CAMPAIGNS & LOBBYING
Welcome to the Summerland Candidates answer section.
First, here are the questions we asked:
1. Why are you running for City Council/Mayor?
2. Civic Elections have notoriously low turn out, especially among young voters. What do you think the key issues are for student voters in your region this civic election?
3. Summarize your position on maintaining a balance between environmental sustainability and economic development. How important is it – and is a balance currently being maintained in your community?
4. What role, if any, do you feel municipal governments should have in the development of affordable housing?
5. Would you make a commitment for the community to set a target for affordable housing to be developed each year? What would you do to ensure that these targets were met?
6. Would you champion the development of a comprehensive affordable housing strategy for your community? What would such a strategy look like?
7. What transit issues does your community face, and what immediate changes do you think could be made to address them and improve service?
8. While our region’s senior population continues to grow recent graduates are looking beyond this region for career opportunities. What is your position on this situation?
9. Why should student voters in your region choose you for City Council/Mayor?
*Please note the responses are presented exactly as received. Some responses have been truncated to the 100 word limit.
Candidate List - Only candidates who responded are listed
Council - Donna Wright
Council - Gordon Clark
Council - Jim Kyluik
Council - Orv Robinson
Council - Peter Waterman
Council Candidate Responses:
1.
I love Summerland and feel it is a very special place. My passion is to help Summerland be a growing, prosperous community. Having lived in many other communities as they have grown, I have seen firsthand, what works and does not work well. I feel we should learn from others mistakes, and not repeat them in our community. My qualifications are that I have an extensive business background having worked for 20+ years for high technology companies. My husband and I have started and run 3 companies. I was President of a new strata development in Kelowna for several years.
2.
I believe the reason for the low turnout is due to the issues not seeming relevant to young voters. Affordable housing is definitely an issue, lack of jobs, especially jobs with a career path. Affordable public transportation is also very limited. Unfortunately student voters are a demographic that have not always been taken into consideration. I feel that student voters ARE our future and that we should look for ways to include your ideas, talents, skills and energy into our community.
3.
For the most part, I feel Summerland has been successful in balancing environmental sustainability and economic development. I believe economic develop is possible without having to compromise our environment. Summerland is a unique community and I feel we should capitalize on it. If we truly search and recruit businesses that fit into the culture and values of our town, I don’t think we will need to worry about a negative impact on our environment. If we recruit new employers effectively, it will increase revenue to the City and also provide sustainable employment for our residents.
4.
Affordable housing is an issue in Summerland and the Okanagan in general. It is not something that has been addressed much in the past as far as I can tell. Some recent proposals for more affordable housing have been proposed to Council, and I feel that it is important to try to incorporate this type of building where it makes sense within our City Plan.
5.
I would agree that establishing both short and long term plans to address this issue is important. As Council is presented with development proposals, I would encourage the other Council members to vote favorably for these types of projects as they fit into the City Plan.
6.
Yes I would like to be involved in that project. The location of the affordable housing is key. We should determine the target market for the units—young adults, families, seniors and build the housing where it best fits the needs of that demographic.
7.
Currently public transit is very limited within Summerland and surrounding communities. I would like to see an agreement reached with public transit between Summerland and college campuses in the area that would make it possible for college students to use the transit system to get to and from their classes. We have some special arrangements made for seniors and disabled residents to get affordable transportation to medical appointments, but I believe the entire community could benefit from having more options on when they can catch a bus to nearby communities if they need to do so.
8.
It is sad to know that recent graduates cannot find sustainable career opportunities in Summerland and must seek it elsewhere. If we want to grow as a community, we need to end this trend by proactively attracting new businesses into our community that can provide careers for our graduates and other working age residents.
9.
I feel your pain and frustration! My son, who is 20, is facing many of the same issues you are experiencing. He has found it difficult to find sustainable employment and affordable housing in Summerland. He is planning to move to Vancouver soon so he can achieve his schooling and employment goals. As a Mom, I would rather he stay here, but I understand his decision to relocate so he can achieve his goals. My hope is that this issue will be resolved in the near future so all of you can live happily ever after in Summerland!
1.
Seeking office in local government is mainly about making a contribution toward civility through action. As such, it is an essential element of community life.
2.
Key issues at Summerland are varied. They include a much needed and new economic plan to encourage new capital investment, aimed at the creation of more and safe employment; there is a need for new field research in agricultural technology at the federal agricultural research facility at Summerland, and similarly, for new silvic forest practises.
3.
