'We Have Issues' - Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov, March, 2021

We’ve Got Issues hosts Brad Nickason and Nancy Furness spoke with Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov in March 2021 regarding how the City of Port Moody is coping during COVID 19. We checked in with the Mayor regarding Port Moody’s Climate Action Plan and our conversation turned towards protection of Provincial old-growth forests and Port Moody’s urban forest.

Mayor Vagramov shared the City’s COVID response is through crisis-minded budgeting (lowest tax rate increase in 21 years, while not cutting delivery of essential services). Some City staff work remotely; others spread out at City Hall work-stations. The Mayor notes that, when remote, people spend more time working and he cautions against burn-out and loss of quality of life, while emphasizing the need for work-life balance. In some cases City responsiveness has increased (e.g. walk-lights regulated by timers instead of push-buttons) meaning less touching of surfaces and potentially less virus transmission.

Port Moody council meetings went remote once a provincial state of emergency was declared. Clear barriers between Councillors now allow Council meetings to be conducted with the option of attending in-person or via Zoom. Zoom gives a limited view, as well as not knowing whether something is being read or spoken from the heart, or whether people are texting or Zoom-chatting during meetings.

Mayor Vagramov doesn’t envy the role of staff in accurately documenting proceedings of lively City Council meetings. He discusses frustration to staff and delegates of being near resolution and having to end a meeting if someone decides things are not going their way.

Port Moody recently approved a Climate Action Plan at a cost of $4.2 million during the first two years of implementation. The Mayor feels the climate crisis is a global issue and that every community needs a Plan. He is concerned with reducing our impact on the planet and with mitigating damage imposed by neglect of the issue by past leaders. Council supports moving on the climate issue in a cost-effective way. Partnering with other communities is being considered.

The climate crisis is not getting the same attention as COVID. The Mayor questions why strategies to sequester carbon are not being funded by the carbon tax and feels climate deserves the same level of concern as the national debt. Port Moody’s Climate Action Plan focuses heavily on policies (development, retro-fitting etc.) and will go through several cycles before being finalized.

Influence of industry and industry lobbyists over our government institutions makes change difficult and is much greater than influence of individuals. There is a constant barrage of special interest groups primarily from the corporate sector. The Mayor suggests treating legislators and the Senate like jury duty might lead to better results, although society may not be ready to give people this power.

The Mayor says money out of politics helps, however is concerned there are work-arounds to this. Perhaps a better way is to go back to an open democracy is by the Party being paid per vote from a pool of funds (publicly funded elections). There can be much resistance when a decision costs a specific group, despite being of benefit to society. For example, a road through Bert Flynn park benefits a small group of people while dramatically changing the city landscape.

To be heard, constituents should organize, not blow things out of proportion, focus and write down goals, be persistent and patient, focus on the strategic objective and not let “haters” get them down.

Mayor Vagramov feels it is a shame that last few percent of old-growth forest are not protected. He believes there may be a positive outcome, but protection needs to be enshrined in law. Industry has funds to lobby, while protestors fund themselves. He questions whether industry will override BC First Nations reconciliation, BC Chamber of Commerce recommendations, climate change, government’s own review panel and the public. Old growth has been discussed at UBCM and the Mayor is hopeful that we will see a moratorium. He will be bringing it to Port Moody Council for action.

Mayor Vagramov says Port Moody’s own Tree Bylaw could be expanded. The main issue with tree retention is development. Permits are needed for tree removal and two-to-one tree replacement is required. Number of trees is increasing, but replacement trees don’t immediately replace mature trees. Port Moody Council has taken a strong position with respect to tree retention. Currently on a policy-basis governments don’t recognize the value of a tree.