my platform

    • The first priority of a new council should be to stabilize taxes. This will require a review of all expenditures and that the city provides. Holding taxes to a two to three percent inflationary rate per year is reasonable, as is holding mayor and council’s remuneration to only inflationary increases as well.

    • Mayor and council should commit to reviewing property tax rates in a formal resolution at council’s first meeting.

    • Affordability for families in Langford means reviewing service costs as well. There have been conversations about sewer hookup fees, drop-in fees for recreation at the Westhills YMCA . All city service fees should be reviewed for affordability - particularly in these tough economic times.

    • One of the first ways we streamline traffic congestion is to ensure when we build municipal roads that we build pullouts for buses as they stop – particularly on busy roadways – like Langford Parkway, Veteran Parkway, Goldstream, and Jacklin Rd to name a few. These turnouts will allow buses to stop and pick up passengers without causing a backlog of traffic particularly during high congestion areas of the day. 

    • Another solution for traffic congestion is to create extra turn lanes for when traffic is using the Trans-Canada Highway. This is necessary where Veterans Parkway joins the Trans-Canada highway. Gridlock is not just a twice a day issue in these areas, but is an ongoing issue throughout the day moving traffic through these high-volume areas.

    • Roadways are not just decided by municipalities. Highways are the province’s jurisdiction and strong advocacy is needed for the province to address the needs of the city and find a solution. Here we need to be a strong advocate for the dedicated bus lane planned from the Westshore to Victoria to be designated an HOV lane.  These lanes built on the soft shoulder of the highway are dedicated as HOV lanes in the Lower Mainland lane and other cities across North America. Buses still move freely and cars with more than one passenger have an easier time getting to their destination. This encourages carpooling and ensuring we don’t have unnecessary vehicles traveling – and parking downtown.

    • We need a fix for where Glen Lake Road comes into Highway 14 (Sooke Road).  The traffic light there and the turn lane do not address the congestion issues. The area that was changed and left for parking cars after Glen Lake Road was routed to the light at Hwy 14 should be open to a merge lane into Hwy 14. This would allow much of the traffic heading west to Sooke an opportunity to merge onto Hwy 14 without being held up at the traffic light.

    • The Galloping Goose Trail needs a better connection where it meets Highway 14 and Glenn Lake Rake. The current junction requires riders to dismount and negotiate several crosswalks, creating a safety hazard for them, and unnecessary slowing traffic through an already busy intersection. This would be an ideal location for an overpass.

  • In the last election we had 16 bus routes here in Langford and with the promise of a fast bus downtown in a dedicated bus lane, it would be a good time to support our teens in using public transit. I would like to advocate through the CRD and the Transportation committee a free bus pass for ALL youth ages 13 to 18.  Currently, all children up to age 12 have are free to travel on public buses.  When students register for Camosun College or UVIC, they receive a bus pass with their tuition. I believe we need to support teenagers in traveling on public transit to grow our ridership, and to promote a better way of for our teens. Not only will this allow teenagers more freedom in getting to their extracurricular activities, but it would be a big cost savings for families. The CRD is currently considering a bus pass for teenagers.

    • Langford has less than 20% of its land undeveloped, so we need to densify our city core to include residential condos, businesses and office buildings.  This allows for ease of access in a city as the services and businesses that everyone needs are close together and can be accessed without driving to each location.  As you leave the centre of the city, you have areas designated for larger properties, individual homes, and larger parks and recreation. 

    • Ensure that sidewalks to schools are built so that kids across the community have safe access to school every day.

    • Ensure that parking that is required for businesses or condos is included in the new building and does not overflow onto designated street parking in the city. This way we ensure that street parking and city parking is available for those that need to access the downtown for the services they require.

    • Langford needs to ensure that its recreation keeps pace with population growth. The population of 2026 is approximately 60,000 people with the largest population of under 19-year-olds in the province.  There have been no new recreational facilities built for four years. As a baseball mom, I would like to see some of the land by the former Ma Miller’s Pub, designated for ball fields.  The growing population of kids, and adults alike need this amenity to keep enjoying the activities that keep them healthy and active. New ball fields should add to existing available facilities, which should remain in place even when new fields open.

    • I would also like to see lifeguarding and swim instructor courses offered at the Westhills YMCA, in conjunction with Belmont Secondary School. Lifeguarding and swim instructing is a great first job for teenagers. As a community that is full of lakes and close to the ocean, we need to ensure we provide training so that children can grow up as strong swimmers and be safe in our waters.

    • Using trained lifeguards from the Westhills YMCA, Langford should provide lifeguarding at its swimming platform on Langford lake.  This platform is a fabulous addition to the amenities at Langford Lake. It would be more so with the addition of a lifeguard on duty.

    • I want to strongly advocate with our provincial government the need to provide access to government services outside of the City of Victoria.  Langford built a Business Hub a number of years ago for the express purpose of having local access to services from our provincial government. We need to continue to advocate for services outside of the long drive to downtown Victoria.

    • Another jewel in Langford’s crown is the John Horgan Campus. It is unique in its hexagonal partnership – Royal Roads University (RRU), UVIC, Camosun College, Justice Institute, BCIT, and SD #62. It is the greatest single investment the provincial government has made to the City of Langford ($130 million).  We need to ensure that this campus provides first and second year courses for people in the West Shore wanting to further their post secondary education.  This campus also needs to be a hub for training of firefighters, paramedics, and police services for municipalities on Vancouver Island.

    • Having the largest population of under 19 year olds in the province, Langford families need to have access to child care that is in their community. I will work tirelessly with the Ministry to ensure that Langford child care spaces grow with its population.