Paul Chapman
Website: https://paulchapman4counci.wixsite.com/paul-chapman-for-cit
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085036582989
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No slate
Do you live in the municipality where you are running, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to that community?
I’ve lived in Nanaimo for 15 years and previously lived on Gabriola Island in the mid-nineties. This is where I work, live and play.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
For the past 14 years, I have worked in various positions with the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust. Currently, I am NALT’s executive director. This have given me a chance to work with a great team, our community, municipal staff and politicians on environmental issues in our city and beyond.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I love this town and want to be part of facing the challenges that we all face. I seek collaboration rather than confrontation and believe this is the way forward for a resilient community.
What are your top three issues?
Our top three issues are climate change, affordability and homelessness and associated issues. We need to adapt our planning for impacts of climate change, ensure young people and those on fixed income can afford to live here and we need to provide housing and services for homeless folks as well as provide supports to help people on the brink.
We need to lobby up to senior government and be ready when funding for housing and services become available.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
We will be a greener community with restored natural systems providing critical infrastructure and services while also supporting biodiversity, recreation and relief from extreme heat. We will be affordable to working folks and those on fixed incomes and we will have taken the profit motive out of addictions and have homes and treatment for those in need.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
More parks and protected areas. We can’t afford to operate in ecological deficit anymore. We must return to balance to support the natural systems we rely on for services and our sense of a home landscape. Biodiversity is good for community!
