Within three months of becoming Mayor, we formed our first Task Force on housing, and in January, we’ll convene our third. This time to tackle another one of Burnaby’s most critical priorities: ensuring our City’s economic growth and resilience.

Public hearings are one of the most fundamental parts of our local democracy. As Mayor, I have sat through hearings that run more than seven hours, and last Monday, over five hours were dedicated to hearing from residents on the updated R1 zoning bylaws in response to new provincial housing legislation.

B.C. Premier David Eby was recently left frustrated on the sidelines as discussions about a major Alberta-to-coast pipeline moved forward without B.C. at the table. It’s not a good feeling - and I can tell you, municipalities feel the same way when decisions about our communities are made without our input.

From the very first day I arrived in Canada, I felt welcomed and accepted. When immigrating to a new country you have to roll up your sleeves and work…

A Burnaby resident whose family has lived here for three generations shared with me recently that all of her children had to move to Mission to find homes that met their needs.

After more than 30 years in the Fire Department, I've learned that communication is the single most important tool for getting the job done. In high-pressure, life-or-death situations, we had to communicate clearly and effectively to help people in their greatest moments of need.