Current occupation: I am a mortgage broker; I have been helping people buy homes and invest in property for 7 years.
Background: I entered my current career as a mortgage broker after starting my family. I have two young children who have been raised here and attend school here. Before my children were born, I attended University of Alberta where I studied Political Science and Sociology. I had moved to Edmonton from a small town on the north end of Vancouver Island, where I spent my childhood and teen years. I enjoy yoga, hiking, being on the water, spending time with my family – all of the wonderful things our town offers. I also enjoy the time I spend volunteering on the Ecole North Oyster Elementary School PAC and Junior Achievement BC.
Why are you running for council ? I believe I will add a collaborative and positive voice in council, while bringing a new perspective.
If elected, what will your priorities be for the term and outline how you will tackle them ? My priorities are to open up the level and communication between Council and Ladysmith; I will do this myself (if elected) by opening up a schedule for people to book times and the appropriate venue (in person, email, phone call) to discuss their concerns and ideas. I want more people to feel and KNOW that they are being heard. I believe that better engagement and dialogue will lead to an even better community.
I feel that a number of issues facing Ladysmith have been pushed out of the spotlight as they may not be as sexy or exciting as some of our current “headliners”. I feel that this has deflected from some important issues (roads, infrastructure, sustainable development) and could potentially make these issues harder and more costly to deal with in the future, and could increase the likelihood of having to make serious decisions in an emergency. I would like to see this attention and energy redistributed to the other issues we are facing here.
I believe our town and our resources would benefit greatly from a more equitable voice for Ladysmith with our regional partnerships.
What’s the best path forward for growth on Ladysmith’s waterfront ? I believe that it is important to remember that Ladysmith’s waterfront plan is a vision and there are many more facets that need to be determined before it’s executed – there is still a lot of work to be done. I would like to see an alternative funding plan reviewed and perhaps developed with less pressure put on the sale of residential-zoned property.
