Rebecca Lees, a lifelong West Vancouver resident and independent business owner, has announced she is running for West Vancouver council.
Lees said she wants to protect the community’s character while supporting changes that will allow younger families, seniors and people who work in West Vancouver to remain in the municipality.
“West Vancouver has given my family so much, and I believe it is important to give back,” Lees said in a campaign press release. “I want to help protect what makes this community special while making thoughtful changes that allow it to thrive for generations to come.”
Born and raised in West Vancouver, Lees attended Westcot Elementary and Sentinel Secondary schools. According to the release, she built her business in the community and raised her children there with her husband, Craig.
Lees said she supports well-designed development that respects neighbourhoods and considers infrastructure and traffic. She also said the municipality should create more opportunities for young families, seniors and local workers to continue living in West Vancouver.
“West Vancouver should not become a place where young families or seniors feel they have no choice but to leave,” she said. “We need to be thoughtful about how we grow and make sure we are creating a community where the next generation has an opportunity to build a life here.”
Supporting and attracting independent shops, restaurants and cafés is another campaign priority, according to the release. Lees said those businesses and other local experiences contribute to the vitality and character of West Vancouver’s villages.
“A vibrant community needs more than buildings,” she said. “It needs interesting places to go. We should be thinking about what we want our villages and waterfronts to feel like, and then working with businesses, property owners and residents to make that vision happen.”
Lees also identified parking, road and public-space maintenance, municipal services, traffic management and communication between the District and residents as priorities.
Her campaign slogan is “Protect What We Love. Build What We Need.”
“West Vancouver doesn’t need to become something it isn’t,” Lees said. “We simply need to make the most of what we already have and have the courage to make thoughtful changes where they are needed.”
