Cindy Lee
Council · Burnaby
Burnaby 4 yrs
About
I am a Burnaby lawyer and community advocate. My frontline and community work taught me that good public service starts with listening to people. I believe good policies should respond to real needs and lead to better services for our community.
Policy commitments
Buildings
We all want healthy, affordable, and comfortable homes. These policies will help to lower energy bills, cut pollution, and improve indoor air quality.
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Support electrification of new buildings.
Supportive
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Incentivize electric heat pumps and air filtration systems.
Supportive
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Incentivize renewable energy, battery storage, and smart-grid technologies in new and existing buildings to improve energy security.
Supportive
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Scale up energy retrofits for existing homes, businesses, and public buildings.
Supportive
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Implement a 'right to cool' bylaw to protect tenants during extreme heat events.
Supportive
Climate Justice
Our community is already experiencing the harmful impacts of climate change caused by fossil fuel pollution, and taxpayers are on the hook to upgrade and repair critical infrastructure.
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Endorse the fossil fuel treaty and commit to phase out fossil fuels.
Supportive
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Enact a moratorium on AI data centres to protect our energy and water resources.
Supportive
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Pursue available legal options to recover a fair share of the climate costs facing our community from fossil fuel companies and other big polluters.
Supportive
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Collaborate with Indigenous peoples as partners in the stewardship of the land, air, and water, and work towards reconciliation.
Supportive
Ecosystems
The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat all rely on healthy ecosystems. Nature can also help protect our community from extreme weather by controlling floods, protecting shorelines, and cooling neighbourhoods. Access to nature improves the health and well-being of residents, and supports biodiversity.
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Protect and restore ecosystems, which are essential to human survival, health, and economic well-being.
Supportive
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Expand and protect tree canopy, parks, and green infrastructure to cool neighbourhoods, clean air, and manage stormwater.
Supportive
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Prioritize native tree planting in all areas, especially those with low tree cover, higher population densities, and more vulnerable residents.
Supportive
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Create connected urban greenways for people and wildlife.
Supportive
Land Use
We envision vibrant, walkable communities that protect nature and improve food security.
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Build affordable homes near jobs, schools, shops, and transit.
Supportive
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Upgrade critical infrastructure for heat, fire, flood, and storm resilience.
Supportive
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Increase food security by supporting local agriculture and community gardens.
Supportive
Transport
Connecting neighbourhoods through public transit and active transportation networks will cut pollution, improve public health, and make our communities more affordable (and fun!).
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Deliver reliable, frequent, affordable local transit.
Supportive
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Advocate to improve regional public transit between communities.
Supportive
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Build bike and roll networks that are safe for everyone.
Supportive
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Expand EV charging infrastructure.
Supportive
Watersheds
Climate change, increasing populations, and overconsumption threaten our water security. Healthy watersheds and forests are critical to support clean drinking water, stormwater management, climate resilience, and biodiversity for future generations.
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Implement water conservation plans and educate the public to conserve drinking water.
Supportive
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Protect and restore watersheds as vital municipal infrastructure.
Supportive
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Develop and implement a water security plan.
Supportive
Zero Waste
Zero waste policies reduce pollution, keep waste out of landfills, build resilient local economies, and safeguard public health by shifting society away from a disposable culture toward a sustainable circular economy.
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Implement zero waste bylaws to divert organic waste and recyclables from disposal.
Supportive
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Support the development of a circular economy to eliminate waste and improve resilience.
Supportive
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Implement bylaws to eliminate waste from new buildings, renovation, and demolition projects and to use existing buildings as efficiently as possible.
Supportive
✓ Supportive
~ Neutral
× Opposed
– No response
Climate action
How have you contributed to climate action in your community through advocacy, past work, advisory committees, volunteer work, and/or reducing your personal carbon footprint?
My contribution has mainly been through my community and volunteer work. I have supported community initiatives that promote public transit, walkability, green space and more sustainable communities. In my board and BIA roles, I have also participated in discussions about sustainability and how organizations can make more environmentally responsible decisions.
Questions for Burnaby
Climate change is already driving up the cost of living (i.e., insurance, food prices, strain on our healthcare system). How will you provide leadership in moving our municipality towards meaningful climate action that addresses this issue?
For me, climate action has to make sense for people’s everyday lives. Families are already dealing with higher costs, so good climate policy should help lower costs and improve quality of life, not create another financial burden.
At the municipal level, I would support practical policies that improve building energy efficiency, expand access to public transit and active transportation, protect and expand green space, and make our infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather.
I also believe we need to take practical climate action at the local level. Burnaby should work with the provincial and federal governments to bring more funding and investment into our community to support energy-efficient homes, cleaner transportation, greener buildings, and other initiatives that reduce emissions while making our city more resilient for the future.
I want Burnaby to take meaningful climate action, but we also need to make sure the solutions are practical and affordable for the people who live and work here.
At the municipal level, I would support practical policies that improve building energy efficiency, expand access to public transit and active transportation, protect and expand green space, and make our infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather.
