Susan Kim

I’m a regular cyclist, pedestrian, transit rider, and occasional driver (like for airport pickups for friends!) who knows the infrastructure and funding necessary for moving around safely and efficiently without a personal vehicle. I have two honours degrees in Environmental Biology and Political Science, which I put to use at the University of Victoria/Centre for Policy Alternatives' Corporate Mapping Project as a researcher on global LNG markets and commodity chains.

Before being elected, I served on the boards of the Sierra Youth Coalition (during my undergraduate) and most recently with Sierra Club BC. In 2013, I was also invited to join a 350.org East Asia leadership training session in Indonesia for my climate organizing during a year abroad in South Korea.

As a Victoria councillor, I have been an Elbows up for Climate signatory and a Climate Caucus participant. I voted for the zero carbon step code, retrofits for our aging rental stock, and served on the regional water supply commission. I pushed for daylighting Bowker Creek and better stormwater management. I started work on banning fossil fuel advertising during this term with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment that I will pick back up if re-elected.

I recently put forward a UBCM motion asking the province to take the lead on suing big oil. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, but we push onwards nevertheless!

Victoria’s three most important environmental priorities over the next four years are sustainable transportation, climate-resilient infrastructure, and expanding urban green space.

First, we must make it easier for people to choose alternatives to driving. I would prioritize dedicated bus lanes, queue-jump lanes, and transit signal priority to make buses faster, more reliable, and more convenient. I would also advocate for improved routes, more frequent service, and continued expansion of the All Ages and Abilities bike network, including stronger regional connections across the CRD.

Second, we must protect critical infrastructure from the impacts of climate change. Delaying action only increases future costs. I would support investments in shoreline protection and responsible management of sewer and stormwater systems to safeguard public assets, reduce risk, and ensure long-term resilience. On this, I am keen to keep campaigning to sue big oil.

Third, we need to preserve and expand green space. I would increase the Parks budget to create new green spaces, in-house abilities to improve tree canopy coverage through our own native tree nursery, add community gardens on green roofs, and expand car-free public areas.

Environmental protection and economic prosperity are not competing goals. Victoria’s Official Community Plan rightly recognizes that climate action, housing, natural infrastructure, community wellbeing, and economic prosperity are interconnected. Well-designed housing, reliable transit, resilient infrastructure, and abundant green space create a more affordable, attractive, and economically vibrant city while reducing long-term costs for residents. Indeed, I am excited to push for a region to develop its own circular economy.

Extreme heat is one of Victoria’s most urgent public health challenges. My priorities are protecting vulnerable residents (like my senior father who lives in an uncooled urban apartment in Ontario!), expanding urban cooling, and ensuring new development helps make our city more resilient.

I would expand the City's pilot program intended to bring cooling and energy-efficient upgrades to existing rental buildings without passing costs on to tenants. I would also push the Province to establish enforceable maximum indoor temperatures for existing rental housing and use every municipal tool available to strengthen renters from extreme heat.

I also support requiring heat pumps in all new developments to provide affordable heating, cooling, and air filtration. As well, I will seek new developments to include green roofs wherever structurally feasible, helping cool buildings, expand access to green space, and reduce pressure on stormwater systems.

Protecting and expanding Victoria’s urban canopy must be a core part of our heat-response strategy. I would strengthen bylaws and development standards to better retain mature trees, protect Garry oak ecosystems and wildlife corridors, preserve adequate soil volumes, and maintain permeable surfaces that support healthy tree growth. I return to my earlier idea of an in-house native tree nursery, intended to dovetail with initiatives for contiguous native ecosystems across neighbouring development lots.

Finally, we need more public cooling and drinking-water access in heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods (i.e., downtown, North Park), alongside proactive outreach to seniors, low-income residents, and others at greatest risk.

Victoria can meet its 40% canopy target while continuing to build the housing our community needs, but only if trees and ecosystems are considered at the beginning of the development process, not as an afterthought.

I would establish an Urban Tree Advisory Committee (UTAC) that brings together residents, environmental experts, developers, businesses, and Indigenous partners to strengthen stewardship of our urban forest. Working with the UTAC, I would prioritize updating the Urban Forest Master Plan and Tree Protection Bylaw, both of which need modernization and re-evaluation within our evolving climate context.

I support requiring all new development proposals to clearly demonstrate how they will retain or incorporate mature trees, Garry oak trees, native plant species, wildlife corridors, and adequate permeable ground. Where possible, developments should include properly designed soil cells and sufficient root space to support healthy tree growth over the long term. I would also invite representatives from the Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations to participate in the UTAC and help identify, protect, and restore remaining native ecosystems.

The City should also expand its nursery production of locally appropriate tree species, making them more available to developers, residents, and public projects, while increasing tree planting in parks, streets, and other public spaces. This would combat the growing hidden problem of urban arboreal monoculture.

Finally, believe it or not, I studied plant biology in university specifically because how vegetation is integral to addressing climate change!

With the redevelopment of Crystal Pool as the soon-to-be-no-more highest emissions source in Victoria, transportation remains one of our largest opportunities. I would prioritize shifting more trips from private vehicles to public and active transportation by improving transit frequency, reliability, capacity, and evening service. I support fare-free transit for youth across the CRD and would advocate for the Province to eliminate fares for youth, seniors, and people receiving income or disability assistance. Raising the floor for freedom of mobility for more residents makes this a policy that addresses climate, health and wellbeing all at once.

In buildings, I would expand retrofit programs that help existing rental buildings improve energy efficiency without passing costs on to tenants. I support discouraging the demolition of viable rental housing and prioritizing retrofits that reduce emissions while preserving affordability. For new developments, I would require heat pumps to provide efficient heating, cooling, and air filtration, and require green roofs wherever structurally feasible to reduce urban heat, increase green space, and manage stormwater more effectively.

I would also maintain and expand support for Zero Waste Victoria programs that divert materials from landfill and expand the pilot program for waste collection services for multi-unit residential buildings.

Finally, I support banning fossil fuel advertising on City property. This is work I had begun to chip away at during my term.

Success may be measured through increased transit ridership, building retrofit completion rates, reduced community emissions, higher waste diversion rates, and more.