed to NPC, I will continue working with partners to attract investment that recognizes one of Nanaimo’s greatest assets: our natural environment. Economic development and environmental stewardship should reinforce one another, not be treated as competing priorities.
I will continue to work with and learn from Snuneymuxw First Nation and apply those lessons to my work at Council and on the NPC Board. I will continue to bring a community perspective to conversations with business and institutional leaders while deepening my understanding of where the City has the greatest influence. Nanaimo needs jobs, investment and a strong tax base, but the decisions we make today should also leave a healthy, resilient community for future generations.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
This is an area of policy work I’m particularly proud of. The Nanaimo Rent Bank and Rent Supplement programs, the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) pilot, prezoning land for social housing, and supporting provincially funded housing on City land are all examples of work I’ve helped advance. We’ve also invested heavily in transit, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure so people have more choices about how they move through the city.
I’d also answer this question as the Mayor’s appointed Trustee and Past Chair of the Vancouver Island Regional Library Board. Libraries are free, open to everyone and staffed by some of our society’s smartest people. They connect residents with information, services and opportunities regardless of income. I will continue to champion libraries as essential civic infrastructure that strengthens affordability, inclusion and community resilience.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
The City is developing a plan to deliver 400 below-market homes without relying on BC Housing. If we can make that model work, it will give Nanaimo another tool to respond more quickly to our housing needs. I’m cautiously optimistic.
Convenient communities are well-planned communities. I will continue supporting policies that encourage thoughtful density and neighbourhood hubs where residents can reasonably meet more of their daily needs close to home.
Resilient communities are also connected communities. I’ve deeply appreciated our neighbourhood meetings, where residents sit down with Council and staff to discuss the unique opportunities and challenges facing their neighbourhoods. Those relationships help us solve problems earlier, strengthen community connections and better prepare for emergencies.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
One of my proudest achievements as a councillor was helping secure the purchase of the 5 Acre Farm in Harewood. That land will remain in community ownership as a working and teaching farm, preserving something special about the neighbourhood while strengthening our community’s ability to grow fresh, local food.
For the past three years, I have also served as a volunteer Director at Large with Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank. Loaves & Fishes does the practical, everyday work of feeding people across our region, and I will continue to use my time, energy and networks to support that work.
Professionally, I have spent more than two decades managing healthcare improvement projects designed to make care more accessible. That work includes creating Nanaimo’s centralized pediatric referral system and helping establish CanScreen, BC’s first virtual cancer screening clinic for unattached patients. Both projects focused on improving access for people who were struggling to navigate the healthcare system and reinforced my belief that thoughtful system design can make a real difference in people’s lives.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
Municipal government cannot solve every challenge in healthcare, food security or social services, but it has an important role to play.
I will continue advancing policies that support people facing housing insecurity, food insecurity and barriers to healthcare while protecting and expanding access to parks and public spaces that contribute to physical and mental well-being.
I also believe the City should work more intentionally with Nanaimo’s non-profit sector. These organizations often recognize emerging community needs before governments do. The Chamber and City’s report on Nanaimo’s non-profit sector provides an excellent foundation for understanding both the pressures these organizations face and the opportunities for stronger collaboration. Our response to growing social challenges must be coordinated, practical and informed by the people doing the work every day.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
Nearly eight years on Council has taught me that trust is earned slowly and lost quickly. I’ve tried to approach the role by doing my homework, asking thoughtful questions, explaining my decisions publicly and remaining willing to hear from people who disagree with me.
I’ve served on regional and community boards, worked with other governments, advocated to provincial and federal decision-makers, and collaborated with organizations whose perspectives often differ from my own. I don’t believe cooperation requires agreement. It requires listening carefully, being clear about where you stand, and remaining willing to work together afterward.
I’ve also consistently supported planning and infrastructure decisions that take our long-term environmental responsibilities seriously while balancing housing, affordability, economic development and community needs. Good governance means being transparent about difficult choices, not pretending they don’t exist.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
People can accept decisions they disagree with when they believe the process was fair, the information was available, and their elected representatives were honest about why they voted the way they did.
I will continue to be accessible, explain my decisions publicly and resist the temptation to pretend complicated issues have simple answers. Residents deserve to understand not only what Council decided, but why.
Reliability also means following through. We need clear priorities, realistic expectations and regular communication about progress, including when projects take longer than expected or circumstances change. Keeping residents informed builds confidence that their local government is paying attention, even when the path forward isn’t straightforward.
Ultimately, trust is built through consistency: showing up, listening, doing the work, making decisions in public and being accountable for them.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?
As an Nanaimo City Counselor, I support the 2022 official community plan, Nanaimo ReImagined and its integrated action plans. The OCP is very progressive and forward thinking. It ensures that economic development takes into consideration the need for good jobs, affordable places to live, environmental protections and maintaining a good quality of life for Nanaimo residents.
I have extensive experience as a small business owner. I have produced videos to promote the work of local community organizations including Nanaimo Foodshare, the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society, Eden Gardens, Loaves And Fishes, Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Center, Nanaimo Community Gardens, Island Roots Farmers Market and Growing Opportunities. I was on the board of directors during the development of Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community.
As part of my own personal process of reconciliation with First Nations I have done video work for the Snuneymuxw, Snaw, Naw As and Stz’uminus First Nations.
I have promoted local food systems for decades and worked with organizations on developing local farm projects. I have produced films about protecting local watersheds and farmland.
If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?
I will continue to support the official community plan (OCP) and the doughnut economic framework, both of which articulate the connection between all aspects of our city and define how Nanaimo can thrive. I will continue to work on the integrated action plan to implement the OCP while keeping taxes reasonable.
