Kimberley Guiry

Council · Langford

City of Langford 10 yrs

About

Kimberley Guiry is a Langford City Councillor, Red Seal joiner and mother with a Bsc in Environmental Science. She is passionate about protecting Langford’s natural assets, supporting resilient communities, and building a city where everyone belongs.

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.

✓ 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.

✓ 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

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

Transport

Connecting neighbourhoods through public transit and active transportation networks will cut pollution, improve public health, and make our communities more affordable (and fun!).

✓ Advocate to improve regional public transit between communities. 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.

✓ 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

✓ 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?

Early in the term, I co-authored a motion for Langford to perform a gaps analysis to explore resources and policy changes needed to meet the City’s GHG reduction goals. Later I supported the development and approval of Langford's first Climate Action Plan and the implementation of the Zero Carbon Step Code. As a part of larger planning initiatives I have supported making non-vehicle use more accessible through Langford's first Active Transportation Plan and an Official Community Plan refresh that considered the climate crisis as one of 5 key crises that the OCP would respond to. I have also served on Langford's Sustainable Development Advisory Committee who deals with planning, zoning and engineering matters while directly considering the OCP.
Personally, our family is committed to alternative modes of transportation as a one vehicle family. We look to lower our own energy use wherever possible, buy locally as much as possible and support community work such as the Greater Victoria Green Team.

Questions for Langford

Do you commit to support Langford's climate initiatives such as the Zero Carbon Step Code, making life more affordable (lower heating & cooling bills) and healthier & safer (more resilient against heat waves, methane pollution & smoky skies)?

Yes. I have supported Langford's implementation of the Zero Carbon Step Code so that six months after bylaw adoption Building Permit applications must meet Emissions Level 4 (EL-4). This has been an incredible step forward to building accessibility to units that will be more affordable and comfortable to live in while helping Langford achieve it's commitments to decrease community-wide GHG emissions by 61% from 2007 levels by 2038.

To what degree would you support the recovery of climate-change-related costs from polluters, to lessen the related burden on Langford’s taxpayers?

I feel like I would need more details on this but I am happy to explore the idea.

What would you do to help Langford implement and act on the Climate Action Plan that was presented by staff and the consultants on August 17th?

Langford's Draft Climate Action Plan presented in August, identified wildfire, multi-hazard, and extreme heat as hazards with high likelihood and high to extreme risk. In order to mitigate the risk of wildfire, I would continue to support the FireSmart program and work with our neighbours in provincial and regional parks to manage fuel along the borders with Wildland Urban Interface areas. To respond to extreme heat and climate risks, I would support initiatives in the Urban Forest Management Plan that prioritize canopy growth in areas with less equitable access to green space, as well as the implementation of design guidelines that focus on planting trees in areas with high surface areas of pavement, such as parking lots. A multi-hazard risk requires a more holistic approach to protecting natural areas, strengthening infrastructure, and improving emergency preparedness. While the final plan is still to come forward, I look forward to an approval after considering the latest round of consultation from the public. This will be the most formative first step of starting to the plan into action.

Do you wish to clarify or add information? You may use this space (250 word limit).

Thank you! I think it is important to add that this is an ongoing conversation that will need to be revisited with the city on a regular basis. We may see certain risks escalate and need a more urgent response and there may be more tools that become available through partners and other levels of government to consider. Additionally, as Langford invests in growing relationships with local Nations, there may be partnership opportunities that could be funded and prioritized.

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.

Home About Why Contact Privacy Policy