The Tri-City News sent out a questionnaire to all candidates in the local ridings for the 2024 B.C. election.
The following is from Kerry van Aswegen, BC Conservative candidate in Port Moody-Burquitlam.
Name: Kerry van Aswegen
Profession: Small business owner in the Tri-Cities
Residence: Port Moody-Burquitlam
Contact information
- Website: conservativebc.ca/kerryvanaswegen
- Email: [email protected]
- Socials:
- Facebook: Kerry van Aswegen
- Instagram: @kerryvanaswegen
- Hashtags: #kerryvanaswegen / #votekerryvanaswegen
Questionnaire
Recent legislation designed to get more housing built in urban areas close to transit has created tumult in some communities. How might your government further refine this approach to ensure the new housing that gets constructed also addresses local needs for affordable housing as well as homes for families and seniors?
The current NDP government passed Bills 44, 46 and 47 thereby changing housing policy without proper consultation with the municipalities or comprehensive debate in the Legislature. It should be noted that the BC Conservative Party Leader, John Rustad, voted against the implementation of these acts. Also, the NDP government amendments to Section 464 of the Local Government Act describe circumstances where municipalities and regional districts are no longer required to hold public hearings before they adopt an official community plan (OCP) bylaw or a zoning bylaw. The BC Conservative Party considers these NDP Bills and Amendments as not only authoritarian, but quite frankly, hardcore socialist government. We want B.C.’s government to return to democratic principles. The BC Conservative government will replace this legislation with new ones that (1) restores the authority of BC municipal governments, (2) give citizens again a say in how their communities develop, (3) ensure infrastructure requirements are considered when permits are issued, (4) continue to protect heritage buildings, and (5) ensure public participation in decisions affecting their communities.
The BC Conservatives addresses housing affordability partly by a plan to provide immediate tax relief to British Columbians by allowing all residents to reduce their taxable income up to $1,500 per month in 2025 (rising to $3,000 per month by 2029) whether they rent or own. This tax credit gives money back to all homeowners and renters and let them decide what to do with it. In contrast, the NDP announced plan is to set aside $1.2 billion in financing for the next 5-years allowing the province to finance up to 40 per cent of select first-time home buyers. This NDP offer is only for leasehold properties — you will never own the land!; is based on grossly inflated valuations — you probably will be able to obtain freehold property for comparable cost and bank financing for the remaining 60 per cent may be complicated.
In addition, a BC Conservative government would increase the supply of housing by putting policies in place to facilitate investments and remove red tape. For example, government would clear permit backlogs by overruling municipalities and granting the permits directly if cities don't meet new approval timelines, with six months for rezoning and development permits, and three months for building permits. Also, the BC Conservative government will work with municipalities by pre-zoning areas to eliminate delays caused by rezoning for each individual project. Finally, a BC Conservative government will create a climate of trust that includes a Presumption of Compliance policy, requiring cities to trust certified and regulated professionals like engineers and architects to do their jobs without unnecessary bureaucratic interference, speeding up housing approvals.
Finally, a BC Conservative government will end over-regulation and defend property rights by amending the Local Government Act to stop unnecessary red tape that kills housing projects, and establish a BC Development Tribunal to hold regulators and politicians accountable to fair processes and the rule of law.
What would your government do to help municipalities provide more supportive housing?
This question has been answered above.
How would your provincial government support municipalities dealing with the increase in growth and demand for infrastructure like schools, childcare, parks and recreational facilities brought on by the new provincial housing regulations?
A BC Conservative government is committed to provide $1 billion per year for a decade for infrastructure funding to municipal governments and will also seek a federal matching component for this program. In addition, some of the infrastructure pressure on municipalities will be released by the scrapping of new NDP housing regulations that allowed for uncontrolled densification. A BC Conservative government will return the land use decision making powers to local governments and will not attempt to override their decisions.
How will your government help make $10-a-day childcare more widely available to more families?
The Conservative Party of B.C. platform on this is still to be announced. However, although the $10-a-day childcare program is provincially administered program, all the funding to date is based on federally supplied funds. These federal funds always came with strings attached, and is not sufficient to meet demand with the result that 75 per cent of children in B.C. ages zero to 12 do not have access to this program.
Small businesses are struggling with onerous leases, petty crime, increasing costs. According to a recent survey almost half fear they won't be around in four years. What will you do to make it better for those businesses to have a chance to survive and new ones to start up?
As a small business owner, I can relate to this question. BC Conservatives will foster an economic environment that attracts new investments, create jobs and increases prosperity for all British Columbians. We will balance the budget while reducing taxes, government bureaucracy and red tape.
We believe small- and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy and will remove useless and redundant government regulations to help them thrive. We will support key industries to bolster the economy, such as expanding B.C.’s natural gas production and LNG export facilities, getting pipelines built and encouraging the development of our natural resources.
We will simplify, streamline and return common sense to the permit granting process. One project one permit — not multiple permits (with different requirements) if project spanned over multiple jurisdictions. Our common-sense approach to permits will also allow projects to be expedited when circumstances warrant.
Our cities are growing into the surrounding wild areas; that’s creating increasing concerns about wildlife encounters and the threat of wildfires, what kind of supports would your government be able provide in those communities to protect wildlife and residents?
The Conservative Party of BC platform on this is still to be announced.
Cities like Port Moody are trying to be proactive in their efforts to address climate change, but that often comes at an expense to local taxpayers who will be on the hook for infrastructure upgrades, emergency planning, etc; what supports can the provincial government provide to ensure all communities are rowing in the same direction at the same time without exerting too much financial burden on those communities?
Climate change is a real issue facing all British Columbians. In January 2024, we conducted a survey among residents in the Port Moody-Burquitlam riding that indicated that addressing climate change is important, but not one of the most important issues facing British Columbians. A common-sense approach is called for when addressing the green economy. Under the NDP government, climate change was used as an excuse to tax and impoverish British Columbians.
No more! A Conservative government would eliminate “hidden taxes” on new developments such as B.C.'s Energy Step Code and Net Zero mandate, which set 2032 energy efficiency requirements for homes (it is estimated that these requirements add between 30 and 40 per cent to the construction costs of a new home).
What plans does your government have to expand West Coast Express service?
The Conservative Party of B.C.'s transportation and public transport vision for the Tri-Cities still needs to be addressed. To be meaningful, this vision will be developed with the full participation of the Tri-City local governments. However, the following can be stated:
- Local transportation and public transit infrastructure needs will be considered as a subset of future housing and any development will be in lockstep with new housing development.
- Local municipalities through TransLink, the owner of West Coast Express, will continue to plan and control public transportation and transit infrastructure within their jurisdictions.
- Funding will continue to be done jointly by local municipalities (through TransLink) and the provincial and federal government.
The village of Anmore is considering several large development projects that would increase its population considerably and put more pressure on the only two roads that service the community. Council is making a pitch to force the reversal of Port Moody’s decision to close a former road right-of-way through Bert Flinn Park. What would your government do to address this problem?
We will work to restore public trust and ensure that the public have a say in all decisions affecting their community. As stated before, the BC Conservative government will replace recent NDP legislation and establish a BC Development Tribunal to hold regulators and politicians accountable to fair processes and the rule of law.
What might your government do to improve oversight of municipal governments and ensure they adhere to standards for ethical behaviour?
A BC Conservative government will end amend the Local Government Act and establish a BC Development Tribunal to hold local regulators and politicians accountable to fair processes and the rule of law.