I also believe we need to take practical climate action at the local level. Burnaby should work with the provincial and federal governments to bring more funding and investment into our community to support energy-efficient homes, cleaner transportation, greener buildings, and other initiatives that reduce emissions while making our city more resilient for the future.
I want Burnaby to take meaningful climate action, but we also need to make sure the solutions are practical and affordable for the people who live and work here.
What specific policies do you promise to fight for to address transportation emissions, including making streets safer for walking and active modes of travel?
I would focus on policies that give people more safe and practical transportation choices.
I would support expanding Burnaby’s sidewalk and protected cycling networks, with priority given to schools, community centres, transit stations and areas where there are gaps in the existing network. I would also support Vision Zero improvements such as safer intersections, better pedestrian crossings and street designs that reduce serious injuries.
On transit, I would work with TransLink to expand service and continue transit-priority measures on busy corridors so buses can move more efficiently.
Land-use policy is also important. I support planning more complete communities, with housing, jobs, shops and services close to transit and within walking distance.
These are practical policies that can reduce transportation emissions while making it safer and easier for people to move around Burnaby.
I would support expanding Burnaby’s sidewalk and protected cycling networks, with priority given to schools, community centres, transit stations and areas where there are gaps in the existing network. I would also support Vision Zero improvements such as safer intersections, better pedestrian crossings and street designs that reduce serious injuries.
On transit, I would work with TransLink to expand service and continue transit-priority measures on busy corridors so buses can move more efficiently.
Land-use policy is also important. I support planning more complete communities, with housing, jobs, shops and services close to transit and within walking distance.
These are practical policies that can reduce transportation emissions while making it safer and easier for people to move around Burnaby.
How will you improve transit in Burnaby, using tools within your jurisdiction as a municipality?
Transit is an area where Burnaby needs to work closely with TransLink, but the City also has a role through planning and infrastructure.
My approach would start with listening to residents and identifying where the biggest gaps are, particularly in growing neighbourhoods and areas that are not well connected to SkyTrain.
At the municipal level, I would support better access to transit through safer sidewalks and crossings, well-designed bus stops, and planning new development around transit. I would also make sure Burnaby is a strong advocate with TransLink when residents need better service, frequency or connections.
For me, it is about making transit easier and more practical for people to use in their everyday lives.
My approach would start with listening to residents and identifying where the biggest gaps are, particularly in growing neighbourhoods and areas that are not well connected to SkyTrain.
At the municipal level, I would support better access to transit through safer sidewalks and crossings, well-designed bus stops, and planning new development around transit. I would also make sure Burnaby is a strong advocate with TransLink when residents need better service, frequency or connections.
For me, it is about making transit easier and more practical for people to use in their everyday lives.
What ideas do you have to solve housing affordability and homelessness issues and address climate change at the same time?
I think we need to look for solutions that address more than one problem at the same time.
For housing, that means building more affordable and supportive housing, especially near transit and services. For existing homes, Burnaby can work with other levels of government to expand access to energy retrofits, heat pumps and cooling so that homes are safer and less expensive to operate.
We also need to make sure climate policies do not unintentionally increase housing costs or push people out of their homes. When we improve older rental buildings, protecting existing tenants and keeping those homes affordable should be part of the policy.
For people experiencing homelessness, supportive housing also needs to be connected with the services people need.
For me, good policy should help us create more housing, lower long-term costs, and make our homes and communities more resilient to climate change.
For housing, that means building more affordable and supportive housing, especially near transit and services. For existing homes, Burnaby can work with other levels of government to expand access to energy retrofits, heat pumps and cooling so that homes are safer and less expensive to operate.
We also need to make sure climate policies do not unintentionally increase housing costs or push people out of their homes. When we improve older rental buildings, protecting existing tenants and keeping those homes affordable should be part of the policy.
For people experiencing homelessness, supportive housing also needs to be connected with the services people need.
For me, good policy should help us create more housing, lower long-term costs, and make our homes and communities more resilient to climate change.
How can we make our parks and green spaces work harder for us in terms of rainwater management, carbon capture and food production?
Parks and green spaces are one of the things people love about Burnaby, and I think we should make better use of them.
I support protecting our trees and adding more greenery, but also looking at things like rain gardens and permeable surfaces that can help when we have heavy rain or extreme heat.
I would also like to see more community gardens. Food is getting more expensive, and giving people more opportunities to grow their own food is something practical we can do. It also gives people another way to connect with their neighbours.
We have a lot of great green space in Burnaby. I want to protect it, but also think about how it can do more for the people who live here.
I support protecting our trees and adding more greenery, but also looking at things like rain gardens and permeable surfaces that can help when we have heavy rain or extreme heat.
I would also like to see more community gardens. Food is getting more expensive, and giving people more opportunities to grow their own food is something practical we can do. It also gives people another way to connect with their neighbours.
We have a lot of great green space in Burnaby. I want to protect it, but also think about how it can do more for the people who live here.
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