Independent city council candidates joined one representative from each political municipal slate at an election question and answer period at Kwantlen Polytechnic University Tuesday night.
The format — choosing two questions to answer — may have given insight as to what issues are important to whom.
Conversely, candidates were able to choose answers based on questions potentially posed by supporters.
Right off the bat the KPU host asked about the Garden City Lands legacy plan and how the university would be able to use the park.
Independent Dave Semple, Michael Wolfe of RITE Richmond and Harold Steves of the Richmond Citizens’ Association spoke to their support to help develop a framework whereby KPU’s sustainable agriculture program can work.
Semple, Richmond’s former city parks manager, noted 20 acres is currently designated to KPU for things such as community gardens and agriculture research. Steves noted he was the only city councillor to initially vote to keep the GCL as agricultural land, taking a stab at current Richmond First councillors Bill McNulty and Derek Dang who initially voted to develop some parts of it, as well as Richmond Community Coalition candidate Ken Johnston, who did the same.
Wolfe stated his support, adding he knows the GCL well, as he conducts routine tours of its ecosystem. He said the first order of business is to develop a path around the lands.
With the next question on affordable housing, independent Janos Bergman said the city needs to advocate for restricting foreign home ownership as is done in other countries. He said this factor is driving up housing costs.
Richmond First’s Andy Hobbs said he supports the city’s current affordable housing strategy and would advocate for more coach houses. He said arterial roads should continue to be developed as town homes are more affordable.
Wolfe blew his second question card on the first two questions by noting the city has taken cash-in-lieu too often, instead of following through on its housing strategy to build actual affordable units. He pointed to his slate’s website, which has a multiple-step solution to affordable housing.
"You won't hear from me until the end," chuckled Wolfe.
Adil Awan of Renew Richmond said parents need to help their children to buy entry-level homes.
Regarding the sign bylaw issue, Bergman quickly retired from the meeting by reiterating support for a sign bylaw that ensures English or French on business signs.
“Let’s go to the language that binds us, not divides us,” said Bergman.
Independent Alexa Loo said she has been consulting with Chinese business owners on the sign issue. She said the community needs to reach out first.
Independent Henry Yao chimed in, saying second generation Chinese-Canadians are also feeling excluded. After using his second card early in the meeting Yao grasped his head at almost each subsequent question, wanting to answer.
Independent Jerome Dickey noted no progress has been made for three years on this issue, suggesting the current council has not handled the issue well.
He added that “multiculturalism is a Canadian value, intolerance is not” and that he does not support a bylaw, but rather consultation.
No one answered questions asking what they would do about traffic congestion or how they would propose cutting taxes while still maintaining current levels of service.
Dan Baxter, whose Richmodn Community Coalition slate is proposing to stop tax hikes without cutting services, spoke to the need to work well and communicate with Vancouver International Airport after fielding a question about airport noise. He took the opportunity to say the airport is an important driver of the city’s local economy.
In addressing what one could do to improve civic accountability, Baxter noted the RCC’s pledge for a spending review.
Richmond Reform’s Sunny Ho pledged to reduce taxes.
On the Imperial Landing development in Steveston, independent Jennifer Huang spoke up, saying Steveston does not need more shopping stores. She said she was committed to preserving the village’s heritage.
On improving cycling infrastructure Alexa Loo said she cycles herself. She said better planning needs to take place to ensure cyclists are safe on Richmond’s roads, citing the “Costco intersection” as a bad example (Garden City Road and Bridgeport Road/Sea Island Way area).
On a question related to preserving agricultural land, Hobbs used up his second answer card. He said there are two major, local threats to the Agricultural Land Reserve: First, Port Metro Vancouver and second, speculators buying land hoping to flip it. He called PMV an entity that answers to no one that “has the freedom to do as it sees fit."
Hobbs’ tough words on the port elicited a shaking of the head by Baxter.
Whereas Hobbs takes a more hard-lined stance against the port, Baxter wants a soft approach.
Baxter clarified after the meeting that the city ought not to be speaking harshly about the port, but rather fostering communication. Baxter recently worked with the federal government on the Asia Pacific Gateway project and said his experience can help foster a better relationship with entities like the port.
Hobbs said the port is extra-jurisdictional, does what it wants, when it wants and needs to be stopped.
Hobbs said a “loud message” needs to be sent to speculators of farmland in the absence of city power to do anything about it. He noted the city has zoning powers it can use.
Semple used his second answer card to reiterate his dedication to maintaining services like fire and police.
Independent Gary Yuill spoke plainly to how many of the issues facing the city would require compromise, For instance, one simply cannot say they will cut taxes with having an effect on services or labour costs. He added that the city needs to decide what kind of industries it wants to be a leader in, such as tourism.
