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Kelowna Votes 2022: Bal Grewal

Black Press Media is asking municipal election candidates their thoughts on various community issues
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Bal Grewal is running for a seat on Kelowna council. (Photo/Bal Grewal)

Black Press Media is reaching out to all candidates running for Kelowna council in the 2022 municipal election, asking for their response to three specific issues about the community, as well as a fun question. Responses will be published in the order they are received.

Bal Grewal - Council candidate

If elected, how do you think council should manage growth and development Kelowna?

A:

Growth and development should be managed according to our community policies such as Imagine Kelowna and the OCP. Particularly, there needs to be a mix of housing developments around the city so that there is no high-density growth in the downtown core area with neglect towards other regions of the city. We can approve taller buildings (height appropriate as per OCP) in other areas of town, so we can spread the density and limit urban sprawl.

In 2021, Kelowna had the second highest property rate crime in the country, what should city council do to help address street and property crime?

B:

To help reduce the crime rate, it is important to realize and recognize the type of crimes that are contributing the most to our crime problem. Kelowna is currently dealing with opioid-related crimes, including possession, trafficking, and production of illicit substances. Unsurprisingly, users are going to commit crimes, generally, non-violent property crimes, to feed their habit. This further adds to our crime rate. With this in mind, the city of Kelowna can try a couple of things:

  • Focus on the drug traffickers and producers and crack down on them
  • Provide employment for drug users, so they do not need to steal to feed their fix. Users will do what is necessary to feed their habits.
  • Push Provincial Government to get harder on repeat offenders of crimes

In your view, what is councils’ responsibility in assisting those experiencing homelessness, and providing affordable housing for Kelowna residents?

C:

Council’s responsibility in assisting those experiencing homelessness is important. Council through action and implementation of policies can help the homeless in many ways, one is to develop further lots so the homeless may set up camp without being harassed, they can also implement further policies to help get individuals employed.

Affordable housing is something city council can further increase within the city, this could be done by providing a platform so that a dialog can happen between BC housing and developers to come up with a model of buildings that have a combined mix of units, with some units dedicated to low-income housing (tied to income) and some units at market rates. Having one type of housing or the other, segments society and doesn’t promote integrated communities. Developers need to understand that in order to build towers and multi-family, they must cater to both markets.

Who is your favourite Okanagan celebrity and why?

D:

Taylor Kitsch because I enjoy the Friday Night Lights show.

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