All zoning and development projects, bylaw and policy changes brought to the council table need to be evaluated for their economic, social and environmental impacts. I carefully read all of the reports provided by staff, consultants and developers, including environmental assessments and social impacts. I will continue to read all the emails from residents and strive to balance competing interests.
City Council created the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation to help generate economic activity that builds on the existing economic base while respecting the social and ecological limits of our region.
I will continue to support the development and expansion of our parks system to ensure that as our community grows, we continue to provide access to important recreational spaces and protect biodiversity.
I will continue to support increasing affordable housing in the community.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?
My experience includes working with youth at risk, people with disabilities, low income seniors, and people struggling with poverty. I managed employment skills training programs to help people gain skills and find meaningful work. I produced videos to support the work of local organizations.
I was the executive director of the Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter, which provides safe shelter space for people experiencing homelessness. I raised $280,000 to renovate the shelter and bring it into compliance with the building and fire code. The renovation also added showers and an accessible bathroom.
As a City counselor, I supported developments which increased accessibility for people with barriers. I supported urban development which provides easy access to amenities, shops, services, recreation, and park facilities. I supported all of the affordable housing and supportive housing projects brought before council. As a Regional District Director I supported expanded transit service and free transit for youth.
I have worked with Local First Nations on documentation that promotes their culture and language and fosters better understanding within the wider community.
If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?
If I am re-elected, I will continue to implement the official community plan through the integrated action plans. I will continue to work towards more affordable housing in the community, both through the rezoning process and by lobbying senior levels of government to provide more funding to housing providers in the Nanaimo region.
If I am re-elected to the Regional District of Nanaimo I will continue to support the expansion of the regional hospital and expanded public transit. I will work towards making transit more affordable and convenient.
I will continue to work on protecting local biodiversity and important areas like Cable Bay, Lindley Valley and the Nanaimo River. I will continue to work on important recreational projects such as expanding the waterfront walkway all the way to Departure Bay and the construction of a Southend community center.
I will continue to support important projects like the Nanaimo Operation Centre to ensure that the city and its workers have the resources to continue to make this a functional and resilient community.
I will continue to respect taxpayers by carefully balancing competing interests and keeping tax increases to a minimum.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
As a Nanaimo City Councillor, RDN Director and Nanaimo Regional Hospital Board director I supported the upgrade and expansion of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital including the expansion of the high acuity unit, the construction of a cancer center and new seniors long-term care facility and advocating for a cardiac center and new patient tower. I have supported the addition of primary care clinics in Nanaimo.
I have been working on local food security initiatives for decades including producing a documentary about the last working Five Acre farm in Harwood, which is now a park. I have worked with Nanaimo Foodshare, Growing Opportunities and the Nanaimo Association for Community Living on local farm projects. As a City Councilor I encourage food forests and community gardens in appropriate parks where residents want to grow food.
I was the ED of the Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter. I have run employment skills training programs. As a City Councillor I have supported initiatives to reduce homelessness and increase affordable housing.
I have supported the expansion of local parks and green spaces and increased protections for the tree canopy and environmentally sensitive areas.
If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?
If I am re-elected I will continue to support the expansion of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and the inclusion of health services a tertiary hospital should be providing including cardiac care, expanded dialysis and expanded psychiatric services.
I will continue to support local food security initiatives such as the Loaves and Fishes food recovery warehouse, local farms and farm markets. I will support residents who wish to use appropriate public space for food forests and community gardens.
I will continue to support the expansion of local parks and green spaces including areas like Cable Bay, Lindley Valley, the Nanaimo River and Harewood Plains. I will continue to support protections for the tree canopy and environmentally sensitive areas.
I will continue to support the expansion of affordable housing options in Nanaimo and social services for people experiencing homelessness and health challenges such as mental health and addiction.
I will continue to support additional active transportation options and improved public transit.
I will continue to advocate to senior levels of government for additional support for all of the initiatives listed above.
What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?
I have served as the Member of Parliament for Nanaimo Ladysmith from 2019 to 2021 and as a Nanaimo City Council from 2022 to 2026. I understand governance and what should and should not be discussed in-camera and what should be debated publicly.
For the last four years I have served on the Protocol Agreement Working Group with the Snuneymuxw First Nation and worked on cooperation and projects of mutual interests.
I have taken part in lobbying and advocacy efforts with senior levels of government at AVICC, UBCM and FCM.
After the province of BC disallowed public hearings for residential projects, I advocated that residents should still be able to appear as delegates to council when projects are proposed in their neighbourhoods.
I have brought forward motions to increase public accountability such as making any proposed new emissions intense heavy industry site specific to require public hearings through a zoning process.
In addition to my elected public positions I have served on the board of directors for Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community, the Mid Island Coop, the national office of the Council of Canadians and numerous other boards.
If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?
If I am re-elected, I will continue to advocate for the Nanaimo community through government to government relationships and cooperation with Regional, Provincial, Federal and First Nations governments.
The City of Nanaimo already has systems that are open and transparent but often residents are not aware of how they can engage or navigate through the information and processes that are available to them. I will continue to work with local residents to assist them in the process of engagement so they can provide input and have their views heard and respected.
I will continue to work with City and RDN staff to ensure that our online and in-person engagement systems are as easy to navigate as possible.
I will continue to ensure that the City of Nanaimo and the RDN follow good governance practices with respect to in-camera decisions and transparency.
I will continue to be accessible to residents and answer the emails and calls directed to me. I will continue to advocate for residents who are reaching out and seeking support for the issues and challenges they face and for the vision of the community that they wish to share and see implemented.
Forward Nanaimo 2026 