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Climate Change
Active Transportation
Green's promises
Greens at City Council, Park Board, and School Board will work together to complete a safe, green active transportation network in Vancouver that connects safe cycling routes to schools, community centres, parks, transit, and employment areas.
to better facilitate active transportation on shared multimodal routes and facilitate a friendlier, safer public realm. Transition on all residential streets and select commercial high streets (especially those with expanded patios) to pedestrian first.
Electric Bikes & Scooters
Green's promise
Energy-Efficient Buildings & Retrofits
Green's promises
by retrofitting key public buildings with climate-smart heating and cooling systems (e.g., Seniors’ Centers, Family Places, Neighbourhood Houses).Include educational displays of how much energy is produced, GHGs reduced, and money saved on energy bills.
to absorb and reduce stormwater runoff and keep buildings cooler in the summers and warmer in winters.
especially to net zero, including for removing gas heating and appliances and provide modified requirements for older character buildings.
to create resources such as how-to guides, comprehensive lists of grant and funding options, recognized/certified practitioners and trades companies.
Green Space
Green's promises
Greens believe in the 3-30-300 rule for a healthier, greener city: every resident should be able to see a minimum of 3 trees from every home, enjoy 30 percent tree canopy cover in every neighbourhood and be within 300 metres of the nearest public park or green space. 30% is a minimum - we'll aim to match Metro Vancouver’s goal of 40% city-wide tree cover with tree species that excel at sequestering GHGs and can cope with changing climate.
to support an increase in biodiversity and create a connected network for everyday users.
and encourage residents to engage in the next phase of the Vancouver Plan, to have a say in how and where we can create more green spaces and mini-parks that support biodiversity, access to nature, and ecosystem restoration.
Invest in rewilding and native plantings, enhance storm sewer infrastructure with blue-green networks and bioswales, and consider drought and storm resistant plantings.
Parking
Green's promises
Where public amenities like daycares, schools, accessible public washrooms, parks and community centres, as well as locally owned shops, services, and daily needs are all within a five minute walk or roll of home or work.
by ensuring charging stations are available at every City-owned public-use building, every destination park and all shopping districts.
Urban Heat
Green's promises
Greens believe in the 3-30-300 rule for a healthier, greener city: every resident should be able to see a minimum of 3 trees from every home, enjoy 30 percent tree canopy cover in every neighbourhood and be within 300 metres of the nearest public park or green space. 30% is a minimum - we'll aim to match Metro Vancouver’s goal of 40% city-wide tree cover with tree species that excel at sequestering GHGs and can cope with changing climate.
by retrofitting key public buildings with climate-smart heating and cooling systems (e.g., Seniors’ Centers, Family Places, Neighbourhood Houses).Include educational displays of how much energy is produced, GHGs reduced, and money saved on energy bills.
Zoning
Green's promises
as a greater proportion of built units and on more types and scales of housing, either on-site or cash in-lieu.
Expand pre-zoning for non-profit-owned, supportive, and co-op housing. Use rental-only zoning powers to increase the supply of affordable and market rental housing, and dampen speculation.
including mid-rise apartments and missing middle typologies like rowhomes, townhomes, and infill.
Housing & Homelessness
Affordability
Green's promises
Vancouver’s current vacancy rate is less than 1%. We will establish a target vacancy rate of 3% and prioritize purpose-built rental incentives and approvals to achieve it.
Prioritize city-owned and city-built housing, co-ops, co-housing, supportive housing, non-profit-owned affordable rental, and affordable home ownership.
Expand pre-zoning for non-profit-owned, supportive, and co-op housing.
to deliver city-owned affordable housing as a greater proportion of built units and on more types and scales of housing, either on-site or cash in-lieu.
Building Maintenance & Occupant Health
Green's promise
so that buildings do not dangerously deteriorate, and the lives and safety of tenants are protected and prioritized.
Co-Op Housing
Green's promises
Use city lands to partner with senior governments, non-profits, and community land trusts to build non-profit, supportive, and co-op housing to meet our affordable housing targets.
Resolve outstanding renewal of land leases for housing co-ops on city-owned lands, quickly and fairly.
Expand pre-zoning for non-profit-owned, supportive, and co-op housing.
Housing Accessibility
Green's promises
Indigenous-Led Housing
Green's promises
Property Taxes
Green's promises
including elements of developers’ Pro Formas, so people can be assured that the public receives a fair share of the developer’s profits (that result from city upzoning) to pay for amenities like affordable housing, libraries, childcare facilities, parks, arts and culture, and recreation centres.
Vancouver’s Auditor General Office will deliver on their first performance and financial audit later this year. Greens will support this work, and seek best value and efficiency for Vancouver tax payers.
Public Housing
Green's promises
Leverage funds from senior government and partner with non-profit agencies to accelerate City-funded, City-built housing on City-owned land. Prioritize affordable rentals and housing co-ops and focus on low-cost, zero-carbon, high-quality modular or prefab wood-frame construction.
Purchase more properties to add to the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund. Pursue with the province a right-of-first-refusal tool where the City has the first option to buy select lands under the same terms and conditions as an existing third-party offer.
Co-locate affordable housing in new public buildings including libraries, fire halls and community facilities, but excluding park lands.
