Tony Valente

Climate action is the defining challenge before us. I see a clear connection between climate change and the issues I work on every day, including housing, affordability, transportation, public spaces and equity.

Before being elected, I was actively involved in promoting active transportation as Chair of HUB North Shore, advocating for safer, more connected infrastructure that makes it easier for people to choose active travel for everyday trips. As a Councillor, I have continued to advocate for more transportation options, including expanded RapidBus service, more frequent SeaBus service and the R2 Rapid Bus, so people have practical alternatives to driving.

I supported the City’s Urban Tree Canopy strategy, the City’s Climate and Environment Strategy and the motion directing staff to look into ways property developers can be incentivized to preserve large and mature trees not protected by current tree bylaws. I believe we need to move more aggressively on climate action, while recognizing that meaningful change requires bringing the community along with us. Clear communication, public education and demonstrating the benefits of change will be critical to building broad support.

For me, climate action is not a standalone policy. It is about building a community where people can live closer to services, get around without relying on a car, and have access to healthy, resilient public spaces. My focus has been on making those choices easier, safer and more accessible for everyone.

I support Lonsdale Energy publishing a clear, credible carbon-neutral pathway with defined milestones, costs, emissions reductions and regular public reporting.

A major opportunity is waste heat recovery. Capturing heat from wastewater generated by showers, laundry and dishwashing can significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels while making better use of energy already being produced in our community.

I also want Lonsdale Energy to continue advancing other clean-energy sources, including electric boilers, geoexchange, solar, renewable fuels where appropriate, and additional opportunities to recover waste heat from buildings and infrastructure.

The key is to move from broad targets to a transparent, practical implementation plan that shows which technologies will be deployed, when investments are expected, what they will cost, and how much emissions reduction they will achieve.

Council’s role is to keep that work moving, ensure the options are rigorously assessed, and make sure the public can see clear progress toward a lower-carbon district energy system.

I continue to support Lonsdale Energy moving toward full decarbonization and reducing its reliance on renewable natural gas as cleaner, more durable energy sources come online.

RNG was introduced as an early tool to reduce emissions, but it should not prevent us from investing in better long-term solutions. Lonsdale Energy is already adding electric boilers and advancing sewer heat recovery through the Urban Heat Recovery Centre, alongside existing geoexchange, solar and heat-recovery sources.

I am willing to support the investments needed to accelerate that transition, provided they are technically sound, financially responsible and deliver meaningful emissions reductions.

My focus would be on expanding waste-heat recovery, electrification, geoexchange and other proven low-carbon technologies so RNG can play a diminishing role in the system over time.

The objective should be a diversified, reliable and increasingly low-carbon energy system that steadily reduces dependence on combustion-based fuels.

As a councillor I have consistently pushed for completing this essential project while pushing for greater transparency, accountability and fairness.I supported Council's calls for an independent review, a public inquiry through the inspector of municipalities and a provincial review of Metro Vancouver's governance.

I also supported Council’s request that the full $235 million settlement be used to reduce costs for Northshore taxpayers.

Residents deserve to know what went wrong, how warning signs were missed, how decisions were made, and why oversight failed. A review controlled by the same organization whose decisions are being examined will not provide the public confidence that North Shore residents deserve. We also need stronger Metro Vancouver governance and a fairer approach to financing.

Infrastructure that will serve generations should be paid for fairly over its lifespan, not place an unreasonable burden on today's residents.

My position is clear. Complete the infrastructure we need, but don't burden Northshore residents with a multi-billion dollar bill without real answers, meaningful reform, and a fairer financing approach that protects affordability.

I have been a strong proponent of increasing the City’s urban tree canopy. During my term on Council, I supported a motion asking staff to identify ways to incentivize developers to preserve large and mature trees not currently protected by the City’s tree bylaws. The motion also called for annual reporting on mature trees saved or removed under the current bylaw, giving Council and the public better information to assess whether our policies are working. I also supported community efforts to preserve a mature cedar near the new Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre.

Going forward, I will continue to use land use planning, arborist assessments, development incentives and site design to prioritize tree retention early in the development process. This includes encouraging designs that work around significant trees and using better data to identify where retention should be prioritized.

I support protecting and expanding our urban tree canopy, but I am not convinced that extending a regulatory and enforcement-based approach to every private property is necessarily the best way to achieve that.

I would like the City to do more work on incentives that encourage property owners to retain mature trees, particularly where there is no redevelopment application triggering existing protections.

That could include exploring financial incentives, support for tree maintenance and replacement, recognition of significant trees, or other tools that make retaining healthy trees easier and more attractive for property owners.

Any expanded approach should balance the community benefits of mature trees: shade, cooling, biodiversity and stormwater management with the legitimate needs of property owners.

I would support further work to identify practical incentives and policy tools that can increase tree retention across the City before relying primarily on additional regulation and enforcement.