A Nelson city councillor who is running for re-election is looking to build on work that is already being done to address the changing climate.
“I want to continue to support the work council has already done in the last four years,” says Jesse Woodward. “I think for me it really comes down to climate change, housing and poverty.”
According to an article published by the Munich Personal RePEc Archive, poverty across the province during 2018 was 8.9 per cent while the rest of Canada saw a poverty rate of 8.7 per cent. This was triggered by inflation and the threat of economic recession.
“These issues are such a big problem that they extend beyond Nelson,” says Woodward. “I would say that there are some methods that a municipal government can utilize to alleviate some of that stress, and one of those is affordable housing.”
Currently Nelson has 39 single residential occupancy units available with Nelson CARES, but they say that is not enough to address the housing/poverty crisis that is happening in the community.
“These issues are more related to a provincial issue, but we can start at the municipal level,” Woodward says.
“I am going to run on my merits and what I have done, and a plan going forward, it will be up to the voters to decide if that is what they want.”
Woodward is one of 11 people running for the six council seats.
He is running against Ainsleah Hastings, Charles Jeanes, Rik Logtenberg, Keith Page, Leslie Payne, Jesse Pineiro, Brenton Raby, Glenn Sutherland, Kate Tait, and Kyle Wilkinson.