Fort St. John candidate responses

The following statements are the original, unedited responses from Fort St. John City Council candidates to questions posed by the Alaska Highway News. For convenience, we have also included introductory “elevator pitches” that we asked them to submit, so you can read all of their responses in a complete package.

Unlike the newspaper story, where the running order of candidate responses was chosen out of a hat at random, these responses are being run alphabetically.

Please note: These statements are generated entirely by the candidates and/or their campaigns, and have not been edited or altered in any way, including fact-checking. Therefore, the Alaska Highway News is not responsible for inaccuracies. Also, none of these statements necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, management or ownership of the Alaska Highway News.

TREVOR BOLIN

The year was 2008, at the age of 28 years old I let my name stand for city council in Fort St John. I vowed during that public forum that I would be the type of politician to lead this city into the coming times. With the slowdown of 2009, and the immediate recovery the following year, my dreams for being a part of something bigger in the community never faltered. I have always and will for as long as I am elected let my passion for the city and the great people in the city shine through in everything I do. Politicians shouldn’t be elected on promises of the future, they should be elected on the wins and losses with the passion they hold for each step of the way. I can’t promise you I will change the world, but I can promise you that I will fight for everything we believe in and won’t stop until the coarse has been set and we are on our way to victory.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

In 2008 when I first ran for election I wanted to be able to offer what I had learned after years of business in this great city. Being fortunate enough to be elected the last two elections, I am looking to continue working on what I have been fortunate enough to be a part of the last six years for the next four years.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

Number one - continued fiscal responsibilities and economic planning – as Fort St. John continues to grow at a fast rate, we need to ensure we are always proactive and not reactive.

Number two - continued meetings with provincial/federal partners, government agencies and ensure they are meeting with us and helping to resolve the needs of the city.

Number three - Strategic growth and planning around mega projects such as Site C and BC LNG. As it is at our doorstep, we need to ensure we are the major part of the discussions.

3. Almost no one wants to raise taxes, but would you vote to raise taxes if you thought it would help accomplish your council’s goals? Or are you committed to not raising or even lowering taxes? Please explain why.

Fort St John has been fortunate enough to experience a robust housing market. This has been made projects easier on the tax dollars the last six years. Council spends over two months dealing with budgets, taxes, capital projects and operational expenses each year to ensure we can provide quality service without large increases. This past year was a prime example when council was able to lower the tax rate and still accomplish the growth needs of the city.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

We look over year at what can be cut, or pushed off for another year in order to stay inside the budget. This has been easy to spot when certain projects like the fence around the cemetery gets pushed back until the extra capital is available to complete the project.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

Being in business for the past 16 years in Fort St John has given me a unique advantage in seeing our market grow, and planning for future growth needs as we push forward. Being re-elected in the second election was an opportunity to continue on the Site C committee, bringing the voice of Fort St. John to the table throughout the process and into the Joint Review Panel discussions and negotiations.

6. This term will have an unusually large number of big resource development trends, such as Site C and LNG, which could affect the future of your town. How for or against this resource development are you? Can you give us an example of how your council can take advantage if the winds blow the way you prefer, and one example if they don’t?

The best way to properly grow and meet economical and sustainable goals is to continue moving Fort St. John forward. For the past six years I have met each project with an open for business attitude and only ask that Fort St. John is provided for, and looked after before, during and after the project will be complete. This is certainly the time for Fort St. John to benefit, and the people of this city to take advantage of more stores, more housing options and alternatives, more infrastructure and more reasons to be proud to work, play and raise a family in this great city.

7. The government has extended terms to four years with the hope that councils can better meet long-term goals. What long-term projects or accomplishments would you like to be remembered for after this term?

The finalization of the major projects, tied into the sustainable and economic development and growth of the city. I believe in anyone can “manage” during flat times, but during extremely busy and the slowdown is the time to shine and ensure everything has been done as a long-term approach.

8. Seven of Northeast B.C.’s eight local governments have joined together in a coalition of “resource municipalities.” Do you agree or disagree with this move? Why? Name one suggestion you would make to this coalition, and explain how it should implement that idea.

I agree with this move. We are the communities in Northern BC are stronger together moving forward. With the renegotiation of the fair share agreement on our doorstep, and the fact the north is going to lead the province for the next decade and we need to ensure the province knows we are about bettering our communities.

9. Site C is likely to affect Fort St. John more than any other city in Northeast B.C. The city has accomplished several objectives outlined in its “Let’s Talk Site C” pamphlet, but if you had to add a 12th, specific objective to that list, what would it be? Why? How would you suggest pursuing it if elected?

A secondary crossing was a large part of the original discussions and requests from the province and BC Hydro. When council was informed this was not an option, although we had to move past it and not have it as a final line item, I feel the 12 options that were presented represented what the city residents were asking council for during negotiations.

10. The doctor shortage is an issue that has set off a firestorm in many community groups. Now, MLA Pat Pimm has called for meetings every week until a solution can be found. If you were to address this group, as you may do if elected, what would be your best shot at a strategy to recruit health professionals?

I would ask the province to allow Fort St John to have its own medical health board and representation. Northern Health is spread out over 65% of the province, and I believe as with anyone, this certainly can spread them far too thin. Giving our medical a “home grown” approach with local people at the table including allowing the municipality to take a stance can certainly assist in a time like this.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

The downtown plan is about what the people want. Nothing during the process has been decided or “agreed” to. It is about presentation and communication with an end result of public consultation and council following the wish of the people to enhance the soon to be rapidly growing downtown area. With the old hospital site, the old fort hotel, old frontier site and various brownfields, FSJ needs to look to the future not to the past.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

With the recent opening of the new Salvation Army transition housing, I believe this has helped with the homelessness in the city of Fort St John. Awareness is the biggest contributor to the issue we are faced with in the city. With what is considered no unemployment in the area, we need to look at the root problem to homelessness which is generally depression, substance abuse and other variations that can affect one’s personal life.

•••

BRUCE CHRISTENSEN

My name is Bruce Christensen, and I am running for city Council on November 15^th. I have lived here for 26 years and have been quite involved in the community. I am a Past President of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as a Past President of the Fort St John Rotary Club. As well I have been involved in many other organizations and boards. I believe the experience of having been in these positions as well as my background in business, gives me the kind of knowledge required to be a good member of city council.

I recognize that the city is not a business, but needs to be run like a business, with proper business plans and resources put into place before making large decisions. I also know that recreation along with arts and culture are needed if we want to build a vibrant sustainable future and to be able to attract professionals and non professionals in order to meet the growing demands on our workforce.

I will do my best to represent your concerns.

On November 15^thplease vote “Bruce Christensen”

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

I wanted to be able to work towards making this “the most livable city in Canada.”

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

My three top priorities are healthcare, education, and financial sustainability. My reasons that healthcare is one of them is that we do not presently have adequate healthcare services to meet the needs of our citizens, young or seniors.

Education is a must in today’s challenging world. We need more schools with proper financing so our young people can attain the level of education necessary to be tomorrow’s leaders.

We must have financial sustainability so that we do not burden our children and grandchildren.

I believe that council’s goals are the goals of the citizens. I would hope that we would be able to implement the goals without increasing taxes, but sometimes there is no alternative to increasing taxes, other than to reduce services, which would probably effect another person.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

Right now I do not see any service which should be cut. Possibly the work we do on community beautification could be cut or reduced, although at the same time recognizing that the “look” of our city is important to attracting new citizens.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the

past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

Having sat on many boards and committees I believe I understand budgets and the need for balance between wants and needs.

I would prefer if Site C did not go ahead. I do not think we need the power right now and I do not believe that the Province really looked at other sources. LNG could be a huge economic boost to the region, along with some growing pains. If LNG goes ahead at the amount which has been talked about, the Northeast Region of BC will have to have a huge influx of people to do the work.

The present council has worked hard with BC Hydro to try and insure that we will not be left holding the bag, and that we, the city is funded properly for the infrastructure which will be needed to support the construction of the dam. I would suggest that if we are not involved at the beginning of either project that some of the effects will fall on taxpayers.

7. The government has extended terms to four years with the hope

that councils can better meet long-term goals. What long-term projects or accomplishments would you like to be remembered for after this term?

I only hope that I would be remembered for working with council and obviously the citizens to create a better quality of life for all.

