Patrick McCarthy (TCCTV) interviews Coquitlam City Council candidate Dennis Marsden who is running for a third term. COVID was an unprecedented situation and within seven days, instead of eighteen months as planned, City staff were working from home. The City’s role was to continue providing services and supports to residents. A $5 million surplus was used for childcare, library, and cultural centre grant programs, and supports to reopen the recreation centres. Peers from across the Province recognized Coquitlam’s leadership. Dennis is a long-time Coquitlam resident and was involved in minor hockey as a player, then as a referee. His career is in finance as a Credit Union manager, and that led to his involvement with the Hospital Foundation, and TriCities and BC Chamber of Commerce Boards. Dennis is married with two grown children. Affordable housing doesn’t just mean more housing, there also needs to be a range of housing options to serve the whole socio-economic spectrum including shelter-rate and rents geared to income. Coquitlam needs to work with developers, non-for-profits and Federal and Provincial partners and Dennis says the high-rise project developed by the City, YMCA, Concert Properties and Share is a good example. Fifteen percent of homes (12,000 units) being built are now rentals. Developers can builder higher, but are then required to include rentals, non-market rentals, and 3-bedroom units. The City’s role is to provide low-rate leased land for some subsidized projects to allow more control over projects. Working with BC Housing presents challenges, but also eliminates the need for each City to have their own department overseeing affordable housing needs. Dennis says we are rightfully focused on homelessness, but the City needs to go upstream to find ways to make housing affordable for everyone including people starting out and low-income workers. Everyone at Council brings bring different skills, but finance expertise needs to be installed at the staff level. Coquitlam managers do a great job at onboarding new Council members and ensuring staff and Council are aligned. Council needs to recognize and respect each skill-set at the table. Coquitlam completed their first Environmental Sustainability Plan and will now build their Climate Action Plan including specific steps needed to get GHGs to net zero by 2050. Community safety means managing speed and improving sidewalks and intersection safety.