I hear it at the door almost every day: people want Vernon to stay affordable, and they want it to stay safe and liveable as our summers get hotter and drier. Those two goals are not opposites. Managing the tension between them is the job.
Council's priorities are a complex machinery. Every budget, we weigh what households can afford today against drought, wildfire, aging infrastructure and our longer-term climate goals. It is never either/or. It is careful, honest balancing, done in the open.
That's why I made Vernon's Climate Action Plan a priority. Our city staff built it, with real community input through the Climate Action Advisory Committee, a committee I was proud to champion. The plan has been recognized with an award, and it is now built into our Official Community Plan, so climate thinking is part of everyday decisions, not a separate wish list.
On the ground
- When drought hit this year, residents cut water use by half. We put treated wastewater to work for irrigation, and a new Okanagan Lake intake comes online in 2027.
- When wildfire threatened the Aberdeen Plateau, where we get 60% of our water, we secured $15 million from the Province to reduce that risk.
- We restored the creek through Polson Park, improving water quality and fish habitat.
- We have helped deliver 600 non-market homes since 2018, built to stay comfortable through extreme heat and smoke.
- And we keep growth inside our urban containment boundary. Sprawl would have meant at least a 7% tax increase, paid forever. Building in our core and village centres protects both our wallets and our land.
Much of good climate action saves money: fixing leaks, reusing water, building compactly, and bringing in provincial and federal dollars so local taxpayers don't carry it alone.
The plan will be reviewed in 2027, and I want that review to be practical and transparent. We need an updated greenhouse gas inventory, so we know where we really stand. The City should lead by example with its own fleet and buildings. We need more sidewalks, transit and multi-use paths, so getting around doesn't require a second car. And every action should come with a clear picture of its costs and benefits, so residents can see what we're spending and what we're getting.
I have spent 35 years as a regional economist. I know that the most expensive plan is the one that waits until the fire, the drought or the flood arrives. I also know families are stretched. Good leadership means holding both of those truths at once, and making steady, sensible progress anyway.
That's the Vernon I'm working for: affordable today, and ready for tomorrow.
Watch
- Managing Through Low Water
- Securing Our Water
- Defending Our Water Supply
- Restoring Our Creek in Polson Park
- Smart Growth, Not Sprawl
Keep reading
- Grow Up Here
- Build a Life Here
- Grow Older Here
- Grow What We've Got
- Right Outside Your Door
- We Made a Plan
- Everyone Deserves a Door
- Eight Years of Results
Voting day is Saturday, October 17. When and where to vote