Jess Phillips for Nelson City Council

My priorities

I love living in Nelson.

I love that I can get almost anywhere in less than 10 minutes, unless it’s a sold-out show at the Capitol, but that has more to do with parking than the ease of our everyday rhythm.

I love the big-city neighbourhood feel, but instead of endless city sprawl, it’s pristine mountain peaks and crisp, clean streams to dip your toes in.

I love how this community cares for vulnerable and equity-deserving people, and that most conversations I have are with people who really are doing their best, and are open to thinking about things from a different perspective.

It feels like there is something interesting to do or see in town or nearby every weekend. The annual events we look forward to have become part of our family’s traditions.

I could not be more grateful to Nelson and the lovely people in it for continuing to make this place the only place I want to call home.

I know how fortunate our family has been to build a life here, and that not every family has had the same experience.

I know that many families in Nelson are dealing with housing insecurity and financial challenges. Nelson is an expensive place to live and, for some, it can feel like an impossible place to live, especially with a vacancy rate of just 0.4%.

  • I want the City to do everything it can to support families so they can thrive in Nelson, whether that means supporting more dedicated rental housing development or caring for the public spaces and City-owned buildings our community enjoys, such as our many beautiful playgrounds and parks and the Civic Centre and Arena.
  • I want local businesses to thrive and to continue offering all of the practical, specialized, and eclectic things they do. I want to make the 1-hour meters on Baker Street 1.5 hours because you need a bit more than 1 hour to make a 1-hour appointment. I want to attract more business to Nelson to bring more local jobs and opportunities and a larger tax base to share the load.
  • I want our transit system to be more convenient for our teens and others who don’t typically drive, so they can get around safely every day of the week.
  • I want our markets and festivals to grow and evolve along with our city. I want thoughtful expansion alongside the growth of our capacity to serve more citizens.
  • I want to care for the wildlife in our town by doing more to reduce attractants, while also supporting citizens who are unable to store garbage at home for two weeks at a time and are unable to use the transfer station outside of town.
  • I want our aging infrastructure to continue to be prioritized so that fewer private homes and businesses are affected when older systems fail.
  • I want the City to support affordable, quality daytime childcare and after-school care, and to continue providing programming through places like the Nelson and District Youth Centre.
  • I want the City to continue supporting sports and the arts so kids can try new things, learn, participate, and have affordable access to them.
  • I want more emphasis placed on wildfire and emergency planning, preparation, and communication regarding these initiatives, the one thing I am truly terrified of living in Nelson.
  • I want our parks and public spaces to be safe for our kids to play in and welcoming to all citizens and visitors alike.
  • I want our kids to grow up with empathy in their hearts, to see people in our community caring for others, and to participate in helping the most vulnerable in our community.
  • I want our Grandmas, Grandpas, Nonas and Nonos, Babas, Zaidas, Papas and Glamas to be supported in their homes, be able to live in multigenerational homes, or have access to good-quality supportive care in the community they know and love. I would like the city to look at innovative programs like tax breaks for Seniors who share homes with students attending post-secondary in our town.
  • I want Nelson to continue to be a good place for families to BYOJ (bring your own job), and I want us to get value for our tax dollars.
  • I want the families who have already made Nelson home to be able to stay here, whether they are owners or renters. I want people who grew up here to have a realistic opportunity to return. I want our children to be able to imagine a future here if they choose one. And I want families looking for their own place to put down roots to have the opportunity we had in 2016.

Questions for Jess?

Jess is happy to talk through any of it. Ask Jess a question.