Devon Caron

I have volunteered and worked with the Green Party on federal and provincial campaigns since 2014, when the approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline spurred me into action.

On a more personal level, our family spent a year without a car in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint. It was incredibly difficult to make work with a young family, and we ended up purchasing a vehicle once that year was up. That experience is one reason I am so passionate about transit.

We are also members of Kootenay Carshare, a great initiative that keeps our busy family from needing a second vehicle while giving us access to different kinds of vehicles.

The first thing I would need to do is clearly understand what has already been implemented and what strategies remain.
Nelson Next has been embedded in the OCP, which directs the City to identify and prioritize high-impact tactics for annual staff work plans. I would ask the CAO to confirm that this is happening and to report on it.
I would also like to see a consistent Nelson Next and OCP touchpoint in Requests for Decisions presented to Council. Under the section usually called “Impact on Sustainability, Council Priorities and Staff Resources,” staff should identify whether the proposal aligns with Nelson Next and the OCP: yes, no, or not applicable, and briefly explain how or why.

Nelson’s transit system involves the City, RDCK, BC Transit and neighbouring communities, so improvements mean working across those relationships.

We have a transit system that works for the schedule, not the people who rely on it. The last bus from the Castlegar campus barely leaves enough time after a late class. Evening service in Nelson is limited, the last bus leaves around 9:45 p.m., there is no Sunday service, and some regional routes do not run daily. If I miss a bus, I may wait an hour or more for the next one.

For years, when asked what I want to see in Nelson’s future, I have written the same thing on the sticky note: transit so frequent I do not have to look at a schedule.

I will advocate at the Council table and in regional discussions for more frequent local service, better evening service and the return of Sunday service. I support a direct, frequent connection between Nelson and Trail Regional Hospital, and stronger regional routes to Salmo, Kaslo and Castlegar.

I support free transit for children. Before advocating for broader fare changes, I would want to understand how fares affect the funding model. In an ideal world, I would like to see transit free for everyone who wants to use it. I will make the case to BC Transit, the RDCK, neighbouring communities, and provincial and federal governments that reliable local and intercity transit is essential infrastructure.

I would want the City to use all the resources at its disposal to ensure residents have easy access to facilities with air conditioning and air filtration during dangerous heat and smoke events. That could include extending library hours and opening facilities such as the NDCC or Civic Centre arena to day camps.
I would also want Council to explore ways to work with landlords so renters in older properties can safely remain in their homes during these events, whether through air conditioning or air purification upgrades. The City should also look to the Province for help with funding.
I would want day camps working with the City to have clear policies outlining what they will do during extreme heat or smoky weather, so children, staff and families know what to expect.
Finally, I would like to ensure that long-term infrastructure planning and building requirements for commercial and residential properties include preparation for these increasingly common weather events.

I would advocate for Nelson Hydro to commission a thorough review of alternative energy sources, including geothermal, micro-hydro and solar, as well as energy storage.

I appreciate the effort behind the Bonnington Solar Garden. As I understand it, Nelson’s local geography and climate mean we may need to try small-scale projects to learn what kinds of generation are feasible here before scaling them up.

I would want that review to consider cost to ratepayers, environmental impacts, reliability and whether smaller pilot projects could be scaled up successfully.

We are incredibly lucky to have some of the most beautiful parks and green spaces in our community, from Lakeside and Gyro Park to Art Gibbons Park in Rosemont and Lions Park in Uphill.
I will advocate for our parks to be well maintained and for the Tree Management Plan to be followed, so declining trees are safely removed and promptly replaced. I will also advocate for land-use planning that prioritizes green space and natural areas, and minimizes paving them over simply for ease of use, or parking.
The fact that our city is bordered by a lake is a real benefit. I would want to ensure that any further lakeshore development benefits the whole community, rather than simply a small minority who can afford a lakefront condo.