Tess Rouse

Tess Rouse with Progress for Langley. So number one, municipalities are not for profit, they're not profitable businesses so they shouldn't be run like one. That's number one. Number two, um there's a lot of value in actually the borrowing that we've been doing. Ask any parent here, maybe the ones out there. Playing sports right now. The facilities that have been built in the last four years, the roads that we all just talked about on the last panel of candidates actually, all of those are investments for this community that were put off for so many years. I served under multiple mayors, I saw it myself. Let's talk about 208 Street. That was voted down by some of the people running here. It would have been 30 million dollars just before covid, instead we paid 60 million to do it. That's double. So if we want to talk about finances, our platform is to build more roads, more facilities, more parks, to give Langley the services that it needs to move the goods that all of you in this room probably need moving without congestion. We need state-of-the-art facilities to bring more people to Langley. Those are the people shopping in your businesses. Those are the people staying in your hotels. And we want to see more of that, and we have the team to get it done. Thank you.

Thanks, Cory. Tess Rouse with Progress for Langley. So number one, our team wants to create a complete community. Steve Ferguson would say, we want Langley to be livable. And so what that means, you know, current Council has created the Langley housing trust, and right now I believe there's over 250 units coming online, being built and developed that are 30% below market rate to create affordable housing. This is something that the Township actually has control over. We get to ensure that those bedrooms are actually put here within our community. We also need to look at projects like Gloucester and the recent bus and transit routes that were just upgraded to ensure people can actually, you know, live here as well as work here. Some people don't have a car. We need to ensure that transit is part of our transportation and mobility strategy. And so all of those things collectively need to create complete livable communities where people can work, play, and live. Thank you.

Tess Rouse. So parks and facilities are economic development they are what create Langley as a destination I had the privilege of interviewing a couple different sports association members and what I heard was crazy there are 300 kids that couldn't play hockey last year because there was no arenas there were kids on wait lists for soccer that couldn't play house level league sports because we didn't have the facilities here that should be a concern for every business every parent in this room it is for me we are not just investing in those industries or sports we also are protecting natural space look at the horn pit natural area in Brookswood it's huge we are looking to expand also and improve our normal parks that everyone can access Go to … Booth Community Park it has lights finally. It has trails that don't get flooded out. That costs money, but that investment has value for our kids, for our future generations. And we are also investing in land acquisitions to ensure that we can keep building a Langley that makes it complete and makes it livable. Thank you.

Continue expanding enforcement, update Rural Plan to help with areas of enforcement that are challenging, look at proactive enforcement, not just complaint based

Commercial truck parking is actively being enforced and 11 new bylaw officers. LETS keep this going. Lets review the effectiveness of existing penalties. Update the Rural Plan to provide the clear rules, create a level playing field and protect farmland.

Include water availability within the renewal of the Rural Plan. Continue enforcement of non- agricultural uses on ALR land. Keep farms as farms, further subdivision only encourages non-farm use and puts pressure on water use/services.

Hi everyone, Tess Rouse. You know, heritage protection really does rely on the property owner, and so I think we do need to be careful when we're speaking about heritage buildings, especially in today's elements of affordability and the economy that we're in. That being said, the township has grant programs to help support people in preserving and restoring those buildings, and I would like to see that expand so that people that are looking to continue to preserve those heritage buildings can do so in a way that makes economic sense for them. Thank you.

Tess Rouse, Progress for Langley. In working in government for over 16 years, relationships are paramount. I think we have seen that in a number of the projects that have actually occurred over the last four years, including transit routes to Gloucester, working, obviously, on the SkyTrain route. There's a number of things that have happened, and we need to continue that collaboration, and also not be afraid to push other levels of government. I mean, I've had a front row seat to pretty much every level the township works with, and it takes bold voices with a serious vision that are actually going to stand up for what Langley needs. So, we need to continue fostering that collaboration, but also not be afraid to stand up for what this community needs and deserves.

Tess Rouse, progress for Langley. You know, I want Langley not to just be a place that we live. I want it to actually be a place that we love. And so, that means continuing to invest and expand our arts, culture, everything that really makes Langley come alive. You know, and things like supporting our Langley Arts Council, expanding programs that are working, like our summer concert night series at the Langley Event Centre, and really making sure that in every community, there is something going on for us to actually get out and experience. We don't want people just living here and leaving on the weekend to go where there's fun festivals or arts and culture in other places. We need them here, and we need to keep doing what we're doing and expand those and support the associations that are already doing such great work in our community. Thank you.

Hi everyone, Tess Rouse with Progress for Langley. This is a really important conversation we're having tonight. I've worked in senior leadership across every level of government, including right here at the Township of Langley. And two years ago, I also started my own business. And so, So this conversation is important to me because I've seen this from both sides. We need to care about the fact that growth and land use is not just lines on a map. It actually determines whether our supplies, our deliveries sit in traffic on 200th Street, whether we can actually open a storefront here in Langley or expand an existing business. Crime is not just a statistic. It actually determines how our customers, how our staff feel when they walk through our doors. And I have had the privilege of sitting in a front row seat to watch government, even the smallest decisions, ripple through entire industries. So I care about this conversation. The businesses that you all represent today are not just supporting our community. They are creating it. They are shaping it. And every decision that we have around that Council table needs to understand that connection as well as that impact. Thank you.

Langley is growing, and the question I keep coming back to is what do we want this growth to create? Langley has momentum. We need ambition to actually create something, A livable community, a complete community. Our team has a vision, and we also have the experience to get it done. Tess Rouse with Progress for Langley. Thank you.

Hi, everyone. I'm Tess Rouse. Langley has always been part of my story. I was born here. I've spent most of my adult life here and I've also raised my family in this community. I also bring over 16 years of government experience from local, regional and provincial, spanning all different sectors, infrastructure, transportation, environment, community planning, including over 10 years actually working at the township of Langley. And so, this really matters to me and it should matter to Langley because this is what's shaping our community right now. How we grow, how we move, what we protect, and what this community actually becomes for decades. So I would be honored to bring that experience to council.

Too often, politics makes leaders a little too cautious. I have served under many mayors at the township of Langley, and I have never seen progress like I have in the last four years. We want to talk about the debt. It's been mentioned a couple times tonight. We need someone with bold vision. We need a team that's actually able to deliver on that. Okay. The 22% is not the whole picture. You really need to inform yourself, ask questions, look at the actual numbers. Okay. And as someone who's actually has government experience, who's been through many budget processes, I can promise you that is not a tax increase. That is a projection. Okay. So educate. We want to continue that progress. Let's not go backwards. Let's keep moving forwards for parents, for kids in the community. Let's keep roads, infrastructure, parks going. Thank you.