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1. Do you support re-aligning municipal and regional transportation plans and investments to meet the provincial government’s CleanBC target to “reduce distances travelled in light-duty vehicles by 2030 compared to 2020?
YES, I support municipal and regional transportation plans to meet the goverment’s CleanBC targets. Increasing efficiency and safety in public transit is a step towards reducing dependency on private vehicles.
2. Do you support making the default speed limit 30 km/h for streets without centrelines, as Victoria has already supported?
Yes, the severity of injury and chance of death is significantly decreased when accidents occur at 30km/h than at 40 or 50km/h. This makes absolute sense for to keep our community safe and save lives. It is imperative to decrease the speed limit to 30km/h for streets without centrelines.
3. Do you commit to budgeting sufficient funds to accelerate the the walking, rolling, cycling and transit portions of Go Victoria?
YES, I commit to budgeting sufficient funds to accelerate the walking, rolling, cycling, and transit portions of GO Victoria. I’m especially in favour of creating rapid transit on Douglas from Downtown to Uptown. This would significantly reduce private vehicle congestion and add accessible transportation. I’m also interested in creating more accessible parking options like painted blue curbs for accessible parking in addition to more accessible parking spots overall.
4. Do you support using neighbourhood-wide traffic calming to create low traffic neighbourhoods with much lower traffic volume with quick build materials?
Yes, I am supportive of using neighbourhood-wide traffic calming to create low traffic neighbourhoods with quick build materials. Bump out boulevard gardens are widely helpful in reducing speeds and beautifying the area. Personally, our neighbourhood has plans to apply for Victoria’s Good Neighbourhood Grant in order to add traffic calming elements to our block. Parklets and seating areas are not only good for traffic calming, but also placemaking in encouraging residents to meet in public community spaces. Having benches for residents to take a break encourages walking as well.
5. How would you support making walking safer and more enjoyable in Victoria?
We need well lit streets for walking in the evening. As a pedestrian walking at night, I have to choose between quiet, poorly lit streets or walking along busy streets next to fast cars due to lighting for safety. Protecting pedestrians with vegetated beds as barriers between pedestrians and cars is both practical and beautiful. We’ve seen the wider crosswalks implemented during covid for social distancing. Permanently widening sidewalks makes the area safer for pedestrians, especially for 2 way pedestrian traffic, double strollers, and other loads. More cross walks are needed in many commonly used intersections such as Quadra and Pembroke and Pembroke and Fernwood. Enforcing hedge trimming next to side walks is important so as to not push pedestrians onto the road. Hedges along the walk ways are often obstructing those who require extra room for accessibility scooters or strollers. Funding placemaking initiatives in neighbourhoods would make walking in Victoria more enjoyable as well. Painted sidewalk hop-scotch, cues to skip and jump add joy to our city in a simple way.
6. Do you support building at least 15 km of new all ages and abilities (“AAA”) bike and roll routes throughout Victoria?
I am in favour of the current AAA bike lane plan and would like to see it come to completion: Gorge, Kitma, Fort East, Montreal, Superior, Government and Pandora East. I look forward to the recommendations of city staff for the planning of the next portion of bike lanes.
7. Do you support welcoming people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters to use all ages and abilities (AAA) bike and roll routes?
YES, I think cyclists need to make considerations for those with accessibility challenges. The AAA bike lanes are for everyone not just avid cyclists. There may be a need to further widen the bike lanes in order to include space for passing safely.
8. Do you support rapidly completing 24/7 bus lanes along Douglas Street through downtown Victoria, as well as similar measures along all of BC Transit’s proposed RapidBus routes in Victoria?
Yes, I support rapidly completing the 24/7 bus lanes along Douglas Street to ensure buses are not stuck in traffic. This will make public transit more efficient and reliable further promoting use of public transit.
9. With the court-imposed deadline of March 14, 2023 to keep the Island Rail Corridor intact, how would you support modern rail service for Vancouver Island?
First and foremost, I would have the First Nations leaders of the Island Rail Corridor Foundation lead the discussion for the potential rail system. I think a rail system of freight, passenger, and tourist travel will be beneficial to the area and resolve traffic congestion heading west. I would support an initiative to further explore reinstating the Island Rail. More information is needed regarding tangible steps for a Victoria Terminal site.
10. Do you support making transit fares more affordable, both by reducing the cost of passes and individual fares and free or discounted passes for youth, seniors, and people living on low incomes?
Yes, I support making transit fares more affordable especially for folks who are low-income. I think Victoria needs a separate definition of “low-income” threshold in order for more people to qualify. We need to take into account the cost of living in Victoria is significantly higher than most places in BC and therefore, the meaning of low income needs to be assessed to match the true cost of living in Victoria. Increasing the threshold will mean more people may qualify for free or highly reduced public transit passes.
11. Do you support removing the requirements for off-street vehicle parking from new and infill developments while adding requirements for car share, EV charging, bike and other micromobilty parking, as well as expanding accessible parking?
Yes, I support removing requirements for off-street vehicle parking from new and infill developments. We need to encourage housing development while also encouraging the reduced dependency on private vehicles. This accomplishes both. I think encouraging car share, bike storage, and accessible parking is important in new and infill developments. I would be in favour of all these things.
12. How would you activate and bring more people into public spaces within Victoria, including sidewalks, public squares, streets and parks?
Using placemaking strategies of including places to linger, sit, and meet will bring more people into public spaces in Victoria. Providing amenities such as water refill stations, fountains, public bathrooms, and bike repair stations will bring more people into public spaces for a purpose. Adding community gardens, public edible green boxes and parklets will also bring more people into public spaces together. As our city becomes more dense and there is less private green space, bringing people together in communal outdoor spaces is key.
13. Do you support adding substantively more accessible public bathrooms across Victoria?
Yes, I am in favour of adding substantively more accessible public bathrooms in Victoria. Bathrooms are an essential community amenity. Monitoring these bathrooms are essential as well.
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