Environmental sustainability and environmental reclamation are paramount in importance to new economic development. That is a matter of national concern. With one or two exceptions, Summerland is maintaining an adequate balance. The issues, however, continue to be the apparent ambivalence toward the environment and to the enforcement of environmental laws, shown by senior governments claiming jurisdiction. Local government has no power to act alone in respect of the environment.
4.
All individuals have a role to play in respect of affordable housing ( a phrase crying out for definition). Issues, however, are that local governments have virtually no constitutional authority and no financial capacity to bring about significant change by themselves. Again, such capacity rests with senior governments. To bring about effective change, representations and voter attention must be brought to the Legislature and to Parliament, both of which have been far too removed from this dilemma. That is something local government can and should do.
5.
If the antecedent issues in Item 4 are properly addressed and favourably resolved, a meaningful commitment becomes possible. Otherwise, it is an empty gesture.
6.
An affordable housing strategy should include consideration of:
(a) land availability and land cost, having regard for the environment;
(b) local government development cost charge discounting;
(c) encouragement of building contractors to consider material price reductions;
(d) similarly, encouragement of the building trades to provide material price reductions;
(e) outright repeal by the provincial government of the property purchase tax legislation in respect of residentially zoned lands;
(f) encouragement of senior governments to influence the availability of borrowed money from chartered banks and other lending institutions.
7.
Summerland has prepared much of its road structure to accommodate new transit activity, when and if the transit authorities choose to respond.
8.
Canada remains the second largest piece of political real estate on the planet, but with an extraordinarily low human population. Previous generations of Canadians, of necessity, were raised, educated and encouraged to, “go down the road” to make their lives. This remains so today. If the issues raised in Item 2 – new economic planning and new action through capital investment – are faced and debated, then new career opportunities will arise. If not, our smaller Okanagan communities will very likely remain moribund.
9.
Please re-read Items 1 through 8.
1.
I feel that with my background, experience and team approach will be able to make a positive impact on the community.
2.
Some of the items are: transportation, youth activities in town, economic development, and the new jobs it brings, affordable housing.
3.
As part of the past council we have and will continue to balance environmental and economic development because it is very important to me and the community. We have established an Environmentally Sensitive Development area and before a development permit is issued a Biologist is required to review the development area and provide an Environmentally Sensitive Development Permit. Also the zoning bylaw has to be adhered to before a development permit is issued.
4.
Summerland’s involvement has been to provide the structure to create areas that are condusive to affordable housing such as a zoning bylaw that has smaller lots, multiple units can be built on the lots. Create work live areas in the downtown area that would densify the downtown area.
5.
We give the market place the tools for affordable housing and then the economic conditions, demand etc. will move it forward. Also traditionally this has been dealt with by the BC government.
6.
Like any strategy no one person can do this. This is accomplished from a roots up method not a top down issue.
7.
We need better transit for our community. We need transportation from our community to other communities in the valley. This is mainly a BC Transit project which I have been in contact with and will continue to be in contact with until we get results. However, we do have a carpool.ca system that we provide some means of transportation to other communities.
8.
It takes time to create jobs for graduates but there are opportunities in this region to 1) start your own business 2) Look at opportunities that provide service to the senior population.
9.
I am a good listener, have thoughts and ideas that will benefit the younger voters. I have a common sense approach to solving problems. I understand the importance of getting the younger voters involved.
1.
I have always been interested in municipal governance and after over thirty-five years of public service, I felt it was an opportune time in my retirement to offer my community my service. I have lived in Summerland since 1992 and worked closely within the community and have a working knowledge of the Districts various departments, and their responsibilities. I have also worked with the various Mayors and Councillors as well. I have the ability to work for the citizens of this community in a team capacity for the next three years.
2.
First of all, it is imperative that our young voters get it; they are the ones that, with their vote, make a difference on how things in the future will be. Get involved, be informed, take an interest in not only what is happening within their community, but also Provincially, Federally, and Worldly. In my view, young people today are limited in their political knowledge. Locally, key issues for all of us are the economy, jobs, development, ALR, housing, agriculture, education, transportation, infrastructure and I could go on. The old saying still holds true, “Get a mitt and get in the game!”
3.
The balance between environmental sustainability and economic development is extremely important to the long term sustainability of Summerland. People are drawn to Summerland because of its beautiful natural environment including its surrounding lakes, beaches, grasslands, forests, its climate and its clean air. Although Summerland is taking steps to maintain this balance between the environment and economic development such as signing the BC Climate Action Charter and expanding its recycling collection program, we need to do more. By maintaining our environment we are attracting new residents and business clientele to our community. This improves the social and economic demographics of Summerland.
4.