We live a long way from Victoria and or Southern BC where the main populations are. In order to have any effect on those from outside of the region we need to be united in our wants and needs.

Because the area of the province most effected by Site C will be the Peace River Country, I believe that all the citizens should benefit personally thru reduced Hydro rates. We can only receive this through consultation.

This is a very complex issue. I think, that when the hospital was built there should have been room for the specialists. The present system is not good for attracting specialists, and without specialists, family doctors would be hesitant to call Fort St John their home. There needs to be more room for our elderly people requiring more services, allowing the beds in the hospitals to be used for patients requiring surgery.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

Every community has a “downtown”. This usually is the hub of the community. What I have seen and heard from citizens is that the city is on the right track.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

There is not much the city can do other than to continue to strive towards a form of affordable housing, recognizing that city hall is not a developer.

•••

CHRIS CLARKE

People will vote for me if they want solutions, not petty bickering and partisanship. As far as I know I am the only one to propose a solution to the doctor crises. There is a good saying that my brother said to me today that I’m sure we all have heard. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results.” People are sick of the old politics. They are sick of the bickering, they are demanding solutions and the current council has given them no progress, just more of the same. This is precisely why people know they can not afford at this very vital time in our cities development to re-elect the current council and they know that they need a fresh approach, new eyes and the fresh faces they see campaigning this year. I know will provide it.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

Thank you for the opportunity to answer questions. Obviously papers such as the Alaska Highway News are an important link to keep people informed about local issues. After all, all politics is local. The truth is I didnt really want to run for council. There were many issues affecting people, not necessarily myself, but people I care about. And when the opportunity came to address these issues I felt compelled to. Once compelled I kind of felt like it was my duty to.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council?

The issues facing the city can be placed into two categories.

1) The issues having to do with a high economic expansion and the stress on the infrastructure, including but not limited to doctor shortage, roads, schools, daycare, homelessness.

2) The upcoming issues the council will have to decide on such as Site C and LNG.

I’m sure every council hopeful has prioritized these priorities in one form or another.

Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

Because all situations have reach the breaking point. The doctor shortage is so bad now that they are calling for weekly meetings, etc. but almost every issue is at the same breaking point. Again it is due to the unusually high level of economic development.

There can be absolutely no reason for raising taxes. The only possible reason for higher taxes is to put money back into economic stimulus, or for higher inflation, which obviously is not the issue for our city. Therefore read my lips: "No new taxes."

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

Again I think with the unusually high level of economic development there should be no reason to cut anything. You would think and what other cities have done is formed partnerships with our friends in industry to not only keep all programs alive but to expand them.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

Instead of hearing which board or business you have run, or what your accomplishments are I believe people want to know where you stand on the relative issues, as you have said they are very important. People should vote for me because they know that when they do they will get an honest fresh approach to every issue. You see I’m not representing any particular faction or business or industry, in fact I represent none of them and all of them at the same time.

I will be for or against both the Site C and LNG projects under one condition and one condition only, if they are good for the city. If they are not I will be against them. That is my criteria.

It is a wise move on having a longer term. The best way for elected officials is to do it like the Romans did, and have one term then you’re out, a longer term but term limits. This way, you’re less likely to vote to serve your own interests because you want to be elected again, but to do what needs to be done.

It is a great idea. The only job of Government is to do what people alone are unable to do. Regions that share the same political, economic and cultural developments should come together to share ideas and resources. At the same time we must not be bound to follow what they are doing in the other cities if it is against our own interest.

Site C is such a monumental decision for the city, what I would like to add is that it is such an important issue for the people of fort St John, that all voices must be heard. And that enough time to hear everyone's concerns and address everyone’s fears is given.

I’m sure everyone agrees Pat Pimm has been instrumental in his leadership for the doctor crisis. As far as I know I am the only one to propose a solution to the doctor crisis that I would like to propose to him. I call it the Fort St. John doctor initiative. It involves individual businesses taking on the responsibility and privilege of sponsoring a doctor. They sign up for our initiative, and they sponsor a doctor from another region or country enticing them with whatever means they see fit, as a reward the companies get there name on the advertising for the initiative, and also the benefit of having served their community.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

The truth is, and I’m sure that I will get a lot of criticism for it, but there are many more important issues to face than downtown vitalization. Does the downtown need to be revitalized? From what I see it is bustling with activity. There is an important issue though when it comes to city administration, what is the city responsible for beautifying and what are the individual businesses responsible for beautifying. The business owners that I talked to do not want the city government interfering.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

There are two separate homeless issues facing Fort St. John. Or to be more precise you must identify two specific homeless groups and deal with them individually.

1) Those who are homeless due to hardship through no fault of there own and require shelter, such as victims of abuse, the elderly. They must absolutely be taken care of and there can be no excuse for not helping them immediately.

2) Those who are homeless out of decision either indirectly or directly, such as those who come here for employment, or those who are homeless by decision. They should be helped but they are expected to a large degree to help themselves.

•••

DAN DAVIES

I am a proud homegrown resident. I am married and raising my own children in this Energetic city. I am proud to call this home.

For the past nine years I have been part of a strong team on city council. I have a great outlook for the future of this beautiful city. The next 4 years, will be very challenging for us. With the potential construction of site C dam and LNG, we will, and have already seen significant growth. This growth is taxing our infrastructure creating some considerable challenges for us as a city. We will need strong leadership to deal with these issues that will surround this growth, from roads and recreation to affordability and livability. Our city will require strong leadership on these and many more fronts.

The health care shortage is on everyone’s mind. While this is a northern health and provincial Government Issue, it affects us, here, living in our community. I will continue to focus on how the city can attract and retain not only the health care professionals, but to attract and retain the families of these professionals as well. Being a northern community with a young population, it is important to keep our children active. I will work with our partners to get an indoor play centre in our region. Finally, we have worked very hard to keep our taxes low and can boast that we have one of the lowest tax rates from any resource based community. I will continue to keep our spending in check keeping in mind that there is only one taxpayer, and that is you. I have proven leadership, I am passionate about the community and I will be accountable. Re-elect Dan Davies on Nov 15^th.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

This will be my fourth term on council. Being born and raised here, I truly love and believe in our community and know that I can still make a difference in this city. I still love what I do for our citizens and have a deep passion for the care and wellbeing of this community. Fort St. John will be facing some very challenging times over the next few years and having proven leadership back on council is important. I want this city to be a great place for my two children to grow up in, play in, work in and to raise their own families in!

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

Managing growth, attracting professionals and skilled labour, especially healthcare professionals, and keeping taxes in check.

Managing growth: The city will be facing a significant growth over the next few years, especially if all the LNG projects and site C move forward. We must ensure that the city is ready to handle this growth and be ready for the expected influx of people, but more importantly, do what is right for those of us that live here now and plan to call this home for the long term. We need to ensure that our infrastructure is being built and maintained in a sustainable manner to keep pace with the growth.

Attracting Professionals and skilled labour: Fort St. John needs healthcare professionals, engineers, social workers, RCMP, carpenters and electricians to mention few. The city can play a role in creating an attractive community for not only the worker, but the families of these professionals. Unless we can attract and retain the entire family of these new residents, we will always have issues.

Keeping Taxes in check: It is easy to let spending get out of control if you are not cautious and diligent. We must ensure that we are buying what we need, expanding where we need to and not spending tax money on frivolous items just because we can. There is only one tax payer and that is you. Fort St. John can boast one of the lowest tax rates of any resource municipality, and I want to keep it that way.

As mentioned, we must ensure that we are buying what we need, expanding where we need to and not spending tax money on frivolous items just because we can. The cost of doing business is often out of our control. The cost of fuel, hydro, gas, wages and policing, just to mention a few, are items that our municipality must endure. The cost of growth and the need for new infrastructure must also be properly managed. Council must advocate on behalf of citizens to upper levels of government to stop down loading services so that we can focus your money where it needs to go. I intend to keep our taxes in check.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

The city is already running pretty lean. I do not think that we need to cut any services. There are times when we can reach out and form partnerships to attain community goals when money is scarce. The public is always invited to come out during our public budget meetings to voice concerns on where money is going. If there is a public outcry to stop doing something, or for that matter, start doing something, we will listen and try to come up with a plan.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

I have been part of a strong team on city council for the past nine years. In the last three years we have continued to improve our trails, paved numerous streets, announced a sustainable curbside recycling programme, improved our public transit, kept our tax rates low and advocated in every way possible to get Fort St. John the support and resources it needs to flourish. Additionally, I have chaired the North Peace Economic Development Commission for 4 years; have been very active in the cadet program for the past 19 years and volunteered extensively with the Royal Canadian Legion. I have sat on the Library Board, pool commission and am the current chair of the North Peace Justice Society. I am in my final year of my masters program in Leadership and Administration, and have work in our school system for 10 years. I have also worked in the construction industry on and off for the past 20 years. These experiences have provided me with some significant tools and diversity as a city councillor.

