What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to economic development that benefits all people and respects the limits of our living planet?

Balancing community wellbeing, environmental stewardship, and economic growth is one of my highest priorities. Building my own small business (Kind Society Yoga Collective) in downtown Nanaimo has given me firsthand experience with the challenges local entrepreneurs face, especially in creating a business that is both financially sustainable and socially valuable.

My experience has also provided me the opportunity to consider responsible growth in Nanaimo, both economically and socially. With accessibility as a core tenet of Kind, I’ve made it a priority to ensure that wellness is available to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or physical ability. To me community wellbeing on a greater scale includes prioritizing environmentally-focused infrastructure as Nanaimo grows, which includes walkable neighbourhoods, healthy and protected tree canopies, and sustainable building practices.

If elected, how will you build our local economy while caring for the environment?

Nanaimo’s vibrant local businesses are a big part of what makes our city unique and worthy of people building their lives here. I feel strongly that we are at a turning point where we need to take stock of our city’s balance between supporting local entrepreneurs as they work to build a commercial sector that is uniquely Nanaimo, and encouraging larger anchor tenants (ie, chain & big box stores) that provide economic stability.

My vision for Nanaimo is for our economic growth to be balanced with environmental stewardship and community wellbeing. To achieve this, we must be thoughtful about the new developments we approve; increasing density must be accompanied by developing viable alternatives to individually-occupied cars. We need to look at neighbourhoods as a whole when approving new building or rezoning initiatives, and ensure we are creating the infrastructure needed for responsible growth – increased public transit, walkable neighbourhoods, and integrated transportation networks that aren’t just built for today’s capacity but for what our city will look like 20, 50, and even 100 years into the future.

What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to developing affordable, convenient, and resilient communities?

Four years ago, I founded Kind Society, a non-profit yoga collective in downtown Nanaimo. Since the beginning, our main focus has been to ensure that everyone has access to the benefits of mindfulness and movement practices regardless of socioeconomic status or physical ability. We provide accessible yoga on a sliding scale, and we’ve offered free classes not just in our studio but also in parks and other spaces around Nanaimo with the aim of bringing wellness options to different communities that may otherwise not have easy access.

Founding, building, and managing this community has provided me with firsthand experience in making a community resource accessible, welcoming, and responsive to people’s needs. We now have a thriving inclusive yoga community, and I consistently receive feedback from our practitioners about how welcome, seen, and comfortable people feel in our space and our classes.

If elected, how will you work to make communities in Nanaimo more affordable, convenient, and resilient?

These priorities are at the heart of my campaign. When we invest in evidence-based and effective supports, it not only helps meet individual needs, but builds stronger and more resilient communities that benefit everyone.

I am supportive of sustainable density increases, which includes developments that are a mix of market and below-market and subsidized housing, as well as communities that provide access to the supports they need before challenges become crises.

What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?

True health isn’t just about healthcare. Under my direction at Kind, we’ve partnered with local organizations including Nanaimo FoodShare’s Homegrown program and Island Crisis Care’s Project Rise to offer accessible yoga classes as participants go through these programs. I’ve also provided support to picketing nurses, and have been vocal about supporting public health and increasing access to primary care providers.

I’ve supported Vancouver Island growers by building relationships with vendors while shopping at farmers markets and sitting on the board for the Island Roots Farm Market. I wrote to City Council with my opposition to the earlier planned upgrades to Loudon Park on Long Lake – despite being a rower myself, I recognized the importance of the beautiful shared green space and mature trees that are there, and I knew a better option was possible.

If elected, how would you ensure that the people of Nanaimo have equitable access to healthcare, local and affordable food options, social services, and shared green spaces?

My campaign slogan is “A Better Nanaimo, for Everyone.”

I believe that City Councillors have a responsibility to not just listen to the loudest voices, but also to seek out and listen to the lived experiences of those who may not otherwise have the capacity or ability to be heard. This includes parents of young children, busy students, and people just trying to make ends meet. When making decisions, I am committed to asking, “who benefits from this; who are we neglecting to serve; and what barriers can we remove?”

If elected to City Council, I will support policies that: remove barriers for people to access local food; advocate for bringing more primary care providers to Nanaimo; balance economic growth with environmental stewardship; and support truly accessible services that meet people where they are.

What previous experience do you have that demonstrates your capability and commitment to government transparency, cooperation, advocacy, efficiency, and upholding environmental standards?

In building a community-serving non-profit from the ground up, I’ve had the opportunity to develop many skills that will serve me well as a City Councillor. I’ve had to ensure that all of my decisions, whether financial, social, or practical, are transparent and justifiable. I have partnered with other organizations and local businesses, and I’ve advocated for safety and support for Queer & Trans folks and people with mobility challenges and disabilities.

Working with a very limited budget, I’ve learned to make every dollar count, and to be very intentional about what priorities to focus on that will best serve our community. I’ve learned to wear many different hats, and to not only create best practices that will save time and money, but to re-examine those practices periodically to ensure they are still serving us well. As we’ve grown, it’s been my job to ensure that growth is balanced with responsible governance and reflects true community need – a skill that transfers well to balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.

If elected, how would you build trust with the people of Nanaimo and make our local government more transparent and reliable?

I have felt called to build community my whole adult life, and to be the kind of leader who earns trust through action and integrity. Through both my leadership of Kind Society and my time as a Student Residence Coordinator at UBC, I have sought to create spaces where people feel genuinely heard and represented. With Kind, I’ve built a community in which practitioners repeatedly tell me they feel comfortable and able to show up authentically.

One of my biggest lessons has been to not just listen and learn, but to ensure I’m acting on the feedback I’ve received. I’ve prioritized transparency and accountability in both my professional and personal lives, because I believe that children and adults alike deserve to understand why decisions are made. I prioritize developing systems and frameworks to ensure that my work is consistent and reliable, and I want to do this for Nanaimo’s governance as well. Trust isn’t something that is given freely; it’s earned through repeatedly listening and taking action on issues that will help create a better Nanaimo for everyone.