Burnaby’s Green Party has announced its slate of candidates running for city council in the upcoming October municipal election.
Running alongside incumbent councillor Joe Keithley are three more candidates: Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo, Carrie McLaren and Tara Shushtarian.
The candidates are emphasizing affordable housing, the ‘15-minute city’ and active transportation (walking, cycling and rolling) networks.
Joe Keithley, elected to council in 2018, says affordable housing is one of his top priorities.
“Housing should be a right not a privilege,” Keithley said in a statement.
Keithley was born and raised in Burnaby and led punk group D.O.A. He is the chair of Burnaby’s environmental committee, a member of seven other city committees and is a director of the Metro Vancouver water committee.
Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo is an educator at Douglas College, current two-term president of the Douglas College Faculty Association, and recently elected vice-president of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators.
She ran as an independent school trustee candidate in 2018 but has now joined the running for city council.
“I’m running for council to help create affordable housing and to provide help to our seniors and most vulnerable citizens,” Nicholsfigueiredo said.
“As someone deeply concerned about climate change, I am also a strong supporter of ‘the 15-minute city.’ We have the tools in the box to make this happen, we just need to open it and get to work.”
Carrie McLaren works in co-operative housing management and works with several non-profit housing boards. McLaren ran for council with the Greens in 2018.
“We need to ensure renters in Burnaby know of the available tenant assistance. We need to fast track mixed-housing projects and expand safe walking and biking infrastructure in the city,” McLaren said.
Tara Shushtarian has a master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India. She sits on Burnaby’s environment committee, as well as boards including the West Coast Climate Action Network and Fair Vote Canada.
“Part of my vision for the city is to create sensibly densified, climate resilient, urban villages. I will work hard for more equitable housing, purpose-built rental units with more community and childcare amenities,” Shushtarian said.
Local elections in B.C. will be held on Oct. 15 this year.
