Steve McLay

Council · Mission

Mission 6 yrs

About

I’m a career firefighter and community volunteer. I chair the Albert McMahon Elementary PAC, serve on the Mission Hospice Gala Committee, and on the board of the Mission Environmental Stewardship Society, supporting local environmental initiatives.

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

✓ 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. Supportive

~ 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

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.

✓ 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?

I serve on the board of the Mission Environmental Stewardship Society, supporting community cleanups, environmental education, youth stewardship and Mission Earth Fest. I value practical, community-led action that protects our environment.

Questions for Mission

Are you in favour of accelerating Mission’s adoption of Level 4 of the Zero Carbon Step Code, currently mandated by the province by 2030?

I support lower-emission buildings, but before moving ahead of the provincial timeline, I’d want to understand the impacts on housing costs, builders and affordability. If Mission can move faster without creating unreasonable costs, I’d support it.

Would you support making an updated Environmental Charter the foundation policy against which all other policies and strategies are measured?

I support updating Mission’s Environmental Charter and using it to guide decisions. It should be considered alongside affordability, public safety, infrastructure and economic needs. Good decisions require balancing environmental, social and financial impacts.

Would you support a policy of evaluating all decisions for their effects on future generations? (i.e. the effect on Mission in 20 or 50 years)

Yes. This is a major reason I’m running. Decisions made today will shape Mission for decades. We need to consider long-term infrastructure, environmental and financial impacts so we leave a strong, sustainable community for future generations.

Would you support mandating EV charging points in all new residential construction?

I support making new homes EV charger-ready. It makes sense to put the infrastructure in during construction, while being mindful of added costs and keeping new housing as affordable as possible.

Would you support developing an anti-idling policy for the municipal fleet?

Absolutely. I support reducing unnecessary idling to save fuel, costs and emissions, while allowing operational exemptions. I’d also support exploring idle-reduction technology when replacing City vehicles and equipment.

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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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