LNG is an incredible opportunity for us here in the Northeast. As we have been saying, there is no LNG without the NG that we will provide. Natural gas development is a long term sustainable way for us to grow our economy and provide a future for our children. We have been blessed with a diversified economy in Fort St. John, with agriculture, forestry, oil and gas, tourism and coal. That said, our mainstay has been within the oil and gas, more specifically the gas industry. The natural gas will always play a role in the Northeast. If the proposed LNG projects do not all go forward as hoped, there will still be a market for the product. Fort St. John will continue to grow regardless. Site C, for or against is out of our control now and in the hands of our legislators to decide. This decision will have an impact on our community. If Site C is to move forward we will need to ensure that we can advocate for better social services, policing and health care needs. This will require some creative planning. We do not want to re-invent the wheel in dealing with sudden and significant growth and can look to other communities such as Fort McMurray for some best practices.

I would like to be remembered for having had a role of developing sound policies in dealing with growth and managing infrastructure needs in a sustainable way. I would also like to be remembered by acting as a conduit between partners in bringing an indoor play centre for our children to our community. I would also like to be remembered for standing strong for our community in getting a fair deal for us from the impacts of LNG and Site C. Finally, I would like to be remembered for keeping our taxes low.

I completely agree with the Northeast coalition and know that our strength in the north comes from our unity and partnerships. This organization can only further bolster the needs of our city and the Northeast by having a unified and strong voice of all the partner municipalities. The government of British Columbia has already recognized the coalition as an important organization in the Northeast. I encourage the coalition to continue to advocate for us about the need for a permanent fair share agreement.

We have done significant work around planning for the proposed Site C dam through our “Lets Talk Site C” initiative. Our staff has done some incredible work and research on how this will affect us and how to best mitigate these issues. BC Hydro has to be a community partner and guarantee that our fine city will be left better off after the project is complete. This would be done, and is being done by building relationships and advocating on our behalf to the provincial government. We would expect that BC Hydro will follow the objectives of the World Commission on Dams.

We need to recruit not only health care professionals, but their families as well, because if the family is not happy living in Fort St. John, the recruited health care professional will not be here long. That said, I think our community is a great community. We will need to ensure that there is a support network in place and available for any new professional and their family. We can sell our community and educate these new members on the fantastic traits and the wonderful people Fort St. John has!

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

We do need a decisive plan for our downtown. If we are to see a real core flourish, it will need people living downtown. Having a plan will ensure that we can get a long term and realistic plan in place. We need to look at our large vacant lots in the core and have a dynamic plan in place. Having the citizens play a role by going tohttps://www.placespeak.com/topic/1050-fort-st-john-energize-downtown/#!/overviewand giving direct input is extremely important.

12.What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

Homelessness is an issue that is in our community. Wherever possible, we must advocate to the upper levels of government to ensure that there is funding in place for our less fortunate residents. The city has worked closely with BC housing and the development community on ensuring that there are some affordable housing options available. We also work closely with organizations such as the Salvation Army, who provide a variety of housing and shelter.

•••

LARRY EVANS

I arrived in Fort St. John with my parents and sisters in the early 1950’s and have many great memories growing up in Fort St. John. I was fortunate to have seen some of the challenges and changes that have affected the community first hand. I graduated from North Peace High School in 1970, worked for a while in the “oil patch”, but as luck would have it soon found myself employed as a firefighter. I was employed by the City of Fort St. John Fire Department for 31 years, retiring in 2003 as Fire Chief, and receiving the Exemplary Service Medal from the Provincial and Federal Governments at that time. I have been married to Joan for 41 years, and am blessed with three wonderful children and four beautiful grandchildren. I became involved with the community, as my profession seemed to go hand in hand with helping where I could. I have held executive positions with the Child Development Centre Board, Fort St. John Historical Society, Fort St. John Sunrise Rotary Club, and Kinsmen Club. I have also been a Director for the 1984 BC Winter Games, the 1994 and 2000 Northern BC Winter Games and BC Festival of the Arts, as well as Building Committee member for the construction of North Peace Cultural Centre.
I have been honored to receive the Rotary “Service Above Self” Award, the Rotarian’s Paul Harris Award, the 1993 Citizen of the Year Award, the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Awards for community involvement.
As I have served three terms as Councillor for the City of Fort St. John (nine years), I feel confident that I have the experience, knowledge and time to help the City continue moving forward, keeping pace with this fast growing, energetic community.I love Fort St. John .....where it's come from, where it is now, and where it is going. Vote for Larry Evans for City of Fort St. John Council on November 15th.

1. Why did you decide to run for Council?

I have lived in Fort St. John since it was a Village, and I’ve seen it grow to what it is today, a very vibrant and energetic city. There have been, of course, numerous changes over the years, both good and bad. Fortunately the good has always outweighed the bad, and I would like to keep it that way. With everything that’s happening today in the City, we have to be sure that things progress in an orderly and sustainable way. Also, that the tax payers of Fort St. John, me being one of them, are treated fairly and with respect. That is why I am running for Council.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

The City of Fort St. John has a priorities list that was developed by Mayor, Council and Staff. Each issue was presented by Staff and ranked by Mayor and Council. The City, through the 2015 Budget, has been presented with more projects and studies that also have to be fit into our priority list. My top three priorities are included in this list and will be discussed with and prioritized with Mayor and Council, with input from the Staff. My three are (1) Seniors and everything that affects them (2) Accessibility for all (3) Transit issues, involving Handy Dart and public transit. My issues also include all the other priorities determined by Mayor and Council.

As Seniors are our fastest growing demographics we have to be prepared for their needs. Accessibility affects us all in one way or another, lack of it can lead to an exclusion of certain segments of our population, and this is not right. With a lot of people depending on transit for work and personal needs, such as shopping, going to the college, attending medical appointments, etc. residents of Fort St. John must be able to access the transit system. Our transit system now is meeting the demand, however with population growth it could fall behind if not maintained.

When it comes to taxes, every year is different and this is especially true in Fort St. John which is seeing unprecedented growth. The Mayor and Council, along with Staff, have been very conscious of this and I believe the taxes have been held to a minimum over the past few years, because of wise fiscal management of both Council and Staff. I live in Fort St. John and any tax increase affects me as it does everyone else. But I believe a modest tax increase would be warranted if need be. As far as 2015 goes, we do not have all the information to make the decision, but when we do this will be presented to us and again the Mayor and Council must make the decision to raise taxes if warranted.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

The only way I can answer this question is to say it would not be me alone deciding what service was to be cut. If we had to cut something it would be on the recommendations of Staff and the decision would be made by Council as a whole.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

For over 31 years I was with the Fort St. John Fire Department. I dealt a lot with the municipality and as Fire Chief attended Council on a regular basis, this gave me invaluable insight on how the City functioned in its various capacities. I sat on the Boards of the Child Development Centre and Historical Society and as President of both. I was also involved as a Director in numerous events from Winter Games to the Festival of the Arts. All of these gave me a great understanding of Policy& Procedure. I have sat on Council the last three terms and in that time have learned a great deal more of what it takes to run a City as great as Fort St. John. I also have the time to meet the obligations of being on Council as I am a retiree, making the time spent at City Hall and at meetings, within and pertaining to the community, a priority.

Personally, I am against Site C, but I also know as a City Councilor we must be prepared if Site C is built. Too often these projects have been built on the backs of the nearest community without any thought of how this affects the infrastructure and services of a municipality. This is why we developed the “Let’s Talk Site C” pamphlet.

Northeast B.C. is the center of Natural Gas exploration and development in the province of B.C. This along with other viable industries drives Fort St. John’s economy and we have to prepare for this, especially with the prospects of an increase in activity if LNG comes on market. We have to be prepared to take advantage of both these projects to make sure that the City of Fort St. John grows at a pace that it can keep up with. If one or the other project does not proceed we would have to re-assess the needs of the City.

