Susan Ames is an active member of the Kelowna community. She has been a member of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods (KSAN) for several years and was President for 3 years stepping down in June 2024. She knows city hall well having attended and presented at numerous council meetings and public hearings where she has made written and oral presentations. She has reviewed the 2040 OCP, the various zoning regulations, a bus maintenace facility on agricultural land and various other projects that have come before council. Susan has watched the development of the city change rapidly but not in a sustainable way.

Susan also has a strong scientific and environmental background. She has a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies (UBC) with a specialty in Climate Change, a MSc in Soil Science (UBC), and a BSc in Biology (Dalhousie University). Prior to moving to Kelowna, Susan worked for the mining industry developing long term mine closure and land reclamation/revegetation plans. She has carried out this work in various parts of Canada and internationally from the tropics to the arctic.

This experience and strong science background have given her a big picture perspective on the direction the current council is taking and the impacts on the social and environmental sustainability of the city.

A lot of city hall resources and community engagement went into the development of the 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP). All residential areas have been designated as Core Area Neighbourhood which allows commercial and high density anywhere in the established neighbourhoods. We now have front to back and side to side apartment buildings on single family lots. This is causing uncertainty in all parts of the community. Uncertainty can be extremely stressful.

We should have a dynamic, vibrant city that works for everyone. In my opinion, it doesn’t. We need better planning that will also be viewed with climate change, environmental, and social lenses.