Aidan Kyle

I'm building toward cycling to work regularly. It's a 40km round trip, so it's taking a bit to get used to and ultimately a small step, but it's where I've started.

Growing up in North Van, I learned early how intertwined our community is with nature. Our neighbourhoods sit right against the forest, the creeks and the mountains. That's a big part of why people love living here, and it also means I'm keenly aware of what a wildfire, flood or heat wave could mean for us.

When we ignore nature, it almost always works against us. As we grow, I'd like to see our community keep building toward a balance between how we live and the natural world around us.

Of all the risks facing the District, I think heavy rain and flooding are the most pressing right now. Our creeks run steep and fast, and much of our drainage was not built with the capacity for today's storms or for the growth and paved surfaces we've added since.

Especially in areas where flooding is already a known problem, we should be acting before the damage happens, not after. That means finding the storm drains, culverts and creek crossings that are at their limit and fixing them first, and making sure new homes manage their own runoff so we're not adding to the problem downhill.

Taking a whole-system approach also means keeping costs fair. Right now, many fixes fall on individual households, whether through homeowner upgrades, strata fees or rent, as the wider system reaches its capacity. I'd like to look at how we share those costs more fairly.
The other risks still need attention. The District has a wildfire plan and has done strong work here, but as fire seasons continue to get worse, we need to keep it current. On extreme heat and smoke, North Shore Emergency Management is already doing good work, and I'd like to keep supporting them and make the most of what we already have.

Resilience mostly comes down to doing the unglamorous work well, and doing it before the emergency.