One of the accomplishments that I would like to be remembered for is “assisting in moving the City forward in a sustainable manner, without hardship to the citizens”. Also, I’d like to be remembered for my work in trying to make the City accessible for all and that seniors needs are met. I am also aware of the young population in Fort St. John and would like to be remembered as someone that made decisions that would benefit the young families.

I agree with the creation of the Northeast B.C. Resource Municipal Coalition because it gives the municipalities the ability to support natural gas and other resource industries in the Northeast. It will give the Coalition a chance to work cooperatively with our partners to ensure the proper comprehensive regional planning occurs. That will guide development of municipal and regional infrastructure. It is hoped that they will be able to provide affordable homes, adequate education, good health care and recreation facilities for families to enjoy. I would encourage them to continue pursuing physician’s for the Region, working with Northern Health and the provincial government.

9. Site C is likely to affect Fort St. John more than any other city in Northeast B.C. The city has accomplished several objectives outlined in its “Let’s Talk Site C” pamphlet, but if you had to add a 12^th, specific objective to that list, what would it be? Why? How would you suggest pursuing it if elected?

My objective added to the list would be to make sure the other eleven objectives are carried out. The City of Fort St. John has gone to great lengths to cover everything we could think of in the eleven objectives, so I think we should make sure they are done.

The best strategy would be to partner with the City, Northern Health, Provincial Ministry of Health and come up with a plan to show prospective health professionals what we have to offer. This would range from housing, to Arts & Culture, Recreation Programs as well as services offered in the City. In my opinion Fort St. John has a lot to offer, but it must be brought together and presented as a whole.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

While the Fort St. John proposed downtown revitalization plan is still in its infancy, I believe with the amount of property available in the downtown core, now is the time to be serious. Over the years there has been numerous attempts to revitalize the downtown. We now have a chance to plant the seed that may actually bring the downtown revitalization forward. This is not going to happen overnight and people should be aware of that fact.

If I had to add anything it would be to put as much residential in downtown as possible and still maintain a good balance of commercial and professional businesses.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

Homelessness, unfortunately, is not unique to our community. I think that working with and partnering with the different organizations, which are familiar in the homelessness problem, would help with reducing the number of people living on the street. The new Salvation Army Night Shelter has helped alleviate the problem somewhat. This is one example of a partnership between government and organizations for a positive outcome.

•••

BECKY GRIMSRUD

What is more important, properly maintained roads to drive on or city beautification projects? Reasonable taxes or a city-owned showcase house? Would you rather see benefits for a few individuals or equality across the board?

Every single voice is important. All of us together are smarter than any one of us. There always needs to be open, honest communication between the city and the people. This city needs a fresh perspective to find solutions to the most pressing issues within our community.

I am a sports enthusiast, a patron of the arts, a coffee lover, a wife, and a mother to two beautiful little girls. Fort St John is a warm community with amazing opportunities. I want to see it grow and thrive. However, what comes with that growth is a higher demand for health care, security, affordable housing, and basic infrastructure. We need to think outside the box and find real, lasting solutions.

I have worked in a variety of industries and my career as a helicopter pilot requires quick, effective responses to whatever situation may arise. There are solutions to these issues, and I would like nothing better than to help you find them.

Vote for me, Becky Grimsrud, on November 15th. Vote for a better deal for you and your family.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

My desire to run for council was the combination of three major reasons. I want to see more diversity on city council, less major decision-making without the city's input, and I also want to have the ability to affect positive change.

I have taken several courses on Pilot Decision Making and Crew Resource Management, and one thing that sticks out in my mind is the fact that different genders are simply wired differently. Something that most men would overlook, a woman would pick up in an instant. A strong team is comprised of a wide combination of different genders, ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and experiences.

There are many things which citizens disagree with the city on. I think with more open communication, the city would either be able to show the citizens legitimate reasons for pursuing certain projects, or else the citizens would have the opportunity to express their thoughts on major expenses, prior to any decisions being made.

I would like nothing better than to have the opportunity to affect positive change in my community, and I believe that my diverse background and experiences qualify me to be a strong leader.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three Issues now?

My top three priorities, if elected to council, would be basic roads and infrastructure, improved communication between the city and the people, and preparation for future growth.

These issues all go hand in hand. Together, they can both unite and strengthen our community. Our city is on the verge of a period of, possibly extreme, growth. With that comes a higher demand for many of our limited resources. We need to have our basic infrastructure in place, first, and then closely communicate with the city before deciding on future priorities. The demand on our resources must be anticipated, before our citizens find themselves without adequate health care, security, and affordable housing.

I am committed to fiscal responsibility. With responsible budgeting, I don't believe there is a current requirement to increase taxes beyond a reasonable inflation. There are many creative options that need to be explored fully, in order to keep our city as affordable as possible.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

While I find it unlikely that cuts are absolutely necessary in order to pass a reasonable budget, if I was absolutely required to reduce funding to a specific program or service, I would choose from the programs which are not absolutely necessary to the health and well-being of any of our citizens.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

My experiences are quite diverse, which I believe to be incredibly important in a team environment. I have worked in aviation, small business, management, forestry, research, theatre, visual arts, oil & gas, labour, service and retail. My career as a helicopter pilot requires that I make quick, effective decisions in whatever situation may arise, and my ability to multi-task is tested daily with my two young daughters. I am not a push-over, and will make decisions based on the needs of the community at large, preferably with adequate input from as many different perspectives within our city as possible.

While I would rather see the region pursue more sustainable resource development, there are ways in which we can gain an advantage either way. If these big resource developments do not occur, it could pave the way to some unique new energy initiatives. However, if these developments do occur, we need to take the opportunity to demand additional resources to mitigate the additional strain on our health care, security, affordable housing, and basic infrastructure.

The top three things I would like to be remembered for are better roads and basic infrastructure, adequate preparation for future growth and outstanding communication between the city and the people.

I agree with this move based on the fact that a larger, more diverse group, is much more likely to be able to come up with creative solutions to our most pressing issues. I would add that more valuable ideas could also come from the communities themselves.

would you suggest pursuing it if elected?

The objectives specified in this pamphlet are very well thought out. However, as with everything, it is not ideas but actions which hold the most merit. These are not going to be simply given to us. They are necessary, and need to be fought for.

I think our best shot at recruiting health professionals would be to offer paid training to doctors from overseas in order to ensure their education is cohesive with our system, as well as ensuring a smooth and easy transition into our community. There is no simple fix to this issue as we cannot just increase the pay of unionized workers, but I am optimistic that a strong and diverse team could find a reasonable solution.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

While I understand the current restrictions of our downtown area, I don't see converting the streets in the downtown core from double to single lanes is the solution. We need to look at the property we already have available in the area and work on doing something productive and beneficial with it.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

The new Northern Centre of Hope is a huge benefit to our community, and I am thankful to those whose hard work made it a reality. A greater focus on rehabilitation and preparation for the work force could see these individuals more readily back on their feet. But not everyone who is homeless has substance abuse issues, and appearances can certainly be deceiving. We need to accept anyone asking for help and simply find a way.

•••

GORD KLASSEN

Fort St. John is where I grew up, went to school, got my first job, married my wife Sharon, and raised our 3 children. This is my home. Fort St. John is WHERE I WANT to LIVE!

This will be my second term on City Council, but I have been involved in our community for years. I volunteered in our children’s’ schools, was Chair of our Hospital Ethics Committee, and Chaplain and Volunteer Firefighter with our Fire Department. I worked as a support worker for SD #60 until 2005, when I was elected to our Board of Education, where I served for 6 years.

I have demonstrated care for my community, my willingness to serve in different capacities, my commitment to teamwork, and my leadership capabilities.

I have learned many things about community, including the value of good health care and strong protective services. I have an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in our community. I have also seen the value of the community working together to accomplish more than we could by working on our own.

Our City is experiencing unprecedented growth and activity and is expecting even more in the near future. I see the big picture of where we are presently, and where we are headed. Over the past three years, I have been involved in discussions and planning with developers, industry leaders, and government representatives. It is imperative that this conversation continue, and I believe our City is best served by ensuring that those who have been part of that conversation continue the work of promoting and protecting our community. I have been there for the past three years, and am excited to continue in that capacity, working together with you to make this an even better place to live, work, and play!

