Thank you, Jamie, for these thoughtful questions. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My background is in community services, mental health, advocacy and program development, including work as a Health Director managing significant budgets and provincial and municipal projects. I\u2019m also completing my Master\u2019s in Counselling Psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That experience has taught me that complex problems rarely have one solution. I believe in thinking outside the box, working collaboratively, listening to lived experience, understanding the evidence and costs, and being honest about which level of government has the authority to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Municipal: I would support reviewing zoning, landscaping and development rules to identify unnecessary barriers to community gardens, edible landscaping and food production. I\u2019d also look at creative partnerships using existing community spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provincial\/Federal: Broader agricultural, food-system and climate policy falls outside municipal authority, so I would advocate and collaborate with those governments where needed.
My commitment: Ask staff to identify municipal barriers and bring forward practical options during the term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Municipal: I would support examining whether City bylaws or requirements create unnecessary barriers to safe, energy-efficient air-drying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provincial: Landlord-tenant and strata rules are primarily provincial. I would support advocating for reasonable protections while allowing legitimate safety and property requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key is finding a practical balance rather than creating unnecessary restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Municipal: The City can improve collection, education, communication and partnerships with property managers and strata communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before simply increasing enforcement, I would ask: Is the system convenient? Are bins accessible? Is the information clear? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes what looks like a compliance problem is actually a system-design problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would support reviewing the gaps and developing practical improvements.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provincial: Healthcare, addiction treatment and most mental-health services are primarily provincial responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Municipal: The City has important responsibilities around public safety, land use, public spaces, partnerships and community planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe two things can be true at once: people struggling with addiction deserve compassion, treatment and pathways to recovery, while residents and businesses deserve safe, clean and accessible public spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would support bringing together the Province, Fraser Health, service providers, police, businesses, community organizations, residents and people with lived experience to identify gaps and develop practical solutions.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Municipal: Where the City has authority, I support examining stronger indoor-air-quality measures for new municipal and private buildings, including appropriate filtration standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provincial: Building codes are primarily provincial. I would advocate for evidence-based improvements and funding or incentives to help older buildings improve filtration and ventilation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We also need to consider affordability and unintended consequences when developing new requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Across all five issues, my approach is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understand the problem \u2192 identify who has the authority \u2192 listen to those affected \u2192 examine the evidence and costs \u2192 bring the right people together \u2192 measure the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t believe municipal government should promise to fix things it doesn’t have the authority to control. But I also don’t believe jurisdiction should become an excuse for doing nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where Chilliwack can act, I will work to find practical solutions. Where the Province or federal government has the authority, I will advocate, collaborate and make sure Chilliwack’s interests are represented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is the kind of thoughtful, collaborative and fiscally responsible leadership I would bring to council.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thank you, Jamie, for these thoughtful questions. I appreciate the opportunity to respond. My background is in community services, mental health, advocacy and program development, including work as a Health Director managing significant budgets and provincial and municipal projects. I\u2019m also completing my Master\u2019s in Counselling Psychology. That experience has taught me that complex problems […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":6,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-68","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69,"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68\/revisions\/69"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilliwack-election-2026.jamiebillingham.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}