Susan Heaton-Sherstobitoff

Mayor · Castlegar

Castlegar 38 yrs

About

Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff is a longtime Castlegar community leader & councillor with 15 yrs at the council table.Running for mayor, Sue brings experience, fiscal responsibility & commitment to listening, bringing people together and building 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.

~ Support electrification of new buildings. Neutral

✓ 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. Supportive

✓ 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. Neutral

✓ 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?

Brought motion for 100% renewable energy by 2050. Advocated for bike paths and a walkable community.
Advocated for organic waste and curb side recycling & reduction in garbage. And so much more.

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?

You have to remember that an individual only has one vote at the table. So if there is a chance/opportunity to bring the renewable energy 2050 to the table o will.

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?

Continue advocating for fire smart money from the provincial government, ensure we have advocate for a stormwater system that is upgraded to handle added rain water, finish updating hazard mapping such as as mapping flooding risks, and enhancing community preparedness programs such as cooling shelters, continue to monitor water consumption & reduce usage

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 to continue adding to our biking system routes, ensure our community is walkable, advocate for a better transit system especially through our main corridor- Columbia Avenue, we recently joined the e-scooter pilot program so we need to see that thru

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?

The city of Castlegar uses a mix of proactive zoning, progressive building regulations and strategic partnerships to make this happen - such as smart density & multi use zoning, diversity infill, etc - as someone that has sat on council for 15’yrs we have been working on this and other issues for many, many years.

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?

Enforce special neighborhood plans, establish rigid siting restrictions, continue to protect sensitive waterways, manage stormwater, continue to address wildlife attracts through Wildsafe B.C.

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?

Of course that is something I have been doing for 15 years. I’m all about working with everyone to make the best decisions for our city!

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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