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

During my 6 years on our District Board of Education and over the past 3 years serving on the Fort St. John City Council, I have seen the value of the community working together to accomplish more than we could by working on our own.

And that is why I am running for City Council – simply, it is a vision of building a community where all of us are engaged and working together to make this an even better place to live, work, and play!

And so my priorities for the next term can be described in 2 words – BUILDING COMMUNITY.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

I will continue to promote investment and economic growth in our city, making sure we are at the table where discussions are held and decisions made regarding economic development.

At the same time, I will work to protect our community, ensuring that development aligns itself with our Official Community Plan, that industry recognize and address the impacts that increased activity has on our community, and that development and growth is strategic and sustainable. I will also work to prioritize the construction and maintenance of our infrastructure, including roads, parks, and facilities.

A community is built on a cornerstone of health and safety. We require adequate police, fire, ambulance, and health care. I will work hard with City Council to leverage the influence we have to ensure these services are provided.

Building a strong, vibrant community involves a foundation of planning and development, funded primarily by the taxes we pay. Council is tasked with addressing the increasing demand for services without over-burdening taxpayers. We must maximize our resources to serve our community in the most efficient and effective way.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

Strong City leadership involves constant monitoring and assessment of programs and service levels to ensure that we are maximizing our resources to serve our community in the most efficient and effective way. Building a strong, vibrant community involves a foundation of planning and development, funded primarily by the taxes we pay. As our City grows, Council is tasked with addressing the increasing demand for services without over-burdening taxpayers. We will continue to communicate our plans and activities with the community and endeavour to develop more strategic partnerships with individuals, businesses, institutions, and non-profit organizations, bringing together our energy, experience, and expertise to produce something that will benefit the entire community.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

Fort St. John is where I grew up, went to school, got my first job, married my wife Sharon, and raised our 3 children. This is my home. Fort St. John is WHERE I WANT to LIVE!

This will be my second term on City Council, but I have been involved in our community for years. I have always believed that wherever we are, we need to do all we can to be actively involved and contribute to the good of the community. I have been involved in many different capacities and, through those experiences, I have developed an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in our community. Over the years, I volunteered at my kids’ schools, accompanying them on field trips, coaching their sports teams, helping with Gradfest and other special events. I also served on their schools’ Parent Advisory Committees, several years as the President of the N.P.S.S. High School P.A.C.

I served as Regional Coordinator for the Samaritan’s Purse Relief Organization, which really opened my eyes to the needs in our community as well; the need to care for those less fortunate here in our city, not only in a benevolent way, but in teaching, training, and equipping people to be all they can be.

I served as Chair of the Fort St John Hospital Ethics Committee, where I really learned to appreciate the value of a good health care system and became even more convinced that we must continue to strive toward a higher level of health care in our community.

I had the privilege of serving as Chaplain and Volunteer Firefighter with our own Fort St John Fire Department until 2011, when I ran for City Council. As I worked alongside all of our emergency services personnel, I have seen, first-hand, the value of having strong protective services within our community. I am so proud of all those who devote their lives to serve and protect our community, and I am equally appreciative of the families who are at home supporting these brave men and women.

I also worked as a part-time support worker for School District #60 for several years until 2005, when I was elected to our District Board of Education, where I served for 6 years. During that time, I saw the value of the community working together to accomplish more than we could by working on our own.

And that is what led me to run for City Council in 2011, and continues to be my goal – simply, it is a vision of building a community where all of us are engaged and working together to make this an even better place to live, work, and play!

I have demonstrated care for my community, my willingness to serve in different capacities, my commitment to teamwork, and my leadership capabilities.

City Council will continue to promote our community, encouraging investment and economic growth. We will endeavour to be at the table where discussions are held and decisions made regarding future economic development. We must be part of the conversation! At the same time, we will protect our community, ensuring that development aligns itself with our Official Community Plan, that industry recognizes and addresses the impacts that increased activity has on our community, and that development and growth is strategic and sustainable, regardless of whether or not specific projects come to fruition.

Community is about working together. I am committed to developing more strategic partnerships with individuals, businesses, institutions, and non-profit organizations, bringing together our energy, experience, and expertise to produce something that will benefit the entire community. That is my hope for the future and my vision as one who is running for City Council – that we would strive to work together to make Fort St. John an even better place to live, work, and play!

I am encouraged to see the establishment of the Northeast B.C. Resource Municipalities Coalition, as we work together with one voice to protect and enhance our respective communities. It is vital that our resource municipalities collaborate and cooperate in developing permanent, sustainable and vibrant communities, providing a high quality of life for existing and future residents.

City Council and staff took considerable time and effort to ensure that the interests of our community were addressed and expressed, to ensure that our community benefits from any development in the area. I believe we have done a commendable job in consulting community members and businesses to hear the concerns and comments regarding the growth of industry in our region. We will continue to be at the table where discussions are held and decisions made, to promote and protect our community, and to ensure that industry recognizes and addresses the impacts that increased activity has on our community, and that development and growth is strategic and sustainable.

The Health Care crisis in our community is a complex issue and the solutions are equally complex. We did not arrive at this point overnight, nor will we work our way out of this crisis quickly. Although much of the decision and policy making is outside the mandate of City Council, when it affects the well-being of our community, it affects your City Council. And so we must work hard to leverage the influence we do have to make sure these services are provided today and planned for in the future. We will continue to work with local citizens, Health Care Professionals, and the Provincial Government, to explore solutions that are both achievable and sustainable.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

I believe that a revitalized downtown is essential to the overall vision of our community – to create a place where nature lives, families flourish, and businesses prosper. In our attempts to attract and retain a skilled workforce, including doctors, nurses, and other professionals, we need a downtown that people go to rather than simply drive through – a place to meet for coffee, a place to gather as a community for special arts and cultural events, a place to walk and sit outside, not only during the months of summer, but all year round. I believe that establishing a Business Improvement Area in our downtown is a vital piece of this vision moving forward – having this vision driven and supported primarily by the ones who are affected the most, our downtown businesses.

At the same time, we must not sacrifice our level of service to the community by investing too heavily in this project, to the detriment of the other equally important projects and services such as road construction, infrastructure maintenance, community development, parks and recreation services, etc.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

City Council will continue to promote affordable housing options and work in strategic partnerships with local social services organizations and provincial ministries in order to address the homelessness in our community.

•••

KAREN MASON-BENNETT

Fort St John has become my adopted home. It is a place where my husband and I are raising our kids and a place that we miss when we’ve been gone for a while. I have a unique perspective on this community – I’ve lived lots of places and have an education in what makes communities successful. I have spent the last four years working in Fort St John and developing programming that benefits it’s residents. I’ve sat on the board of the CDC, volunteered my time at the pool for Special Olympics and chaired Communities in Bloom. I’ve worked with amazing people and wonderful organizations and I know they are part of what makes Fort St John uniquely positioned to succeed over the next twenty years. I have a lot to learn, but I am dedicated to continuing to think outside the box and working towards unique solutions for a unique community while building partnerships that can carry us through.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

Throughout my time in Fort St John, I have gotten the impression that there are many voices in town that are not present on council. That’s not to say that I am the solution, but I have a background in community-based activities, and feel that I bring another unique perspective to the table.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now.

My priorities are pretty simple: I think that Fort St John has the potential to be an even bigger powerhouse amongst northern communities across Canada, but the municipality cannot do it alone. Building strong, mutually beneficial relationships between the City, community groups, the business community and various levels of government is necessary to keep Fort St John out in front of projected growth and able to react and respond appropriately to development with their long term goals and strategic objectives in mind.

I also believe that every resident of this city should be safe, have access to appropriate levels of health care and social services and be able to afford the cost of living.

Taxes pay for many of the ‘silent’ services that we take for granted such as garbage and recycling collection, snow removal (that one is not usually taken for granted!), libraries and cultural programming, social services and general municipal operations. While no one wants more taxes, there needs to be a level of taxation that will reflect the cost of priority services for the community. Raising or lowering taxes is not a decision I will take lightly and will thoroughly evaluate the options before any decision is made. To commit to no change in the tax level over the next four years is akin to outlawing snow in August especially considering the amount of growth projected in the City over the next twenty years, however, I can guarantee that it will not be the first option.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

(No response.)

