Laird Ruehlen

Council · Campbell River

Climate Leader

Georgia Park 48 yrs

About

• A Campbell River resident for nearly 5 decades • Former 2 term City Councillor in Campbell River with a proven record of public service • Recently retired school principal • Three generations of family calling Campbell River home

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.

✓ Support electrification of new buildings. Supportive

✓ Incentivize electric heat pumps and air filtration systems. Supportive

✓ Incentivize renewable energy, battery storage, and smart-grid technologies in new and existing buildings to improve energy security. Supportive

✓ Scale up energy retrofits for existing homes, businesses, and public buildings. Supportive

✓ 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.

~ Endorse the fossil fuel treaty and commit to phase out fossil fuels. Neutral

~ Enact a moratorium on AI data centres to protect our energy and water resources. Neutral

~ Pursue available legal options to recover a fair share of the climate costs facing our community from fossil fuel companies and other big polluters. Neutral

✓ 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.

✓ Protect and restore ecosystems, which are essential to human survival, health, and economic well-being. Supportive

✓ Expand and protect tree canopy, parks, and green infrastructure to cool neighbourhoods, clean air, and manage stormwater. Supportive

✓ Prioritize native tree planting in all areas, especially those with low tree cover, higher population densities, and more vulnerable residents. Supportive

✓ Create connected urban greenways for people and wildlife. Supportive

Land Use

We envision vibrant, walkable communities that protect nature and improve food security.

✓ Build affordable homes near jobs, schools, shops, and transit. Supportive

✓ Upgrade critical infrastructure for heat, fire, flood, and storm resilience. Supportive

✓ 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!).

✓ Deliver reliable, frequent, affordable local transit. Supportive

✓ Advocate to improve regional public transit between communities. Supportive

✓ Build bike and roll networks that are safe for everyone. Supportive

✓ 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.

✓ Implement water conservation plans and educate the public to conserve drinking water. Supportive

✓ Protect and restore watersheds as vital municipal infrastructure. Supportive

✓ 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.

~ Implement zero waste bylaws to divert organic waste and recyclables from disposal. Neutral

✓ Support the development of a circular economy to eliminate waste and improve resilience. Supportive

✓ 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?

Previous work on city council in Campbell River that partnered with our Environmental Advisory Committee to implement environmental stewardship objectives.

Questions for Campbell River

What do you think you can realistically accomplish during your term to make the lives of your constituents happier, healthier and more equitable, while also addressing climate change?

City Council needs to model environmental stewardship via its own policies and practices. Council also has the ability to make environmental issues and climate change a priority through its strategic planning process

How will you provide leadership in moving our municipality towards meaningful climate action?

My voice will be at the table ensuring that the City is following through on commitments and prioritizing environmental issues.

Describe what you have done regarding climate change and related issues in our community – for example, advocacy, past work, advisory committees, volunteer work, and/or reducing your own personal carbon footprint.

I sat on our City Council for 2 terms in the past. During our terms we created green spaces such as Dick Murphy Park and improved the Seawalk. We also put together the plans for the green roof at City Hall.

Personally, I ride my bike in our community as transportation whenever I can.

What climate-related infrastructure risks worry you most here (fire, heat, drought, air quality, floods, sea level rise), and how will you address reducing those risks to keep our community safe?

The issue of wildfires and the urban interface is a huge concern in our community. We must continue to provide support and funding to ensure that we are doing everything possible to mitigate this risk.

Compiled & presented by

Vote4Tomorrow is an independent voter guide to evaluate where local candidates stand on climate and environmental policies that will affect our future.

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