Survey Results!

This fact sheet presents the results of a candidate survey conducted by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE BC) for the Vancouver by-election on April 5, 2025. The survey evaluates candidates' positions on health and climate policy, including green space, active transportation, building emissions, and regional air quality.

• Candidates proposed various strategies to increase tree cover and green space in Vancouver to mitigate heatwaves. Lucy Maloney advocated for prioritizing neighbourhoods with the lowest canopy and those most affected by the 2021 heat dome, while Annette Reilly supported the "3-30-300 Rule for Greener Cities," which targets 3 mature trees visible from every home, 30% tree canopy per neighbourhood, and proximity within 300 meters to a high-quality park.
• Most surveyed candidates pledged to support the reallocation of road space for "all-ages-and-abilities" (AAA) active transportation infrastructure, expanded bus lanes, and free transit for teens. However, Karin Litzcke opposed these measures, arguing that displacing car access is "tremendously exclusionary" for the disabled and elderly and that free transit for teens prevents them from learning about adult financial responsibilities.
• A majority of candidates pledged to maintain the 2024 policy requiring new buildings to meet the top levels of the Zero Carbon Step Code, which limits gas use for heating and hot water. Colleen Hardwick supported zero emissions for new builds but called for a review of infrastructure capacity, while Karin Litzcke argued the policy was outside the city's "legal jurisdiction."
• Most candidates supported regulations to gradually upgrade existing buildings with electric heat pumps to address the fact that building emissions constitute 55% of Vancouver's carbon pollution. Karin Litzcke opposed this, claiming that carbon is not a pollutant and that Vancouver's output is "miniscule compared with China."
• Most candidates committed to implementing minimum cooling standards in residential buildings to ensure indoor temperatures do not exceed 26° Celsius via the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw. Karin Litzcke described this approach as "unnecessarily fascistic," suggesting instead that the city provide mobile air conditioner units to at-risk residents.
• The majority of candidates pledged to support regional climate policy coordination and regulations to reduce air contaminants from boilers and process heaters at Metro Vancouver, as well as studying the phase-out of garbage burning in waste-to-energy facilities.
• Most candidates supported a ban on fossil fuel advertising in municipal facilities. Karin Litzcke opposed the ban, stating that "shaming fossil fuel use is not" desirable and that the "demonization of fossil fuels is not making the world a better place."
• Most candidates committed to fully implementing and funding the Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) and the Planning for Extreme Heat and Air Quality Mitigation Policy. Karin Litzcke rejected the notion of a "Climate Emergency," characterizing such declarations as "disaster capitalism."

APA

CAPE (2025). Survey Results! Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/vancouver-byelection-candidate-survey/

Chicago

CAPE. Survey Results! Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2025. https://cape.ca/vancouver-byelection-candidate-survey/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CAPE |title=Survey Results! |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=25 March 2025 |url=https://cape.ca/vancouver-byelection-candidate-survey/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cape2025survey, author = {CAPE}, title = {{Survey Results!}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://cape.ca/vancouver-byelection-candidate-survey/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }