Keefer Pelech

Council · Richmond

South Arm 31 yrs

About

Keefer was born and raised in Richmond. From volunteering at the Richmond Nature Park to serving as a director with the Richmond Food Security Society, Keefer has dedicated his time to building community, while advocating for affordable housing.

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. Supportive

✓ 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.

✓ 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. 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.

✓ 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

✓ 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.

✓ 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

✓ Implement bylaws to eliminate waste from new buildings, renovation, and demolition projects and to use existing buildings as efficiently as possible. 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?

During my time on the Board of the Richmond Food Security Society (Urban Bounty), I advocated for local food systems and the protection of ALR in our city from the proliferation of mega-mansions and speculation. I have also volunteered and worked at the Richmond Nature Park, providing educational programming to youth and families with a focus on local habitats and environmental protection.

Questions for Richmond

Do you support or oppose the Fortis Tilbury LNG expansion?

I oppose, as it poses specific risks to Richmond while increasing our carbon footprint and tanker traffic on the Fraser River.

Do you prioritize active transportation with investments in walking, rolling, and cycling infrastructure that is safe, connected, easy to navigate, and accessible?

I would prioritize active transportation infrastructure to help improve other options of navigating our city safely.

Do you support acceleration of the City's adoption of the Zero Carbon Step Code?

In the past, Richmond has been a leader on environmental requirements for our building Step Code, but we have begun to lag behind other neighbouring municipalities that have caught up and lapped us. I support accelerating Richmond's adoption of the Zero Carbon Step Code so we can once again lead on.

Do you support expansion of Richmond's award-winning district energy systems?

I would support the expansion of district energy into other neighbourhoods where density allows.

What will you do to increase the number and types of green jobs and career training opportunities in Richmond?

I would support the creation of city jobs that directly protect and restore our local ecosystem in Richmond, as well as strategies that help to lower our city's emissions.

Compiled & presented by

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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