Susan MacNeill campaigns for Quesnel city council, highlighting housing, economic development and public safety

Currently, MacNeill works as a seniors advocate, a role she has held locally for more than two decades. She has also worked as a project coordinator on a variety of initiatives through community organizations and local projects.

MacNeill said the decision to run for council comes at a time when the city is facing significant challenges that require strong leadership and collaboration.

“First of all, I think we’re facing many challenges and barriers,” she said.

Among those challenges, housing tops her list of priorities.

“Housing first” is a key focus of her campaign, with MacNeill emphasizing the need to address barriers to safe and accessible housing in the community.

She also identified economic development as a major issue facing the city. MacNeill believes council should explore new ways of maintaining a strong local economy, including reviewing taxation models and examining opportunities in sectors beyond forestry.

“I think we need to revisit how we are helping ourselves stay economically sound,” she said. “That could be looking at taxation models and looking perhaps at other avenues like mining and looking at taxation models that might more align with what we were doing in the forestry sector.”

Public safety and bylaw enforcement represent the third pillar of her platform. MacNeill said she would like to see greater public awareness of local bylaws while ensuring community safety remains a priority.

“I really feel that we need to ramp up and help people understand what the bylaws in town are,” she said. “We need to look at the safety aspect of that and what’s happening in our community.”

Beyond specific policy goals, MacNeill said she believes effective governance requires respect, collaboration and a willingness to work through differing opinions.

“I’m prepared to answer those hard questions and be on a team that wants to collaborate to perhaps get our community a little healthier and a little more resilient,” she said.

MacNeill added that elected officials must approach municipal government with integrity and respect for both the process and their colleagues.

“We have to have effective governance, and we need to have respect and integrity for the process, as well as for each other on council,” she said. “We have to agree to disagree. It doesn’t mean that we’re always going to have the same ideals and agree on the same topics.”

Having raised her family in Quesnel, MacNeill said it is the people and the community spirit that continue to make the city special to her.

“I love the people. I love the environment,” she said. “I’ve raised all my children here.”

As the election campaign gets underway, MacNeill also offered praise for the growing number of candidates seeking public office.

“I would just like to congratulate everybody that’s put their name forward,” she said. “Kudos to everyone that’s championing the cause.”

MacNeill said she hopes to be part of a council that can work together to make Quesnel a stronger, healthier and more resilient community for the future.

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

Susan MacNeill campaigns for Quesnel city council, highlighting housing, economic development and public safety

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