What’s your occupation? (Current and/or past)
Retiree
How long have you lived on Bowen?
32 years.
Who inspires you? (Real or fictional)
My family and friends.
Please list any current and/or past committees or organizations you've been a part of in your career.
Various community housing groups and organizations since the early 90’s in a leadership role
• Member Bowen Island Municipality Secondary Suites Task Force; Founder and Chair of the Bowen Community Housing Association; Led and participated in various peer parent groups for families with disabilities including ASD; Member Inclusion BC and Community Living BC Task Force for inclusionary housing; Volunteer – Special Olympics (Swimming); Adaptive Sailing Association of BC member (20 years)
What are your (non-housing) related priorities for the next four years?
My non-housing related priorities are to address the concerns with municipal decision making processes around important community issues. I plan to work on community engagement processes in order to achieve a more respectful and meaningful dialogue with islanders to work together to make progress and change on the many outstanding concerns impacting our community. I also plan to support efforts to make the municipality more accountable fiscally and to continue the work of protecting our biodiversity in terms of climate change impacts, development, and tourism.
How would you tackle the issue of affordable/rental housing on Bowen? And, Bowen will be doing a full review of short-term rental policies next year, do you have any early thoughts on this specifically (ie. Should short-term rentals continue to be allowed in secondary suites)
Housing is a main reason I am running for council. There has been little policy, research utilization or policy development for housing provision from the municipality for over a decade. The latest legislated housing needs report 2020 – not utilized. We need more community consultation; planning, land use, bylaw/rezoning, and alternative options to the BIRCH lot 3 project and employee housing as these have seen little progress. Each political term of office on Bowen has made housing an election issue and passed it along to the next. My long-time volunteer and MA thesis work relates to housing and policy on Bowen.
We need much more community consultation and research on this topic. Short term rentals continue to have negative impacts on long term rental housing on Bowen. These impacts also cause other community related problems between neighbours such as noise, parking, water usage, etc. Island and smaller rural communities are more seriously affected due to the limited available housing supply. Locals are often displaced first and forced to leave their community or move frequently. Sechelt, Gibson’s and many of the Gulf Islands have banned STR’s with distinct limits. Some of these communities have continued to allow STR’s in secondary suites.
Property taxes are set for a double digit increase next year. What will your fiscal approach be re: what municipal financial obligations are passed on to property owners?
Bowen Island property owners contribute a larger amount of the tax burden due to its size and also in relation to the types of housing we have continued to build (single family houses). Other lower mainland communities pay less in comparison. An advantage to providing a variety of housing types is the tax burden becomes less for all islanders. Increased property taxes filter down to increased rents. Too many financial obligations from the previous councils are being passed on to Bowen property owners also putting sustainable growth and future fiscal responsibilities at risk. More community consultation is needed.
Assuming the land sale goes through, how will you advocate Bowen gets the best result from the proposed Cape Roger Curtis park?
The best scenario is park protection for the CRC lands with no campgrounds due to all the related impacts - water, ferry, increased traffic, roads, etc. This is, in my view community consultation process not going well. Without information there is an inclination to speculate outcomes based on past experience. Metro Vancouver Parks management have not necessarily served our community well. The Davies Orchard cottages are a good example. These historical cottages have been left by Metro to deteriorate to be demolished in full view at the entryway to Bowen Island despite community efforts to save them.
What will your approach to tourism on Bowen be, and how would you strike a balance between the tourism economy and issues that arise from it (ferry capacity, increased strain on island services such as emergency, etc.)
The balance for tourism is maintaining economic growth and ensuring environmental protection. Right now, I think Bowen is in a state of over tourism as witnessed by the amount of ferry traffic and damage to our park spaces during the dry summer and through the fall. I think we need to work on preserving our island’s environment and encourage more visitors rather than tourists. Local businesses need to be protected in this process and I think once again we need more community consultation on this topic.
Bowen’s population rose by 600 in the past 5 years, and could pass 5,000 by the next census in four years. What is your opinion on continued population growth on the island, and the best ways to manage it?
Population growth reaches certain thresholds at 5,000 – municipal policing and some municipal services as an example. Some ways to manage this are to provide more housing options to ensure sustainable growth. The percentage (90%) of single-family homes on Bowen is not conducive to sustainability as also suggested for property taxation. We need to look at this in an OCP review and our strategic planning goals with community consultation.
Water, sewage and roads will need major amounts of work in the upcoming years. What will your approach to our infrastructure be to avoid surprise or rising costs?
Our infrastructure needs an ongoing commitment in terms of financial planning based on accurate engineering consultation, study and reporting. Most municipal governments are facing the same challenges and require funding options from other levels of government. These costs need to be balanced with our current financial commitments to ensure we have a clear picture for timeframes of work. Again, we need to include this in our strategic planning and allow for community consultation to avoid incurring unexpected costs.
What is your position on the Bowen election Islands Trust referendum, and how do you want to see Bowen’s relationship with Islands Trust change (or not) during the next term, keeping in mind the group has applied to the provincial government for a full review of its operations.
No, I do not support the BIM negotiating with the Province and the Islands Trust, Bowen Island’s Tax Requisition formula within the Islands Trust Act. The Island’s Trust is an essential governance entity for environmental protection for Bowen for our unique island ecosystems and we get good value for our money from the Trust considering the consequences of lack of protection. I do not think the Bowen Island Municipality is capable of protecting our island’s environment on its own due to competing interests. I think the Islands Trust opinion poll is an unnecessary question adding unnecessary costs for our island.
And for fun, if you could pick a new animal to add to Bowen’s mascot roster, which would it be and why?
The Black Oyster Catcher because they are under threat on Bowen due to human visitors disrupting their nesting grounds during their mating season.
Contact:
Email: robin_burger@shaw.ca
Phone: 604-290-1472
Check my BIM website profile and listen to my podcast on Bowen Island podcasts with Don Shafer.