Use city lands to partner with senior governments, non-profits, and community land trusts to build non-profit, supportive, and co-op housing to meet our affordable housing targets.
Rent
Green's promises
Support and expand the role of the Renter Office to cross-reference building and development permits to monitor and intervene on renovictions and other gaps in the province’s Residential Tenancy Act.
Review and refine City policies like the Empty Homes Tax and Short-Term Rental bylaws to require clear data reporting. Remove Empty Homes Tax loopholes that allow landlords to avoid the tax by retaining one tenant in a cleared-out building.
Work with the provincial government to expedite the replacement of Single Room Accommodations (typically older residential hotels) while preventing the displacement of current SRA tenants by up-market conversions.
Strengthen and more vigorously enforce the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw so that buildings do not dangerously deteriorate, and the lives and safety of tenants are protected and prioritized.
Rental Stock
Green's promises
Vancouver’s current vacancy rate is less than 1%. We will establish a target vacancy rate of 3% and prioritize purpose-built rental incentives and approvals to achieve it.
Leverage funds from senior government and partner with non-profit agencies to accelerate City-funded, City-built housing on City-owned land. Prioritize affordable rentals and housing co-ops and focus on low-cost, zero-carbon, high-quality modular or prefab wood-frame construction.
to fast-track permits, reduce costs and building times.
to increase the supply of affordable and market rental housing, and dampen speculation.
Use city lands to partner with senior governments, non-profits, and community land trusts to build non-profit, supportive, and co-op housing to meet our affordable housing targets.
SROs
Green's promises
so that buildings do not dangerously deteriorate, and the lives and safety of tenants are protected and prioritized.
for people living in tents or unsafe SROs and shelters. This type of intervention has proven successful and is demonstrably safer than living in shelters, SROs, or tents and can provide a successful pathway to permanent and supportive housing. Inexpensive, quick-assembly, comfortable and locking units can be scaled to meet needs as an emergency response.
Work with the provincial government to expedite the replacement of Single Room Accommodations (typically older residential hotels) while preventing the displacement of current SRA tenants by up-market conversions.
Zoning
Green's promises
as a greater proportion of built units and on more types and scales of housing, either on-site or cash in-lieu.
Expand pre-zoning for non-profit-owned, supportive, and co-op housing. Use rental-only zoning powers to increase the supply of affordable and market rental housing, and dampen speculation.
including mid-rise apartments and missing middle typologies like rowhomes, townhomes, and infill.
Public Spaces & Services
Green Space
Green's promises
Greens believe in the 3-30-300 rule for a healthier, greener city: every resident should be able to see a minimum of 3 trees from every home, enjoy 30 percent tree canopy cover in every neighbourhood and be within 300 metres of the nearest public park or green space. 30% is a minimum - we'll aim to match Metro Vancouver’s goal of 40% city-wide tree cover with tree species that excel at sequestering GHGs and can cope with changing climate.
to support an increase in biodiversity and create a connected network for everyday users.
and encourage residents to engage in the next phase of the Vancouver Plan, to have a say in how and where we can create more green spaces and mini-parks that support biodiversity, access to nature, and ecosystem restoration.
Invest in rewilding and native plantings, enhance storm sewer infrastructure with blue-green networks and bioswales, and consider drought and storm resistant plantings.
Zoning
Green's promises
as a greater proportion of built units and on more types and scales of housing, either on-site or cash in-lieu.
Expand pre-zoning for non-profit-owned, supportive, and co-op housing. Use rental-only zoning powers to increase the supply of affordable and market rental housing, and dampen speculation.
including mid-rise apartments and missing middle typologies like rowhomes, townhomes, and infill.
Reconciliation & Indigenous Nations
Indigenous-Led Housing
Green's promises
Transit & Getting Around
Active Transportation
Green's promises
Greens at City Council, Park Board, and School Board will work together to complete a safe, green active transportation network in Vancouver that connects safe cycling routes to schools, community centres, parks, transit, and employment areas.
to better facilitate active transportation on shared multimodal routes and facilitate a friendlier, safer public realm. Transition on all residential streets and select commercial high streets (especially those with expanded patios) to pedestrian first.
Electric Bikes & Scooters
Green's promise
Parking
Green's promises
Where public amenities like daycares, schools, accessible public washrooms, parks and community centres, as well as locally owned shops, services, and daily needs are all within a five minute walk or roll of home or work.
by ensuring charging stations are available at every City-owned public-use building, every destination park and all shopping districts.
Biography
As a scientist, an economist, and your future City Councilor, Devyani will promote the inclusion of science, decolonization, and social justice in decision-making across all sectors of the government. As an immigrant, a woman of colour, and a renter, She understands the struggles faced by many in Vancouver trying to find affordable housing and our meet daily needs. Dr. Singh promises to work across party lines to solve these multiple crises across Metro Vancouver.
We are in the middle of a climate crisis, a global pandemic (it’s not over yet!), and a housing and affordability crisis. Moreover, the past few years have shown us how societal inequalities have disproportionate impact on marginalized communities – BIPOC, LGBTQ2+, seniors, people living in poverty, and those with disabilities. We now have an opportunity to ensure an equitable, green, and sustainable economic future for Vancouver, and the time to act is now!
Reason for running
vangreens.ca/devyani_singh www.vangreens.ca/devyani_singh