What is affordable housing? Is it someone making minimum wage, someone that can take 30% of their income and put toward rent, or a mortgage? What about subsidized housing, is that affordable? I think municipalities have an obligation to encourage development by absorbing development costs, providing municipal areas for development at a fair cost, working in partnership with B.C. Housing to obtain funding for enabling Affordable Housing. We have had Seniors Housing funding over the years through B.C. Housing, but nothing for singles or families.
5.
As indicated above, we have had little opportunity to meet this demand, we have had local Societies take on this responsibility with the Seniors, but as I also alluded to above, it has to be done in partnership with senior governments
6.
During these economic times, when we are struggling to keep our community functioning, it would be difficult to champion an initiative of this nature. It would have to be done in concert with senior governments. One of the societies I am on has the land, and some cash for a four-plex, we are looking for affordable housing for young families, range of rent under $1,000.00. We need a $500,000.00 grant, to bring it to fruition, we will hopefully gain the partnership needed to get that grant.
7.
I want to see a bus service to Penticton from Summerland, three times a day to enable students to get to college, seniors to hospital and doctor visits, and those that can’t drive to get shopping for stores not available here. A scheduled trip from Penticton via B.C. Transit should not be difficult to attain with some lobbying.
8.
With an aging population and growth in the care facilities, more jobs are opening in this area, our wine industry is also growing, and more opportunities for better jobs are opening up in this field, with the proper education. We are seeing an increase in computer based industry, the film and arts community is also being enhanced locally. With the opportunities being provided in the field of education, through your college providing training in all avenues of most of the work force, I see future growth within the valley providing the opportunity for young people to get jobs at home, eliminating the need to leave our region.
9.
I have worked for the betterment of the youth throughout my career; I have two daughters in the workforce that had to leave home to secure better jobs. I understand the hardship that our youth face, with limited opportunities for good paying jobs in a tourist based valley. I want to see growth that will provide and ensure better jobs, this can only be attained if we work together to achieve change. Some of the mindset locally is that change is bad, and selfish thinking prevails. I feel that we must as a society work together to make change that is beneficial to everyone, or the majority.
1.
I am concerned about the direction our community of Summerland is taking. I want to retain our urban rural character, but at the same time encourage smart growth in our town core. We need to address the net loss of citizens, by growing our tech sector, and finding ways to encourage young families to settle here. Being newly retired I have the time and energy and professional background to examine issues pertinent to Summerland.
2.
The voter turnout is indeed terrible across the country and Summerland is no different. 3884 out of 8430 eligible voters came to the polls. The key issues in Summerland for young voters are employment, housing and transit.
3.
I believe in smart growth, focusing on development in the core, and the retention of agricultural land. We must develop where our core infrastructure is located. Leapfrogging agricultural land is efficient and ultimately threatens the Ag land base, and creates interface confrontation. The same thing goes for wild wooded land; the ecosystem must remain intact for wild and endangered species. In addition our wild watershed areas are threatened by development creating water quality issues, as well as wildfire issues. The Agricultural land Reserve has so far assisted in maintaining a balance
4.
I feel municipal governments can play a role initiating and partnering with other levels of government and community groups as well as encouraging developers to provide components of affordable housing in developments.
5.
First there has to be language in the zoning bylaws to allow for such components as carriage houses, density bonusing etc. Once this has been done look at the statistics to determine the overall requirement. A town of our size (12,000) may require 10 to 15 percent of condos and apartments to be available for affordable housing. The current recession makes it difficult to progress as very few new buildings are being started.
6.
I have done this in the past (2005 to 2008) as a councillor but found there was limited will in the community to make concrete steps forward. The current recession makes it even more necessary but also more difficult to accomplish. We would need a new look at needs assessment, pull community groups together, perhaps under the banner of an established housing society, and search for funding vehicles.
7.
We do not at this time have a scheduled transit system. We need a mixture of a hop on hop off internal system, coupled with a commitment from B.C. Transit to have active work related schedules, for both students and workers. We need a consistent timely schedule to Penticton and focused links to Peachland and Kelowna. We also have a strong seniors component. This last segment of our population needs special attention as we are losing seniors to Penticton and Kelowna who need easy access to medical services.
8.
I believe one of our major growth areas is senior’s services. We will need In home care, special hospital care, recreation opportunities, financial advisors, etc. As the seniors population grows with twenty plus more years of boomers, more and more young people will be required. This growth will create demand for services for those younger families and individuals.
9.
I believe that I offer a focus that is not currently available. My activities involve engagement with lots of younger people and families as well as a cross section of middle –aged adults and seniors. I have experience with three years on council from 2005 to 2008 coupled with my active involvement on a local board, as well as an ongoing interest in municipal issues. In addition I have years of professional experience in land and water issues that are key to our community development.
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