Richmond council candidate Karen Novorr-Pezzuto says she would prioritize public safety and faster development while supporting reconciliation efforts with First Nations.
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Karen Novorr-Pezzuto is seeking election as a City of Richmond councillor, running under the Richmond Strong slate.
In a municipal questionnaire published online with candidate information, Novorr-Pezzuto described her background as a practicing lawyer and said she sits as treasurer for the Minoru Seniors Society. Her priorities for council include public safety, transparency and responsibility, oversight, and “real time transcription and translation services at city hall.”
On a set of yes-or-no questions, Novorr-Pezzuto said Richmond is a safe place to live, work and play.
She said she supports increasing reconciliation efforts with First Nations and she would continue to support new small-scale multi-unit housing developments in Richmond.
Novorr-Pezzuto also said she would support lowering fees for developers to support faster housing development, adding that high development costs tied up in planning, engineering and legal processes can increase costs that flow through to end users. She said she would review and reduce the building permit process while protecting Richmond’s heritage.
On other housing and transportation questions, she said she would allow more City of Richmond-owned land to be used for affordable housing and would support continuing temporary modular housing contracts. She also indicated support for more buses in Richmond and for reducing traffic congestion.
Novorr-Pezzuto said she would support adding more recreational facilities and increasing funding for arts programming, and she said Richmond does not receive enough support from senior levels of government for housing, health and transportation. She pointed to what she described as being behind in health-care facilities, the need for more senior housing, and the need for additional transportation improvements, saying Richmond requires federal and provincial assistance for projects involving an airport, a port and other infrastructure.
For environmental and community services, Novorr-Pezzuto said she supports reducing environmentally sensitive areas on private property and she does not support allowing retail cannabis stores in Richmond. She also said Richmond should hold more public consultations before major infrastructure decisions and that the city hall should install translation and transcription services to help residents connect with local government.
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