Why I am running for DNV Council: Herman Mah

I was born in East Vancouver and have lived in the District of North Vancouver for over 20 years with my wife, Debra, and young daughter.

I’m running for District Councillor because I can make a positive difference on Council and fight for policies that keep it a great place to live. I have gained extensive experience working with various levels of government and in management.

I have first-hand experience dealing with civic matters having been on the Board of Downtown Vancouver Association for 15 years and am able to effectively oversee a large organization having managed the BCIT Downtown Campus for over 9 years.

In terms of the District, I have been the Vice-President of the Pemberton Heights Community Association for 19 years, vice-chair of the North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission, a member of the District’s Community Services Advisory Committee and NVCAN, which is a network of community associations. I have attended the majority of District Council meetings during the past 3 year. I understand the issues faced by the people in the District.

In terms of District issues, we need to address Mobility, Affordable Housing and to ensure that our local businesses are successful. We need a strong economy because from that come opportunities for all. These are complex and inter-related issues. Councillors need both new ideas and the experience to deal with them. We also need to ensure that we don’t forget about things that make the District a great and safe place to live, such as parks, connected bike lanes, dog parks, trails for all users and sport fields. On that note, we need to partner with the Board of Education as it has a big impact on our sense of community and have facilities that we can all share.

I have worked with many wonderful elected individuals on the North Shore. Three such individuals are District Mayor Mike Little, City of North Vancouver Councillor Angela Girard and NVSD School Trustee Kulvir Mann. There will be opportunities for collaboration to serve the people of the City and District of North Vancouver. We will be great advocates for you.

During the past couple of weeks, I’ve spoken with other candidates. One different experience I can bring to Council is a deep understanding of housing and affordability. I have worked in the BC HOUSING Real Estate Department for over 5 years. I know we can make housing more affordable. While balancing the need for light industrial land, we can leverage the funding partnerships with senior levels of government and utilize the appropriate District-owned land for housing.

On Saturday, October 15, please vote for Herman Mah.