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Burnaby East: BC Green candidate Tara Shushtarian

Get to know your riding's candidates for the 2024 provincial election. Voting day is scheduled for Oct. 19.
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
tara01
Tara Shushtarian is running for the BC Green Party in Burnaby East.Contributed

The NOW asked all Burnaby candidates to submit a profile to help readers learn more about them. 

The following is a profile of BC Green Party candidate in Burnaby East Tara Shushtarian.

Name

Tara Shushtarian

Current occupation

Climate, Social Justice Activist

Short biography

A climate social justice advocate for the past 20 years, also worked with the BC centre for Paliative care as a South Asian consultant, advanced care. I am currently the Co-chair of WE-CAN,(environment) Director FVC, (participatory democracy)Director New West Film Festival and on the environmental committee of Burnaby Council.

Why are you running for provincial office?

With burgeoning inequalities in our province, I am passionate about making life more affordable for British Columbians. My top most priorities are to tackle the housing crisis and food security.  At the same time, continue to make efforts for a just transition away from fossil fuels and prepare for a sustainable and diversified economy.  Initiate a BC-wide road and rail transportation network that would create jobs, accessibility, alleviate transportation poverty and promote eco-tourism. Together with all levels of government, federal, provincial, municipal, be in emergency preparedness for the incremental weather events that are foreseen with climate change. Encourage small businesses as the engines of our economy.  As I have years of experience working with others, am open and energetic, I will roll up my sleeves and collaborate with other Parties to try to obtain the best outcomes for British Colombians.

What are the top three issues facing Burnaby today, and what are your plans to address them?

  1. Housing: The housing affordability crisis is out of control. It is discouraging young people to find a future in Burnaby and pricing out old renters who have called this community home. I champion affordable housing with an emphasis on purpose-built rentals, non-market housing and cooperatives, modular homes and temporary shelters to home the unhoused.To make housing more affordable, cities could lease city-owned land for social (below-market) housing, co-ops and co-shares. Cities could help citizens establish co-shares on privately owned land. Where infrastructure and parking permit, cities could allow homeowners to convert their single-family homes to 3 or 4 units.
  2. Safety: Crime and Vandalism, gangs and drug use are making neighbourhoods and businesses anxious and unsafe at precedented levels. We need to find proactive solutions between the citizenry and the police. Regular police bike patrols in neighborhoods to make people safe and deter crime. Mobile mental and addiction preventive/ treatment clinics to stem unpredictable, violent destructive behaviour. Regular coordination with the RCMP and block watch captains for timely intervention.Well lit streets, bikeways and bus stops so that people can commute in safely.
  3. Employment: There can be more encouragement for small and medium-size businesses that can be the economic engine of Burnaby. I would try to cut red tape and speed up business permits and look at tax incentives for companies trying to reduce their carbon footprint. In collaboration with municipalities create Industrial land reserves for food processing and manufacturing jobs. Businesses connected to transit.

What is your housing situation? Are you a homeowner, renter or something else (describe)? Do you own rental property/properties?

I am a co- homeowner , townhouse at Forest Grove and a landlord who has been renting at below market rate for the past 6 years beginning at $950 to $1,250 currently for a 750 sq feet 1 bedroom at Erickson drive.I do not believe in the financialization of housing.

Contact information