Sarah Ellis
Council · Squamish
- Neighbourhood:
- Downtown
- Years in the community:
- 6
About
I'm a planner and housing expert, with over 12 years of experience working in and around local government as a planner for the City of Vancouver and ED of Housing Squamish. I'm a rock climber, trail runner, and beginner mountain biker.
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.
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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.
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Endorse the fossil fuel treaty and commit to phase out fossil fuels.
Supportive
✓
Enact a moratorium on AI data centres to protect our energy and water resources.
Supportive
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Pursue available legal options to recover a fair share of the climate costs facing our community from fossil fuel companies and other big polluters.
Neutral
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.
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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!).
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Deliver reliable, frequent, affordable local transit.
Supportive
✓
Advocate to improve regional public transit between communities.
Supportive
✓
Build bike and roll networks that are safe for everyone.
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.
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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
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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?
I'm a strong advocate for local initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint. As President of OurSquamish, I advocated for a safe cycling network and ran a summer bike valet program for downtown events. As ED of Housing Squamish, I initiated oversaw a $6M deep energy retrofit to a 1965-era rental building in Squamish, fully electrifying the building's heat and hot water system.
Questions for Squamish
Municipal tax rates are determined by council every year to meet community needs. What do you think the Major Industry tax rate should be set at to ensure Woodfibre LNG contributes its fair share of taxes if the project is assessed at $600 million?
I think Woodfibre should pay a fair tax rate to the community to support with our significant capital infrastructure needs. I think it's reasonable to expect a tax rate near what the Woodfibre pulp mill paid previously.
What steps will you take to advocate for the health and safety of Squamish residents in response to excessive and harmful air pollution from Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC’s compressor station?
I think WNLG needs to be accountable to all levels of government, including local government, for environmental and health impacts as the project comes online. This could include regular reporting or potentially independent air quality testing.
What is your position on the proposed Garibaldi at Squamish, Cheema Lands, and North Crumpit developments?
There is already quite a bit of undeveloped land within Squamish’s growth boundary including the North Crumpit development, so I am cautious about one-off decisions to expand. These are conversations that are best had as part of an Official Community Plan process, which will be coming up during this Council’s term.
My current view for an OCP discussion is I would only support further expansion of the growth boundary if there is clear, feasible plan for financing and maintaining infrastructure and strong requirements for good planning, environmental management, and design, and community benefits such as land for affordable housing.
My current view for an OCP discussion is I would only support further expansion of the growth boundary if there is clear, feasible plan for financing and maintaining infrastructure and strong requirements for good planning, environmental management, and design, and community benefits such as land for affordable housing.
Squamish is vulnerable to many climate-related risks (e.g., extreme storms, flooding, sea level rise, wildfire, wildfire smoke, and extreme heat events). How will you address these risks to increase our community’s resilience?
Squamish is experiencing the staggering and undeniable effects of a warming climate, and every year is more alarming than the last, both locally and around the world.
For that reason, Squamish needs to keep doing its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of our changing climate. I support the 6 big moves of the town’s existing Community Climate Action Plan and would continue to vote in support of its implementation. I also strongly support continued investment in Squamish's dyking infrastructure, fire management practices in forests in and around the District, and communication of emergency evacuation and safety plans.
For that reason, Squamish needs to keep doing its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of our changing climate. I support the 6 big moves of the town’s existing Community Climate Action Plan and would continue to vote in support of its implementation. I also strongly support continued investment in Squamish's dyking infrastructure, fire management practices in forests in and around the District, and communication of emergency evacuation and safety plans.
How will you continue to collaborate with Indigenous peoples as partners in the stewardship of the land, air, and water, and work towards reconciliation?
We all need to learn and engage with Canada’s history of colonialism and the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. I strongly support Squamish’s continued partnership with the Squamish Nation as it pursues self-governance over Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people and lands.
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