1. Every. Person. Matters.
Lethbridge is in the midst of a crisis that has been ongoing for a long time. It's time to tackle the Opioid and Homelessness issues with real strategies and provide safe, supportive housing. I am dedicated to providing passionate advocacy for all citizens of Lethbridge, even those on the margins, as I believe these brothers and sisters deserve our care and attention the most. Lethbridge is only as strong as it's weakest citizen, so let's build something great together.
My goals in office will be to provide policy changes and supports to our existing programs, as well as encourage innovative solutions and supports for those suffering in our community.
My goals in office will be to provide policy changes and supports to our existing programs, as well as encourage innovative solutions and supports for those suffering in our community.
2. Supporting Small Businesses
Supporting Local Startups
From business permits, building permits, and land-use bylaws, Lethbridge is behind the times when it comes to incubating small biz start-ups in the city.
By supporting bylaw changes and policy changes at the City Hall level, I will work to improve the business environment in Lethbridge. City Hall needs to turn from a mere regulatory body to a supportive partner in incubating small businesses and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in our community. We should be empowering our people to succeed, not putting up roadblocks. |
Focusing on a Sustainable Economy
It's no secret that shopping locally supports your community far more than any amount of "jobs" a big-box store can offer a community. By empowering local businesses we create a sustainable and stable local economy. Our small business owners should not be forced to compete with massive multinational conglomerates that rob our wealth by undercutting our local makers and sellers. Activating the Downtown core, and other older shopping districts will be imperative to long term success.
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The City of Industry
Lethbridge has a rich history of coal mining and other industries, including my personal favourite: brewing. But since the closure of the coal mines in the 1950s, our industry has become more focused on people rather than limited natural resources. With a globally renowned university and college, and as the gateway to Southern Alberta with prairies, foothills, and the Rockies nearby, we have incredible opportunity to capitalize on tourism, education, and service.
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3. Urban Hens
I am a passionate advocate for allowing people in Lethbridge to use their private properties for personal food production including a well-designed, inclusive Urban Hen program similar to successful programs in Okotoks, Red Deer, Airdrie, and St. Albert. A responsibly administered program will grant freedom for interested households to reduce their carbon footprint and convert their kitchen scraps into delicious, local eggs.
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4. Attracting Services for You
Lethbridge is a city of 100,000 people, serving an area of 300,000 people across Southern Alberta and South-eastern BC. We need better healthcare services in Lethbridge, particularly for women.
As someone who has made the painful decision to abort a pregnancy, I know first-hand how detrimental it is that there are no women's services in Lethbridge to handle a pregnancy crisis. I believe it is the role of City Hall to attract important services like these into our community. Not only will these programs reduce poverty and stigma in the community, they will provide much-needed mental health supports for women in our community facing a crisis. Lethbridge absolutely needs better services for its' people, and it is up to City Hall to attract these service providers to our area.
As someone who has made the painful decision to abort a pregnancy, I know first-hand how detrimental it is that there are no women's services in Lethbridge to handle a pregnancy crisis. I believe it is the role of City Hall to attract important services like these into our community. Not only will these programs reduce poverty and stigma in the community, they will provide much-needed mental health supports for women in our community facing a crisis. Lethbridge absolutely needs better services for its' people, and it is up to City Hall to attract these service providers to our area.
5. A Holistic Approach to Commutes
To reduce the carbon emissions in our area, I propose the following changes to encourage a more diverse commute opportunity for Lethbridge citizens.
Free & Frequent Transit
To increase ridership and reduce commuting by car, I propose all Lethbridge Transit operate for free for all users. Not only is the cost of public transit prohibitive, the infrequency of routes is detrimental to users.
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Biking Infrastructure
The City has recently made amazing improvements to bicycle infrastructure, but there is a long way to go. By increasing investment in multi-modal infrastructure, we can reduce car use in the city.
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The Development Pattern
The Urban Sprawl has come to Lethbridge, with more houses being built too far from amenities to enable easy multi-modal transportation. We need to change our development patterns before it's too late!
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