Reducing traffic and congestion
Traffic congestion remains one of the most frustrating challenges faced on the North Shore. There are many causes, including: people commuting here to work (e.g. construction workers) and traffic heading to the ferry terminal or on to Squamish and Whistler. It’s a complicated problem and we need to collaborate with all levels of government to find solutions that work for our community.
 
We need options to decrease reliance on the automobile and increase commuter options for residents – through increased public transit, walking or cycling.
 
There should be some relief to the Highway 1 choke points when construction of the three new interchanges leading to Ironworkers Bridge are complete. But, we can’t stop there. I will work tirelessly to engage our various stakeholders to find solutions, and to partner with other levels of government to secure funding, in order to ease the financial burden on our local government.
 
We must continue to work towards creating a walkable community. The District’s new Town Centre communities are a good start; however, there is much more we can do.

Some other ideas include:

• working with some of the North Shore's largest employers to help get some of their employees off the road by supplying shuttles or sponsoring an employee ride-share program
  
• working with developers to run small shuttle buses in areas of North Vancouver not currently well serviced by Translink
• working BC Ferries to potentially shift some of their afternoon sailings, to help alleviate the afternoon congestion on the Upper Levels highway (some of which from multiple ferries arriving at Horseshoe Bay within a short time span
  

I am excited to bring a new perspective to Council, to build on the District’s successes, and to ensure that residents of all ages are heard as we continue to evolve our wonderful community.

Car Sharing  
As Council, we need to make it easier for people to move around the District. Improving traffic flow, adding bike lanes, and making our community more walkable are great starts. Another option gaining popularity in the Lower Mainland is the use of car sharing services. Right now, there aren’t many opportunities to use a car share service in the District. Many people prefer to drive their own cars. And, the space required to park car share vehicles can be at a premium, especially on residential streets.
 
But, that seems to be changing. With the advancement of our compact town centres, many people would welcome the opportunity to forego the expense of car ownership. It’s a trend that’s catching on and an idea worth exploring.
 
By listening to residents and working with car share companies, we can determine the level of interest and best fit for our community. We can also be innovative in where these cars are parked. For example, we could look at incorporating dedicated off-street parking when planning multi-family developments, and incentives could allow parking at shopping centres, office buildings, and near transportation hubs such as Phibbs Exchange. Innovative options such as car sharing will benefit our community and I’d like to hear your ideas!