Sustainability & Vancouver's coming mayor

What sustainability commitments will you be looking for in a mayoral candidate?

Lance Berelowitz
Principal, Urban Forum Associates
I hope our next mayor will commit to bringing the EcoDensity initiative to fruition. Vancouver needs more housing closer to jobs, and more diverse housing types and tenures. The City should not just permit, but encourage innovative, sustainable housing developments across its land base.

James Tansey
President, Offsetters Climate Neutral Society
I’d like to see building codes and permits modified to require ground-source heat pumps, heat recovery and solar thermal built into all new buildings, with fees integrated into strata fees. We also need expanded safe cycle routes, parking and maintenance in the downtown core.

Coro Strandberg
Sustainability Strategy Consultant
I would look for a commitment to leverage City assets and resources to become a world leader in sustainability through advancing smart growth and food security; resolving homelessness and improving housing ­affordability; modelling best practice in triple-bottom-line decision-making; and fostering growth of the sustainable economy.

Mona Lemoine
B.C. Co-director, Cascadia Region Green Building Council
First, adopt LEED Gold or Platinum as an enforceable standard for municipal buildings, with an implementation plan to make it mandatory for all new and existing construction. Second, develop a mechanism to more actively engage the private sector. Finally, pilot a municipal project under the Living Building Challenge.