Lynette Hyerin Lee

My approach to climate action is practical and part of everyday life. I both drive and use SkyTrain depending on where I need to go, and I’m part of a local run club that encourages people to get outside and stay connected to their neighbourhood. Through my community and volunteer roles, I’ve also become more aware of how decisions around development, transportation, green space and infrastructure affect our environment. I believe climate action works best when sustainable choices are practical and accessible for residents.

I believe meaningful climate action should also make our city more affordable and resilient. Burnaby already has ambitious climate targets, so my focus would be on making sure we are actually delivering on them and measuring the results.

I would support practical investments that reduce both emissions and long-term costs, including energy-efficient buildings, cleaner transportation options, EV infrastructure, protecting trees and natural areas, and upgrading infrastructure to better withstand heat, flooding and severe weather. I also support planning housing closer to transit, jobs and everyday services so residents have more transportation choices.

At the same time, climate policies need to consider affordability. I would look for opportunities to work with other levels of government on incentives and funding so the cost of the transition does not fall disproportionately on individual residents or small businesses. My approach would be practical: invest in measures that reduce risk, lower emissions and improve quality of life, and then measure whether they are actually delivering results

I support giving residents practical alternatives to driving while recognizing that many people will still need a car for some trips. I both drive and take SkyTrain, so I think our transportation system needs to work for people regardless of how they travel.

I would support expanding reliable public transit and working with TransLink on transit priority measures that make buses faster and more dependable. I would also support completing missing sidewalks, improving lighting and crosswalks, creating safer connections to transit, and expanding protected cycling and rolling routes where appropriate.

For road safety, I would focus on prevention through better street design rather than simply adding enforcement. That means identifying intersections and corridors with recurring safety problems and using measures such as improved crossings, traffic calming, better visibility and safer street design to reduce the likelihood of serious collisions.

My goal is to make walking, cycling and transit safe and convenient enough that people have a real choice to use them. That can reduce transportation emissions while also making our streets safer for everyone, including drivers.

As a councillor, I would focus on the parts of transit that Burnaby can directly influence. I would support working with TransLink to expand transit priority measures such as priority signals and queue-jump lanes so buses spend less time sitting in traffic.

I would also invest in the connections that make transit practical, including sidewalks, safe crossings, lighting and accessible bus stops, particularly around SkyTrain stations and major bus routes. As Burnaby grows, I believe housing and infrastructure should be planned together, with more homes and everyday services located near frequent transit.

While the City does not control bus or SkyTrain service, Council can advocate to TransLink for better frequency, capacity and connections based on where Burnaby residents are experiencing gaps. My goal would be to make transit a reliable and convenient option while recognizing that residents use different ways of getting around.

For me, preventing homelessness is just as important as responding to it after someone has lost their home. I would support strong tenant protections, early intervention and programs that help people stay housed when they are facing temporary financial hardship or displacement. I would also support expanding affordable and non-market housing through City land and partnerships with senior governments and nonprofit housing providers.

Housing and climate policy can also work together. We can build and retrofit affordable housing to be more energy efficient and resilient to extreme heat, including access to safe cooling. This can reduce emissions while lowering energy costs and protecting seniors and other vulnerable residents during extreme weather.

I also support locating more affordable housing near transit and everyday services so residents have more transportation choices and can reduce transportation costs. For people who are already experiencing homelessness, the City should continue working with BC Housing, Fraser Health and community organizations on shelter, supportive housing and pathways into permanent housing.

My priority is prevention wherever possible. It is better for residents and less disruptive to families if we can identify people at risk and help them remain safely housed before they reach a crisis. Climate action and housing policy should ultimately do the same thing: make our communities safer, healthier, more affordable and more resilient.

I think our parks and green spaces should do more than serve one purpose. When we redesign parks and public spaces, I would support using more trees, rain gardens, permeable surfaces and other natural infrastructure to absorb rainwater, reduce flooding, provide shade and capture carbon.

I also want to protect mature trees where possible and expand tree canopy in neighbourhoods that have less green space. Trees are infrastructure too. They help manage rainwater, cool neighbourhoods during extreme heat and provide habitat for wildlife.

Food security is also important to me. I would support expanding community gardens on suitable City land and incorporating food-growing spaces into parks where there is community demand. I would also look for more opportunities to connect Burnaby residents with local growers, farmers and food producers.

As Burnaby grows, I want us to think about how the same piece of public land can provide recreation, manage rainwater, protect nature and help strengthen local food security. That is a practical way to get more value from the land and infrastructure we already have.