Jesse Pineiro

Council · Nelson

Fairview 31 yrs

About

I moved to Nelson from Argenta in 1995. Since then I have worked for as a wildland firefighter, a Constituency Assistant to the local MLA, and founded the Nelson Boxing and Athletics Club on Baker St.

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.

~ Incentivize renewable energy, battery storage, and smart-grid technologies in new and existing buildings to improve energy security. Neutral

✓ 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.

✓ Pursue available legal options to recover a fair share of the climate costs facing our community from fossil fuel companies and other big polluters. 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.

✓ Expand and protect tree canopy, parks, and green infrastructure to cool neighbourhoods, clean air, and manage stormwater. 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!).

✓ Advocate to improve regional public transit between communities. Supportive

✓ Build bike and roll networks that are safe for everyone. Supportive

~ Expand EV charging infrastructure. Neutral

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.

✓ Implement zero waste bylaws to divert organic waste and recyclables from disposal. Supportive

✓ 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?

My family composts our waste and uses it in the garden. We walk to work when possible and keep our consumption to a minimum.
As a counsellor, I have met multiple times with Doctors and Nurses for Planetary Health, and the West Kootenay Climate Hub. We have good conversations, exchange ideas, and I do what I can to support these organizations at council.

Questions for Nelson

In 2020, Nelson Council adopted the Nelson Next Climate Action Plan. How will you set timelines for implementing the plan and ensure they move forward this term?

Nelson Next is a great guiding document and reflects a huge amount of work by many dedicated, passionate people. While the scope is vast, I think we can focus on small things that are attainable and locally effective. Expanding transit service, a neighborhood greenbin/composting program, and buy-in from the business and construction communities so that development is consistent with climate goals is how I see us moving forward.

How will you advocate for better public transit (frequency, coverage, fares), both locally and intercity, including working with other levels of government?

There is a circular problem in the sense that people are reluctant to use transit because the service is inadequate, while the province is reluctant to invest in transit because people aren't using it. We need to advocate for a "build it, and they will come" approach.
I believe a Transit on Demand system here in Nelson would be a realistic way of increasing ridership and potentially make it easier for BC Transit and the RDCK to support expanding the system as a whole.

What policies will you implement to reduce the health risks of dangerous outdoor and indoor summer heat and poor air quality, particularly for renters, low-income households, and children attending outdoor summer day camps?

I would make sure that our public spaces, like the library, have the funding they need to continue to give people a place to gather and cool down out of the heat. Outdoor public cooling stations can be set up during extreme heat events, and I would continue to advocate for provincial funding and rebates so that people can afford to install cooling systems in their homes.

Some municipality-owned utilities in Canada, like Summerside in PEI, are investing in solar, wind and batteries. As electricity demand increases, how would you support Nelson Hydro diversifying its generation to include other renewable sources?

I'm not sure our topography is conducive to wind or solar energy on a big scale, although I'm not an expert. I would be open to hearing ideas on this, but I think our hydro system performs very well as long as we are prioritizing our water and not selling it all.

Natural spaces improve human health, biodiversity, and mitigating extreme weather like heat and flooding. What can you do to ensure the City prioritizes preserving natural areas, green space, and the lakeshore?

A green strategy that preserves the natural areas we have and develops new ones utilizing plants that are natural to the area and flourish under local conditions. I think we need to be more careful about the developments we choose to support and make sure that green space and our natural resources are respected and preserved whenever possible.

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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