We wanted to know how candidates are planning to represent local issues. It’s easy to find party-wide platforms, but often those don’t reflect our neighbourhood in any way. LynnValleyLife offered each of the big four parties’ candidates a chance to give their local pitch.
The offer
This year Lynn Valley is split down the middle and into two ridings—twice as many candidates and twice as many signs on the roads. We have the west side represented, as in the past, by North Vancouver-Capilano and the east by Burnaby North-Seymour.
We emailed the candidates for the Conservative Party, the Green Party, the Liberal Party and the NDP. We sent the same questions to each person with the same deadline. Of the seven candidates who were reachable, four responded.
In North Vancouver-Capilano, there was no response from NDP’s Tammy Bentz or the Conservatives’ Stephen Curran.
In Burnaby North-Seymour, Conservative Mauro Francis’ website is down, and there is no direct contact information available on the Conservative website, so he was deemed unreachable. While the Greens list a candidate, the representative did not officially register for the election.
Thank you to the candidates who shared their thoughts:
Andrew Robinson, Green
Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal
The Q&A
What is your connection to the North Shore, and how will you specifically serve the unique community of Lynn Valley?
Andrew Robinson, Green:
I am a family man with two teenagers who has lived in North Vancouver since 2009. My consulting business is based here, I am a North Shore outdoors enthusiast, and I have volunteered throughout the community. I would serve the community by:
- Advocating for affordable housing and sustainable urban planning.
- Supporting local businesses.
- Fighting for fair taxation to ease the burden on low- and middle-income residents.
- Investing in public services—from healthcare and education to transit and infrastructure—to ensure the community is well-supported.
- Promoting climate resilience and preparing for environmental challenges.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal:
I’ve lived in North Vancouver for about 27 years and raised my family here. I’ve spent much time on Lynn Valley trails, (my favourite of which is Hanes Valley), supported local small businesses, and spoken with countless residents about the issues that matter most— housing, seniors’ care, affordability and more. Over the last 9 years, I have been humbled to be Lynn Valley’s member of parliament, and have been a regular participant at Lynn Valley Days. While I now will share that my colleague Terry Beech due to the redistribution of riding boundaries – a map of which you can find on my website – I will continue to stand up for Lynn Valley’s priorities.
What is your greatest priority for the riding?
Robinson, Green:
My number one priority is to build a strong local economy that aligns environmental and economic goals by supporting existing clean industries like hydrogen development and sustainable shipbuilding. I will prioritize local procurement, invest in green infrastructure, and champion policies that reduce emissions while creating high-quality jobs. I will encourage innovation, training, and partnerships that grow local expertise in cleantech, services and marine industries. By focusing on sustainable growth and supporting North Vancouver businesses, we can strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and build long-term community resilience.
Wilkinson, Liberal:
Over the next four years, we must collectively forge a path to prosperity that embraces a more global orientation – and orientation of enhanced economic and social resilience. While there are many issues of importance affecting Canadians, Canada’s response to so many issues depends in large part on defending sovereignty and building a more resilient economy.
This must inevitably mean that we must;
- Eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers
- Enhance trade infrastructure and diversify trade partners.
- Create greater housing affordability.
- Enhance social resilience through programs like Dental Care, $10 a day childcare and pharmacare.
- Fight climate change.
How will you advocate for federal funding for major projects? The lack of more support for infrastructure like the wastewater plant has been frustrating.
Robinson, Green:
The Green Party advocates for the responsible management of taxpayer funds. For the wastewater treatment plant project, I would champion an increase to the original 30% federal contribution indexed to inflation to cover the increased costs without requesting a full bailout to the tune of $1.1B. Because federal contributions across BC and Canada matched what was promised for the treatment plant project, a full bailout would send the wrong signal to voters and taxpayers. However, in addition to the increase to cover inflation, I would convene stakeholders with all levels of government to explore various funding mechanisms that do not disproportionately impact North Shore residents.
Wilkinson, Liberal: (Edited for length, there is more information on his website)
The federal government is committed to funding and supporting major projects. We have invested billions in clean growth and infrastructure projects and will be instituting a one project, one review window to make sure major projects get built faster.
During 2014/15 Metro Vancouver was looking for a commitment from the federal government that it would provide ⅓ of the ~$700M in capital required to build a new wastewater treatment facility.
During the 2015 federal election campaign I committed to advocating for federal participation in this important project. And in the Liberal Government’s budget of 2016, funding for the treatment plant was the largest single item that was indeed funded.
As folks will likely know, the engineering and the cost estimating for this project – as for all municipal infrastructure – is done at the municipal level. The federal government has no expertise and indeed no direct involvement in this work. Unfortunately, the project that was budgeted to cost $700B, ballooned to $4B – and there are very legitimate questions that taxpayers should be asking Metro Vancouver about this escalation in costs, as it was their role to manage the project engineering and budget.
The project will be completed and work is presently underway – residents are rightly frustrated by the significant cost overruns and the disproportionate and unfair impact it will have on ratepayers here on the North Shore. We all should expect transparency and accountability from Metro Vancouver on this matter. See my full comment on this matter at my website: jonathanwilkinson.ca
Will you advocate for improved bridge crossings as a key priority?
Robinson, Green:
The Green Party will strongly advocate for investing in improved public transit. The Canada Line, built ahead of the 2010 Olympics, has exceeded ridership expectations, significantly reduced car dependency, eased congestion on key routes, and connected people across the region faster and more reliably. It shows that when fast, frequent, and convenient transit is available, people choose it.
On the North Shore, improved transit—such as rapid bus routes, dedicated lanes, ferry integration, or a SkyTrain extension—can improve bridge crossings by getting people out of personal vehicles and move more people using less space and with fewer emissions.
Wilkinson, Liberal:
I’ve long supported improvements to reduce congestion across the Ironworkers and Lions Gate bridges, like the Lower Lynn Highway 1 improvement. The federal government recently committed an investment of more than $2 billion over 10 years to provide Metro Vancouver’s transit network with long-term predictable capital funding.. This funding will, in part, go to implementing dedicated lane Bus Rapid Transit on and from the North Shore as an initial step towards bringing SkyTrain to the North Shore.
What is the biggest challenge for the riding in the years ahead, and why are you the best candidate to lead us through that?
Robinson, Green:
Affordability! The Green Party is best positioned to tackle affordability in North Vancouver by addressing root causes with bold, integrated solutions. Our platform includes building affordable, energy-efficient housing, implementing a Guaranteed Livable Income, and eliminating income tax for low earners. We support local job creation through clean energy, services, shipbuilding, and hydrogen development, while investing in small businesses and transit infrastructure. By reforming taxation so wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share and ending fossil fuel subsidies, we’ll redirect public money toward services that directly benefit communities—making life more affordable and secure for everyone.
Wilkinson, Liberal:
Navigating economic uncertainty tied to Canada–U.S. trade tensions, including tariffs that threaten key industries right here on the North Shore, is the greatest threat facing our riding. We need to reduce our overreliance on the U.S. by expanding global trade partnerships and strengthening domestic supply chains—especially in clean technology, forestry, and advanced manufacturing.
I have spent significant time as a senior business executive and as a senior public servant. I have been an influential member of Cabinet for a number of years and more recently have been a member of the Canada-US Cabinet Committee that has helped shape Canada’s response to tariffs, secure trade protections and support affected workers.
Over the past few years I have worked collaboratively with different levels of government to remove interprovincial trade barriers, while protecting local jobs and building a more resilient economy.
Looking for more?
There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.
