Smart Growth -   
                               let's keep North Cowichan a community of communities

North Cowichan is a community of communities -- each with a natural growth area. 
The Official Community Plan sets out "urban containment boundaries" that will preserve our rural character while accommodating growth.  They stop leap-frog development, which is costly, both environmentally and socially.

When I was a young child growing up in New Westminster, going across the bridge to Surrey was a trip to the country.   Look at what's happened in Surrey in the last 50 years -- the worst kind of urban sprawl. We have  protection in the OCP, which keeps growth in the urban containment boundaries and our Climate Action and Energy Plan spells out clearly that if we continue with business as usual we will not meet our GHG targets.

​  The municipality recently partnered with  Avi Friedman and his students from McGill University created designs for affordable housing that protects green space and creates common space on two municipally owned properties.  The old Chemainus Elementary School site and the Echo Heights property at Humbolt Street.  I am eager to see how they are received by the neighbourhoods.  

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My Commitment 

 - To support the Official Community Plan (OCp) and the Climate Action and Energy Plan (CAEP).

 - To encourage cost-effective, low-impact growth such as secondary suites and infill building in our core areas such as around Chemainus, the University Village area and the Gibbons/Prevost area - we got this done in 2017 with 2300 single family homes now eligible for attached suites, eliminating the $2500 rezoning application fee.

 - To work for the best long-term results, not just a quick fix. 

 - To carefully consider, with each decision, what kind of community we're leaving for our grandchildren.  Whether we're closing doors for them and laying burdens on their shoulders, or opening options for them to make their future here.