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

I have served on the Child Development Centre board for the past four years, most recently as vice president. I have also sat on the Ride for the Disabled board and currently volunteer as a Special Olympics swim coach and Communities in Bloom chair. I work for a non-profit that is dedicated to fostering community sustainability and have an extensive amount of knowledge around municipal and provincial recycling and waste diversion programs. I recently finished my Master’s Environment and Business form the University of Waterloo and sat on the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Citizen’s Panel in 2014. Additionally, I am a mum and am dedicated to helping make Fort St John the best City north of 55°.

I have lived in six different municipalities and one village, so I have seen a lot of ways to skin the cat, so to speak. I am able to view Fort St John through new eyes, but also through the eyes of someone who has really found a home here. I believe in positive partnerships working towards a common goal and have experience bringing people together to build something memorable.

Resource development is typically an issue for higher levels of government, which is what made Let’s Talk Site C such an important exercise for the City and its residents. I am neither for nor against resource development per se, however, I would prefer to see projects that have taken into account their immediate and long term social and environmental impacts in addition to the financial and proven themselves worthy. Fort St John is really coming of age, as a city and a destination for families to settle and the way resource development projects are handles will impact the success of this goal. In that case, my objective is that Fort St John maintain is autonomy and all of the gains it has made attracting families and building a community.

This question is better put to residents as government’s job is to represent them. My personal wish list would include pushing the envelope on low impact housing developments, increased accessibility and food security, but if these are not priority areas shared by others then they can and will take back stage. I would like to be remembered for collaborative partnerships and innovative thinking that really made Fort St John shine.

The development of this coalition makes sense to me. British Columbia has approximately 4 million residents, 3 million of which live in the lower mainland or on the Island. The numbers speak to decreased political and social influence of northeast BC, on a political level in spite of the outstanding economic contributions of this area. This coalition has the potential to bring the member municipalities together so they can advocate as a single voice, which is a positive thing in my mind.

The objectives laid out in Let’s Talk Site C are broad based and take into consideration many of the effects of building the project on the City and its residents. The objectives were developed after public consultation and as such reflect the concerns of local businesses and residents. If I were to add a 12th objective, I would lean towards a commitment from BC Hydro that they will fully evaluate alternative methods of energy production including traditional (hydro, micro-hydro and run of river, etc.) and renewable (geothermal, solar, wind) forms before embarking on their next capital project or the development of a fund to support social services agencies within the City and Region, although these two could fall under Objective #9 “Improve the project review process” or #10 “Establish a monitoring program to identify and address any unforeseen impacts and issues.”

As a parent I participated in the recruitment process for a speech therapist at the CDC (I was not on the board at this time) and I said this: health care for children and residents of this City is not optional. Being able to access appropriate and timely services is not a ‘nice to have’ it is necessary to the future development of this community. The geographic coordinates of the city should have nothing to do with whether or not we can care for our residents.

That said – the doctor shortage is not a simple problem, it’s a large systemic issue that includes the province, local and regional governments, the education and immigration systems and Northern Health among others. I grew up in Ontario during an intense doctor shortage where I did not have a family doctor for more than a decade. I understand what it means to set the alarm for 3am and go to the ER in the hopes of having a shorter wait and have a friend that lost her son after an extended stay in a waiting room. The risks are high but the rewards are even higher. Whether I can or cannot influence change, I guarantee I will not let this issue slide off the radar until we have reached an appropriate level of care for your kids and mine.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

I have lived in quite a few smaller towns that have vibrant downtown cores that really embody the spirit of the community. I love wandering the streets window shopping and enjoying a space that is generally free of the typical big box retail experience. To be honest, Fort St. John needs to work on downtown. Vacant lots and spaces that are ghost towns after 4pm do not make people feel safe nor convince people that downtown has something to offer them, which is a real shame. I am excited about the downtown revitalization process, and not just because I work downtown, but because downtowns should be destinations unto themselves not just a way to get from A to B. There is a goldmine of opportunity for Fort St John’s downtown – it should be a place that you can’t wait to show your friends and family when they visit.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

Homelessness is a complex issue. I don’t have an answer to this question other than to say, there needs to be support for a variety of social service agencies that are uniquely situated to provide outreach and support to homeless populations in town. I am wary of homelessness becoming an ‘us v.s. them’ issue and, again, believe that strong multi-faceted partnerships are the best way to tackle complicated social issues.

•••

GRAHAM MCCOUBREY

With my back ground in management and engineering I have the experience required to engage in discussion, support the interests of the organization I represent and achieve resolutions to the challenges of operating a business in North East BC. As a councillor I will be a representative of the constituents and work to improve the day to day operation of our community.

I was born and raised in the Cariboo near Williams Lake. Following an eight year career fighting forest fires with the Ministry of Forests I completed an Engineering Diploma through Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Since 2009 I have been intimately involved in many developments around Fort St John. This experience has given me first hand exposure to the rapid growth happening in Fort St John and the challenges this growth is bringing.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

I want to give back to the community my growing family and I call home. After being approached by members of the Fort St John business community, who believe my experience and expertise will be an asset to the City when dealing with the anticipated growth, I decided to run for council.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

A growth management plan

Improved availability to Health Care

Continued economic prosperity for the Community of Fort St John

These priorities will sustain our growing community and support the life style we all desire.

Council’s goals should reflect the wants of the electorate. If they do not wish to increase taxes to achieve these goals, I would explore alternative solutions and provide information to help understand the issues so people can chose their priorities.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

If this was required, I would conduct a review to determine which ones are not be meeting program objectives.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

My career in Project Management and Engineering has required me to be organised, effective and efficient in the projects I commit to. I have also been required to actively partake in problem solving that arises in all aspects of consulting. I feel these skills and experiences will make me an effective councillor.

As a councillor I would represent the interests of all citizens of Fort St John when considering resource development. Being for or against resource development without engaging in ongoing discussions with industry, the community and other levels of government would be premature. I am interested in all opportunities that could bring sustainable prosperity to our community.

A big accomplishment for me would be to improve development procedures so more businesses choose to operate inside the City limits and pay taxes that generate revenue for the City. I’d like to be remembered as a representative that improved the effectiveness and efficiency of council.

I agree with this, the fair share program provides 10s of millions of dollars annually and the continued efforts of this coalition will help negotiate further revenue when the current agreement ends.

I believe objectives should remain consistent when negotiating agreements with industry. Our MLA Pat Pimm and other elected offices have put a lot of work into these goals and as a councillor I will support the objectives they have set by actively partaking in the implementation of strategies that will achieve these goals.

I would align with the community groups and elected officials currently working to resolve this problem and assist in implementing short and long term strategies that have measurable results. We have one of the newest and most advanced medical facilities in BC. The key issue for new doctors is that the cost of doing business in our community makes it undesirable for them to move here. I met with a representative of the Concerned Citizens for Health Care and believe they have a lot to contribute to resolving this issue.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

Revitalization of our down town would be an amazing legacy for the next council if that is what the community wants. I would add a phased implementation plan that would allow for the revitalization to begin but allow for continued community input throughout the process. There may be opportunity to test aspects of the revitalization before millions of dollars are invested.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

Council should consult with the community groups intimately involved in addressing homelessness. The more informed council is on the root of an issue the better equipped we will be to implement effective solutions.

•••

DAN POPE

I was born and raised in Fort St. John. I left the area for about 10 years to pursue my training as Plumber/Pipefitter and during that time worked around the province as an apprentice and finally as a journeyman. I am proud to say that I am a “blue collar” worker.

I returned to Fort St. John more than 25 years ago. My wife and I have raised our family and feel that this community has treated us very well. Fort St. John is a very friendly, family-oriented city and we have always felt at home.

I feel that my skills as an elected Regional Director and Minister of Economic Development with Metis Nation BC have prepared me to serve as a dedicated councilor for Fort St. John. I think that I can offer some unique perspectives on council and I look forward to working for the people in our community.

Thank you for your support and I will devote myself to being a positive and hard-working member of the city council.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

I believe that council needs to be comprised of hard-working, committed people who bring a variety of skills and experience to the group. I am a tradesperson with experience working locally as a plumber pipefitter at various gas facilities. I have also served as the Minister of Economic Development for Metis Nation B. C. and served several terms as the Regional Director for Region 7 (the North Peace area) I have served as a provincial and board member and have been involved in educational committees locally.

