Teri Towner

My approach to climate action has always been practical: protect natural assets and green space, reduce emissions where possible, lead by example.
Over my years on Council, I have supported initiatives including:
• Coquitlam’s Environmental Sustainability Plan, Climate Adaptation Strategic Plan and Climate Action Plan, along with investments to make our infrastructure and community more resilient.
• Expansion and protection of our urban forest, including the Urban Forest Management Strategy, tree planting and measures to protect and enhance our tree canopy.
• Improvements to walking, cycling and public transit infrastructure, as well as EV charging and the transition toward lower-emission City vehicles
• Protection and enhancement of streams, parks, natural areas and wildlife habitat
• Programs that reduce waste and encourage recycling, reuse and more sustainable practices – including the moving of homes instead of demolition
• I voted to support the acceleration of the zero carbon step code (it failed)
I also believe climate and environmental stewardship starts with me. I regularly volunteer with the Burke Mountain Naturalists, removing invasive species. I have participated in tree tours at səmiq̓ʷəʔelə/Riverview, attended numerous community forums and presentations on trees, forests and the natural environment, and joined tree-planting activities with non-profits and community organizations. I participate in shoreline cleanups, and have done more litter and cigarette-butt cleanups than I could possibly count.
In the community I walk extensively and use my e-bike and take transit when practical. At home, I reduce waste, conserve energy and water, recycle and reuse whenever possible.

Housing and infrastructure need to be planned together. We need to create complete, livable communities.
I will continue to support concentrating density near transit, shops, services and employment, creating complete communities where more daily needs can be met by walking, cycling or transit. As well, as density increases, more people will be living in multi-family housing and access to nature and green space will become even more important. Parks, trails, green spaces and tree canopy need to be protected and expanded. (which I have already been supporting)
I will continue with advocacy to other levels of government and agencies for the infrastructure they are responsible for. We need to ensure schools, transit and health and social infrastructure keep pace. Municipalities don’t deliver these services, but provincially-mandated housing mandates are in place so strong advocacy is essential so everything is planned and built accordingly.
Coquitlam needs a strong local economy, including commercial, office and industrial employment to create more opportunities for people to work closer to home.
I will do what I can to ensure that, through development cost charges and amenity cost charges, growth contributes its fair share to growth so existing taxpayers don’t carry an unreasonable share of growth-related costs.
Growth is coming, much of it mandated through provincial housing legislation. Our responsibility is to manage that growth thoughtfully and ensure infrastructure, amenities and services keep pace so livability is at the forefront and Coquitlam retains its high quality of life.

Mature trees are a valued and important community asset. While planting new trees is essential, a newly planted tree cannot immediately replace the shade, cooling, habitat, stormwater management and carbon-storage benefits of a mature tree.
Coquitlam’s new Urban Forest Management Strategy, which I supported, provides a strong framework for protecting, enhancing and growing our urban forest as our community continues to develop. I support implementing its 47 actions, including:
• Achieving 50% citywide tree canopy target and regularly track and report progress.
• Prioritizing the retention of healthy mature trees wherever reasonably possible when new developments, roads and infrastructure is planned.
• Expanding tree planting and replacement requirements across all development, including collecting fees where replacement trees cannot be accommodated on-site so those funds can support planting elsewhere in Coquitlam.
• Planting 5,000-7,000 trees annually; focusing on tree survival, long-term health and species diversity so today’s young trees become tomorrow’s mature canopy.
• Providing incentives, education and support to encourage residents to retain, plant and care for trees on private property; increase community stewardship
With the mandatory provincial housing targets and the legislated 4 units per what used to be single family lots, increased density in established neighbourhoods is coming and there will be competing demands for space. I believe the right approach is to design with trees in mind from the outset, retain healthy mature trees wherever practical, replace trees that must be removed, and measure whether the policies are actually maintaining a healthy urban forest over the long

Earlier this year I voted to advance the implementation of the ZCSC in Coquitlam ahead of the provincial framework but it failed.