David Gonella

Climate action, to me, is about making responsible decisions today that protect the community we want to leave for future generations.

As a councillor, I have contributed through my work on the Development & Planning Services Committee and Agricultural Advisory Committee. These roles have given me opportunities to consider how development, land use, agriculture, infrastructure and growth affect our environment and community over the long term. My previous experience in resource management has also brought a practical environmental perspective to the council table.

I believe our community forest is an important part of our climate response. Protecting our forest resources, maintaining healthy ecosystems and recognizing the environmental benefits of trees and natural areas are important considerations as Salmon Arm grows. Protecting and strengthening our community forest is one of my priorities for the next term.

Through my employment with the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society, I have also been involved in operating community events where responsible use of resources, waste reduction and environmental considerations are part of planning and day-to-day operations.

I also recognize that climate action isn't only the responsibility of government. Personally, I try to be conscious of my energy use, transportation choices and consumption.

I don't claim to have all the answers on climate change. I believe my contribution has been bringing a practical, long-term perspective to decisions about how Salmon Arm grows, while balancing environmental, social and financial considerations.

I would prioritize the Climate Resilience Plan by focusing on actions that can deliver measurable emissions reductions while being practical and affordable for residents, businesses and the City.

For buildings, I support initiatives that improve energy efficiency, encourage retrofits, and make it easier for residents and businesses to adopt lower-carbon heating and energy systems. I voted in favour of the Zero Carbon initiative brought forward to Council because I believed it was a meaningful step toward reducing emissions from new buildings. Although the initiative was defeated, I believe Council should continue looking for practical ways to reduce building-related emissions.

For transportation, I would prioritize making it easier for people to choose alternatives to driving alone by improving walking and cycling infrastructure, supporting public transportation, and ensuring new development creates connected neighbourhoods. We should also support appropriate expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

A 48% reduction by 2030 is ambitious, so implementation needs clear priorities, timelines and measurable outcomes. I would focus first on actions with the greatest potential impact and identify available grants, partnerships and other funding opportunities to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.

Climate action should also be integrated into the decisions we are already making about infrastructure, transportation, development and community investment—not treated as a separate initiative.

During my first term on Council, our community experienced firsthand the impacts of wildfire through the Bush Creek East Fire. That experience demonstrated both the resilience of our community and the importance of being prepared to respond, recover and learn from an emergency.

The CSRD Emergency Operations Centre was instrumental in coordinating the response, establishing a plan and putting it into action. As a municipality, we need to continue strengthening our relationships with the CSRD and provincial and federal governments so that responsibilities, communication and resources are clearly understood before an emergency occurs.

During an event, my priority would be protecting life, keeping residents informed and ensuring that vulnerable residents, farmers and local businesses have access to the support they need. Recovery is equally important. I would advocate for timely access to government recovery programs, support local organizations delivering assistance, and work to ensure that infrastructure and essential services are restored as quickly as possible.

It is easy to point fingers at shortcomings or overstate positive outcomes after an emergency. Instead, we need to honestly assess what worked, identify gaps and make improvements. Our approach must always have a clear focus: protect life in every form, support our agricultural community, protect critical infrastructure and help Salmon Arm recover stronger and better prepared for the next emergency.