I was born and raised in Fort St. John and look forward to serving the community by helping make informed decisions to address the needs of the citizens of Fort St. John.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

I see that there are many priorities facing our community but I believe working toward expanding the city’s boundaries, solving the critical doctor shortage and addressing the city’s growth with responsible planning and assessment including finding ways to help families find affordable housing.

I am committed to not raising taxes because I believe council’s goals should be met with appropriate budgeting and increasing the city’s boundaries to include more industry.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

I am concerned that programs or services in place might be cut. I am aware that funding to the Cultural Centre has already been cut resulting in the Centre having to close for a day each week. With better planning council has a commitment to the programs and services in place and part of the role as council is to ensure that the dollars are available to support future programs.

5. What experience or skill, either on council or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

As mentioned already, I was elected as the Regional Director for Metis Nation B. C. for this area and also served as the Economic Minister for a number of years. I have met with governments, provincially, federally and locally during my terms and have participated on a number of committees. I believe that bringing people together and addressing the issues has been extremely effective and is a skill that I plan to use as a member of the council.

I have been successful in my previous elected position and look forward to the opportunity to serve Fort St. John.

I am dedicated to the people of Fort St. John and being a long term resident I know our community and look forward to helping it flourish in the future.

6. This term will have an unusually large number of big resource development trends: such as Site C and LNG, which could affect the future of your town. How for or against this resource development are you? Can you give us an example of how your council can take advantage if the winds blow the way you prefer, and one example if they don’t.

In the past, I have worked at Hydro Electric Dams during their construction. When those projects were built there seemed to be little concern about the environmental impact they would cause. Thanks to the hard work of regular people who have raised their voices for the environment, things are somewhat better now. I think that our first priority must be protecting what we have for future generations but at the same time we need to explore producing cleaner energy with less impact on the environment. I am not opposed to Site C provided comprehensive measures are in place to reduce the environmental impacts.

I would expect that we will see more people moving here to take advantage of the construction work and the operation of the facility later on. As a council we need to address the needs of the community if this project does go forward.

If it doesn’t go forward, then the council should continue to focus on the current issues facing our growing community.

7. The government has extended terms to four years with the hope that councils can better meet long-term goals. What long term projects or accomplishments would you like to be remembered after this term?

I have many goals that I would like to see met and I think having more time to implement initiatives is an advantage to the council. Along with the more pressing issues I would like to address the urgent need for affordable housing and the crisis facing many of our senior citizens who have long waiting lists to cope with access the extended and assisted care they need.

8. Seven of the Northeast B.C.’s eight local governments have joined together in a coalition of “resource municipalities”. Do you agree with this move? Why? Name one suggestion you would make to this coalition and explain how it should implement this idea.

I think that it makes sense that the resource municipalities have joined together. “Many heads are better than one working toward common goals”. I think it makes sense for the coalition to bring their common concerns forward to the provincial and federal governments. When a group of municipalities are engaged in discussions with the governments, their concerns are more likely to be heard and changes made.

9. Site C is likely to affect Fort St. John more than any other city in the Northeast B. C. The city has accomplished several objectives outline in its “Let’s Talk Site C” pamphlet, but if you had to add the 12^th, specific objective to that list, what would it be? Why? How would you suggest pursuing it if elected?

I have reviewed the pamphlet and the objectives that the city has accomplished in their meetings with Hydro. There is obviously more work to do but I think that there needs to be continued assessment and discussion if this project is approved. It is difficult to foresee all the issues that may surface down the road . The 12^thobjective needs to establish a committee that meets regularly in the future to address those future concerns as they arise.

I agree that meetings between the province and the community to address this critical shortage is a good strategy. I would like to know why there is a Federal Practice Ready Program in place that assesses the knowledge and competency to practice in Canada but that 7 provinces have adopted this program and B. C. is still developing a similar program but it isn’t operational yet. I would like to know why the provincial government is not in favour of adopting the program that 7 provinces have implemented. It seems that until this happens , the shortage in our community and others will continue. This is not good enough.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

I am in favour of the proposed downtown revitalization plan and would like to see it posted for the the community to see and offer their ideas. Seeing it in the local newspapers and posted at various community sites with a suggestion box perhaps.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

This is a difficult issue and I think the council recognizes this. It is important for interested and affected parties to engage in brainstorming sessions that may help to provided safe alternatives for our disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens. I would like to be involved in helping come up some workable plans to address these needs.

•••

BYRON STEWART

I am a long-time resident of Fort St. John who was first elected to City Council in November 2011.

I draw from a diverse background of experience in my work as a City Councillor, with education in social services, criminology and recreation. Prior to being elected to Council, I served as a Youth Worker, Youth Offender Counsellor, Youth Probation Interviewer, Recreation Programmer, and Manager of the Lido Theatre. I am currently apprenticing for a career as a Funeral Director.

During my time with Council, I have served as a Director for the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) and the North Peace Leisure Pool Civic Properties Commission. In 2014, I was nominated to serve on the board for the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA).

Over the years, I have enjoyed being actively involved in the North Peace Community, serving on various community boards including the Association for Community Living, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, and Fort St. John Mixed Slow Pitch Society, to name a few. I currently serve as a member of North Peace Kidsport on the Fort St. John & District Sports Council.

I moved with my family to Fort St. John from Churchill, Manitoba in 1974 and have been a proud resident ever since. I enjoy arts, culture, sport and recreation activities and spending time with my friends, family, and beautiful wife Lisa. I have an appreciation for hats, colorful socks and the sound of people sharing laughter and enjoying life.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

Making our city a better place to live, work and play takes hard work and commitment. This is work I am excited to do and I hope you will continue to allow me to represent you, the citizens of Fort St. John. If re-elected I look forward to continuing the plans I worked hard to build with Council since first elected three years ago. As a life-long resident, I understand the dynamic community we live in and will use that knowledge to build an even stronger community today and for the years to come.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

My Vision for a Healthy Community:

1. Overcome Nursing Shortage

Attracting and retaining medical professionals remains a critical issue:

Create a local nursing school

Educate and train our citizens right here in our communities and facilities.

Save residents the costs associated with moving away to go to school.

Allow for practical training to occur at the Fort St. John hospital

Lobby the provincial government using the combined voices of the City of Fort St. John, Northern Health, the University of Northern British Columbia and Northern Lights College.

2. Build Safer Communities through Regional Policing:

Create a Regional model involving all Peace Regional municipalities and regional districts to allow for the fluid movement of officers throughout the region.

Centralize admin staff and specialized police units to help ensure adequate staffing levels are available as demand increases or decreases.

Provide recruits with a better opportunity to develop into their roles with adequate training resources to prevent unnecessary burn out and fatigue.

3. Expand our Boundaries

Focus on long term planning to have land available and accessible to meet the needs of our community.

Push our provincial ministers to allow a boundary that is suitable for the growth that we are expecting.

Lessen the tax burden upon residential citizens and small business owners by incorporating more industrialized zoned land.

Ensure the transportation master plan is incorporated within all future municipal boundary expansions.

Without boundary expansion, we need to move forth with an action plan to become a Regional Municipality.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

We must continue with responsible, sustainable and long term community development as outlined in the Official Community Plan (OCP). It is necessary for Council and City staff to continue with transparent communication through all forms of media on issues that impact the citizens of Fort St. John and our regional neighbors. Forecasting, evaluating and responding to the desires and demands of our citizens, in regards to increasing our standards on service delivery, while maintaining sustainable and affordable policies, will continue. It is vitally important that we continue building relationships with regional partners and collective voices (Peace River Regional District, Northeast BC Resource Municipalities Coalition and the North Central Local Government Association) Together we must continue to work with the provincial government on critical issues such as:

o Healthcare

o Community safety

o Learning facilities

o Infrastructure

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

Having been elected three years ago, I look forward to continuing the plans that Council committed to. I recognize that the work to make this a better community to live, work, and play doesn’t stop and I want to continue to represent you, the citizens of Fort St. John. I understand the dynamic community we live in and will serve to the best of my ability. I encourage you to vote for Byron Stewart on November 15^th.

I am for resource development as long as it is done in ways that both respect our community and benefit our community & region.

As to Site C, I our Provincial Government to decision made on it so that we as a community can move forward with appropriate planning for the betterment of our community. I have been a member of our negotiating team along with Mayor Ackerman and Councillor Bolin, since January 2012 and it has been a long drawn-out process.

