Gordon Malcolm

Council · Castlegar

Castlegar 16 yrs

About

Served on various community boards since arriving in Castlegar. Love the outdoors and the area we live in. Currently serving on a local Rotary board who are very environmentally aware.

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

✓ 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.

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

✓ Create connected urban greenways for people and wildlife. Supportive

Land Use

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

✓ 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

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

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.

✓ 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?

I drive a hybrid vehicle, have installed a heat pump. The Rotary club I belong to are already in the process of trying to link the college and Castlegar to help reduce traffic. I own an electric bike which I use as much as possible. I am very environmentally aware and recycle and compost as much waste as we can.

Questions for Castlegar

In January 2021, Castlegar adopted the West Kootenay 100% Renewable Energy Plan. How will you prioritize actions, including timelines, to implement the plan and ensure that they move forward this term?

I will continue to advocate for moving this plan forward in a timely manor.

The Castlegar area is vulnerable to many climate-related risks (e.g., wildfire, drought, smoke, flooding, heat, local supply chains). How will you address these risks to increase our community’s resilience?

By continuing to advocate for better education, and action to protect our community from the effects of climate change.

What ideas do you have to decrease reliance on personal gas vehicles and improve how people get around the city using low emission transportation methods (e.g., walking, biking, carpooling, bus/transit, EV)?

We need better transit, better facilities for bikes and other forms of transport. Would love to see downtown pedestrianised. Continue to advocate to support the link to the college.

How would you approach land use and housing policies to ensure that people of all income levels—including low-income residents—have access to safe, affordable homes that are also resilient to a changing climate?

Contuing the current city policy of adding more affordable housing to the area. Continue to press BC housing to support more affordable housing in the area.

The Our Way to 2033 Community Plan includes many goals for enhancing and protecting Castlegar’s natural environment. How will you help advance those, including community partnerships, to help protect and restore our parks and natural areas?

Advocating for more green areas in the city where possible and enhancing the existing areas.

How will you foster collaboration and open dialogue with your fellow councillors and the community to make sure you are forming policy that best represents the full community’s needs, including seniors, newcomers, youth, renters, low income residents?

By listening to all groups, getting input from everyone and moving forward from there.

If you wish to clarify or add information you may use this space.

Compiled & presented by

Authorized by West Kootenay Climate Hub, registered sponsor under LECFA, wkclimatehub@gmail.com

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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