Oksana Szulhan Answers

Affordable Housing

1. What could Vancity do to create more affordable housing for both low- and middle-income Vancouverites?

2. How can Vancity use financial products or services to support the creation of more rental housing units in Vancouver?

Non-profits and co-ops have been around for some time and make use of Vancity's services. Vancity also offers financing initiatives to non-related individuals wanting to purchase a house.

With the availability of secondary suites and laneway housing, perhaps Vancity can structure financing to those owners as an incentive for leasing to lower-income earners, as well as families.

Transportation

1. What can Vancity do to provide incentives to its members to use alternatives to private vehicles in the same way it has facilitated alternative transportation programs for its 2,400 staff?

2. How can Vancity use financial products or services to support the widespread adoption of alternatives to private vehicle use in Vancouver?

The student U-Pass, supported by Vancity, has been extremely successful in more students using public transit.

The addition of the Canada Line is another excellent resource in transit, especially from the Airport to the North Shore (connecting with the Seabus); it is also bicycle-friendly and wheelchair-accessible for those individuals requiring these services and, as a regular transit user, saves me a substantial amount of time when I need to get out to locations serviced by this route.

In line with TransLink's and various corporations, Vancity could develop a similar transit pass programme with TransLink for its members.

Citizen Engagement and Involvement

1. What could Vancity do to include more citizen engagement in its decision-making processes?

2. How can local branches engage citizens more directly in Vancouver's 23 neighbourhoods?

In my local community, which is on the North Shore, all five Vancity branches are very visible in their local neighbourhoods. They participate in local community and business events; they are also active sponsors for many of these events.

Many Vancity staff are themselves involved with their local community organisations as well.

Vancity does a good job of keeping its members informed of its projects and activities; it could also add questionnaires to the monthly financial statements, regular information mail-outs, and / or the web site surveys soliciting specific feedback from its members.

Other

1. What else would you like to tell Think City supporters about your candidacy?

I want to be part of that organisation which takes its role seriously by behaving with integrity, with courage, and by encouraging self-reliance and self-esteem for its members and their communities.

I am a long-time Vancity member and have used their various services, so I can also identify and empathise with other members' needs. My professional experience includes working extensively in the corporate and non-profit sectors, where I have been responsible for administration; developing, delivering and facilitating training and educational programmes; as well as maintaining corporate records.

With a degree in graphic design, and graduate studies in art history, I have been able to combine my business experience with art education, and have conducted workshops in various art disciplines. I also believe in giving back to my community, which I have been involved with during the last ten years with arts groups aimed at children and youth with the Vancovuer Art Gallery and Artists for Kids.

I am committed to our community engagement and increasing our visibility, and representing the members well. YOUR vote does matter, so please vote.