As a Council we agreed that our FIRST PRIORITY is to protect our community from any negative impacts that can be inherent with a project of this size, of which is not to be constructed in our community. Even though Site C, if constructed, will be located in Regional District Area C, as a Council, we recognized that this project, if approved by the Provincial Government, will greatly affect and impact the daily lives of our residents. With this in mind, we as a Council, created the “Let’s Talk Site C” discussions with you, the citizens of Fort St. John. These discussions formed the template we have used for all negotiations with BC Hydro.

We have not yet reached an agreement with BC Hydro but continue to try. At this time, we as a community have invested so much time, energy, resources and money into this elongated process I personally will be very frustrated if the dam is not approved. Non-approval at this stage will mean that much of what we have done was a waste and not recoverable. It will mean that BC Hydro will keep the lands they have purchased in perpetuity while our City will grow around the 85th Ave proposed mine site area. It will mean that the lands that are within the Peace river Valley will continue to be held in a state of limbo and never be used in the full potential of farmable property. It will mean that our community and region will continue to wait for BC Hydro and our Provincial Government to attempt this project again with the hope the next generation is less stubborn. The decision is completely in the hands of Minister Bennet’s department and we are as ready as we can be for our community. His remarks made recently are a bit surprising to me as it is very much a change of tone from the meetings we have had with him and BC Hydro over the past three years.

As to LNG, let’s get this going! However, again please respect and exhibit a true benefit to our community and region.

We are in this together!

Just as those that have had the privilege to serve on Council prior to me being elected in 2011, my hope and desire is that I am a voice within our community and representing our community, that assists in guiding the City of Fort St. John to a brighter, stronger, safer, healthier tomorrow.

The downloading of services onto the municipalities is an ongoing issue throughout our nation. A united voice, whether it be through the Northeast BC Resource Municipalities Coalition (NEBCRMC), the North Central Local Government Association(NCLGA) or the Peace River Regional District (PRRD), is essential for the City of Fort St. john and I am pleased to serve on two of these three organizations.

We as a Council need to create a strategy for best promoting our community, not only for doctors and health professionals, but for RCMP, engineers, teachers, business owners and franchises… and their families!

In regards to our healthcare situation, I want to see the creation of a local nursing school, allowing the education and training of our citizen’s right here in our community and facilities. This will save residents the costs associated with moving away to go to school and all practical training to occur at the Fort St. John hospital, as it was intended for when envisioned and constructed.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

I absolutely agree that we as a Council should, need to and are consulting with the residents of our community to formulate the best course of action in regards to our downtown revite, renewal or rejuvenation. No decisions have been made other than to consult and discuss with the residents of Fort St. John, what might be able to happen and what may be the best route to improve our downtown. Please tell us what we should add or subtract. We are in this together!

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

Communication, awareness and compassion are essential. We have tremendous opportunities here in Fort St. John for skilled and experienced employees, workers, tradesman, entrepreneurs, and we need to be clear that without specific tickets, training and skills, the high-wage jobs or camp jobs are simply not attainable. We also need to be clear that due to our regional economic strength, housing and rental costs are at a much different level that the many far more economically depressed communities throughout our province and nation. Fort St. John and the Peace Region is the economic engine that keeps British Columbia moving forward!

•••

TAMARA WILKINSON

My name is Tamara Wilkinson and I am running for Fort St John City Council. I was born and raised in Fort St John, I have seen the good and the not so good. I am married and have three young sons, I work as an EA in a local school and I own a local business in Fort St John. I am open minded and approachable. I believe that a city cannot be run properly without the community coming together and voicing their opinions. I will use my decision making power to bring forth your opinions on what you want to see and don’t want to see happen in our community. I will be the voice of the community and will be respectful of all citizens and their ideas. I want to see local businesses grow and our citizens proud to call Fort St John home. We need to properly manage our infrastructure to help keep our citizens safe. It is very possible that within the next four years Fort St John will be experiencing tremendous growth I want to make sure the city is ready for it. We need to make sure that these changes strengthen our community, not damage it. I truly believe that the next four years will be an exciting challenge and I am ready for it! I am so very proud to be able to take on this opportunity and I hope that when you go to the polls you consider voting for me.

1. Why did you decide to run for council?

I was born and raised in Fort St John. I have been here during good times and not so good times. Right now Fort St John is at a crossroads; it’s growing faster than ever. I want to make sure that everything we love about Fort St John will be preserved and made better for all residents. I believe we can make this happen through partnership building, public participation, responsible planning, and transparency in government. I decided to run so I could be a part of the change to help Fort St John move forward through this crucial time.

2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?

My top 3 priorities if elected would be to focus on the roads (paving, snow removal, etc), making sure that if/when Site C and LNG are approved that our city's infrastructure is not compromised and also to increase public participation with changes that are happening within our city.

The roads have always been a subject of discussion in the community. We need to make sure the roads are safe for our drivers, emergency vehicles and pedestrians. It is important to plan for what will happen with Site C and LNG now before we are caught unprepared for the changes these projects will have on our community.

With the big changes that are being discussed (such as the downtown revitalization) I want to hear what the majority of the community thinks of the ideas brought forth before they are acted upon. It would be great to implement more online options for voting and surveys.

I would vote to raise taxes a reasonable amount as a last resort if all of the other options have been exhausted and if it would make immediate changes to what the community as a whole is wanting. If we could solve the doctor crisis with a tax increase or could guarantee faster and more efficient snow clearing/paving then it would be a tax increase that the majority of the town would be supportive of. Any large increase of taxes should be brought forward to the community.

4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?

I believe that by being fiscally responsible we can avoid having to make decisions to cut programs and services that make our city the attractive community we want it to be. We want to keep people happy to be here and to make Fort St John their home.

5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?

I am a business owner, employer, educational assistant at a local elementary school, parent and lifetime resident. I am an individual that believes in doing research, evaluating information, and time management. I have the passion for my city and the drive to make the changes we need to create a thriving community.

If Site C and/or LNG were to be approved, I would work very hard to make sure that these developments are not straining our infrastructure. We would want these projects to benefit the town. There are many ways that the Site C can work to our benefit if BC Hydro is willing to work with us. We could increase our boundaries to include the area on which the camp will be stationed and BC Hydro can incur the costs of bringing out the services to that area. When they leave, the city will have a new area for business or residential that will already have the services there. Over the years suggestions were made to have a bridge connecting Fort St John to Chetwynd. This would be beneficial not only for travel to the south but for people living in Chetwynd wanting to shop or set up businesses in Fort St John. My concern with these projects is that once it is all finished that we will end up with a large amount of clean up. We don’t want this to end up like it did with the WAC Bennett Dam.

My long term project is to create a better way to talk with the community. We need to make sure that everyone is able to hear what is going on so that they feel like they can voice their opinions. Many people have told me that they had no idea about projects that have been in the works for a few years now. Social media needs to be a huge focus as well as email, websites, and online voting/surveys. The current process does not seem to work in our community.

I agree with the coalition. All the communities around here are experiencing many of the same things and with creating a coalition the government will be more likely to listen. Power in numbers. I would suggest that they share not only resource information but community information as well, such as what is working to create a more stable city.

I would like to put forth the idea of installing a bridge that would be used while building the dam but can also be left after for public use. This would enable people from Chetwynd to be able to shop and possibly open businesses in Fort St John as well as creating a quicker transport route to Prince George and the south for those travelling or are having to go for medical appointments in major centres. I would suggest working in conjunction with Chetwynd to have both communities bring forth the suggestion together.

As a city council member I would be willing to help with petitioning the government for more doctors and supporting the Concerned Citizens for Health Care. I would co-operate with the levels of authority that have the means to make changes that could help our community.

11. Do you agree with Fort St. John’s proposed downtown revitalization plan? Why? What would you add or subtract?

I do agree with a few of the aspects of the downtown revitalization. I agree we should make the downtown more welcoming and a place that people feel safe. One of my favourite ideas was the market, green space and condo living across from the lido. It would be a great place for people to get together and support the local farmers and artisans.

12. What do you think council should do to reduce or address homelessness within the community without trampling on anyone’s rights?

The city should continue to work with the organizations that are providing the services for the homeless. We have many organizations that work together to provide housing, food, clothing, counselling for mental health and rehabilitation for people with addictions. It is imperative that the province is helping with providing funds for these organizations so that they have enough staff to help with the community members that are in need.

Fort St. John candidate responses

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