This is a page from the 2018 BC Local General Elections.
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Rob McDowell on Facebook Rob McDowell
Independent for Vancouver Council
I have the drive, the insight, the network, and the experience to hit the ground running and focus on effectively addressing the issues that matter. I will focus initially on addressing housing affordability, fiscal transparency, and fostering a vibrant arts and cultural scene.
Misc. topics
Affordable Housing
1) Modernize the city's policies on co-ops and co-housing to make them more affordable. 2) Build more purpose built rental to increase supply of rental units. 3) We need to address the problem of empty homes and homes as only investments and how that effects our communities.
The city is the largest land-owner in Vancouver and we could leverage the city land for such initiatives as co-ops and co-housing.
No resident (or local business) benefits when their neighbourhood is hollowed out and no one resides there.
Arts and Culture
Champion longer term funding grants for local arts organizations.
Create an initiative to save facilities and spaces for arts and cultural organizations.
Work with the Art Gallery to ensure it is built.
Diversity
Build the Qmunity LGBTQ Community Centre as planned.
Good Governance
Establish a lobbyist registry at City Hall
Public Engagement
Look into ways we can modernize the way residents can address Council about different issues.
Talking to Council can be complicated, both in terms of timing (usually during the work day) and also scheduling (it is not always known when you can speak, you sometimes have to wait a few days for your turn.
Public Transit
Small Business
Create a policy to reduce taxes for small businesses
Currently small business taxes are 4.5 times the residential rate; I would champion lowering it in a ten year phase in to 2.5 times.
Biography
submitted by the candidate or their team
As a former diplomat, and currently as an adjudicator, I have the skills to work effectively for Vancouver. I pledge to work across party lines with practical, like-minded Councillors, and to remove ideological decision making in favour of doing what is best for Vancouver.
robertmcdowell.ca robertmcdowell.ca