Dee McWatters

Dee McWatters

Council · Summerland
Summerland 47 yrs

About

Lived in Summerland since 1979, raised here, career here, raised my own family, volunteered. 30 year operational management career in the wine industry, now an inclusion consultant and professional speaker.

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 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. 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
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
~ Build bike and roll networks that are safe for everyone. Neutral
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
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

Questions for Summerland

Transportation is Summerland's largest source of climate pollution. How can we decrease reliance on personal gas vehicles and improve how people get around using low emission transportation methods (e.g. walking, biking, carpooling, bus/transit, EV)?
Increase transit. Network and hours
Summerland Council adopted a Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan in February 2020. How will you prioritize actions and set timelines to move the plan forward this term?
Resilience is about being ready for unexpected shocks. Along with emergency response, what long-term planning measures would you recommend to protect our community from the impacts of increasingly severe weather events and wildfires?
Fire mitigation programs and education
How will you balance immediate local priorities—like housing, jobs, and healthcare—with the need to reduce emissions and protect the environment so we can secure a sustainable future for our children?

Compiled & presented by

Authorized by First Things First Okanagan, registered sponsor under LECFA, info@firstthingsfirstokanagan.com

Vote4Tomorrow is an independent voter guide to evaluate where local candidates stand on climate and environmental policies that will affect our future.

© 2026 Vote4Tomorrow