Teale Phelps Bondaroff

I have dedicated much of my life to environmental protection, as a researcher, advocate, and activist. I'm proud to serve on the board of Climate Caucus, a non-partisan, national non-profit that supports elected officials to enact and advocate for climate initiatives. Thus far, I have contributed by delivering workshops (resolution writing, convention floor strategy, press release writing), and doing outreach at events. Sharing best practices (like Saanich's Biodiversity Conservation and Urban Forest Strategies, E-Bike Incentive Program, and Zero Waste Strategy) allows us to continually improve our climate policies, and support other jurisdictions as well.

On Saanich Council, I have been a strong supporter of our award-winning Climate Plan, Zero Waste Strategy, and Zero Emissions Fleet Strategy. I advanced a number of climate-related resolutions to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), including resolutions calling for resources for estimating climate costs (NR46-2023), free transit for youth (RR31-2024), free transit for seniors (RR34-2024), and funding for climate action and ecosystem restoration associated with BC Hydro projects (NR56-2024).

Professionally, I serve as the Director of Research for OceansAsian, a marine conservation organization dedicated to combating marine wildlife crime. I have also worked as a consultant supporting a number of marine conservation organizations, including the Sea Ranger Service, for whom I conducted research into sea grass conservation and its role in carbon sequestration in the North Sea, and vessel emissions surveying/monitoring.


On a personal level, I have been vegetarian for over 32 years and am happily car free.

I'm proud of the work that Saanich has accomplished this term in working to combat climate change. We got very close to achieving our 2025 corporate emissions targets, achieving a 47% percent reduction based on the 2007 baseline. However, there is considerably more work to be done, particularly when it comes to community emissions.

This includes:
- Continuing to build out our active transportation network and support transit, to shift more trips towards these transportation options.
- Transition to electrically-powered buildings.
- Improve the resilience and self-sufficiency of the local food system.
- Enable natural systems to thrive and adapt in a changing climate.
- Transition towards climate-ready infrastructure that can withstand climate events like extreme flooding or extreme heat.
- Transition to efficient, renewably-powered vehicles and equipment.

This term Saanich adopted a number of important strategies that will help us not only achieve our climate targets but improve the well being and affordability for residents. These include Saanich’s new Zero Waste Strategy, Zero Emissions Fleet Strategy, Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Urban Forest Strategy.
If reelected, I'll work hard to shepherd these policies through our budget process to ensure that they are fully implemented and funded.

I support Saanich's overall development strategy of planning for more compact, walkable, and transit-oriented communities, which will help us address our climate goals, while also tackling critical affordability issues. Our Centre, Corridor, and Village (CCV) plans can help us strengthen our communities' abilities to respond to climate-related events and empower residents through long-term planning.

Rather than thinking about all the things that people need for their wellbeing and climate goals as competing priorities, I prefer a systems thinking approach, and focusing on the co-benefits that can be achieved.

For instance, building more mixed-use housing near transit routes. This not only helps create more of the homes people need to address the housing crisis, but also makes using walking and transit convenient options for getting where you need to go. More connected, compact, transit-oriented, and walkable communities have lower climate impacts and are better positioned to respond to the consequences of climate change, and have other important co-benefits. Well-designed municipal climate policies can improve affordability, community connection, food security, public health, and economic resiliency (which is especially relevant in light of ongoing global economic instability).

When we protect natural areas and invest in ecological restoration, we don’t just benefit the individual species in that area, we create buffers against the impacts of climate change, and protect people’s ability to connect with nature and find benefits to their physical and mental health.

This past term, I have worked tirelessly to tackle the many challenges faced by our community. We need leaders who are willing to make bold, thoughtful decisions today so future generations inherit a stronger community and a more equitable and stable world.

I believe councillors should be proactive leaders who make well-informed decisions to improve the overall well-being of the community today and into the future. A councillor must connect with a diversity of people to better understand the challenges they are facing, especially people who may not have the time, resources, or ability to participate through traditional channels.

I bring my extensive background in research to council and I take an evidence-based approach to decision making. Learning from research in fields like urban planning, and from other municipalities’ successes, and metrics like vacancy rates, tree canopy coverage, and population projections has immense value in helping us prioritize limited resources.

I also believe in empowering community members to make a difference in their own neighbourhoods. Sometimes that looks like helping people navigate the complexities of local government; sometimes it’s filling a policy gap; and sometimes it’s bringing neighbours together. Working in cooperation with residents and local advocates, I regularly bring community concerns forward to council.