VIDEO: Youngest candidate for Kelowna city council says it's not about his age

| August 24, 2022 in Kelowna

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If you believe council needs some youth, at 25, Davis Kyle is the most youthful, but that's not what he wants to talk about.

"I'm not running to be a young candidate, I'm running to be a prepared candidate," he said.

Kyle is currently employed with the federal government as an infrastructure procurement professional, but he's had his eye on city council for most of a year now.

"I've been going to council meetings since November, I've knocked on thousands of doors in our community and I have the most detailed policy platform of anyone running to be a city councillor," he said.

"I want to talk about the ideas that I have for Kelowna, the changes I want to make," said Kyle.

A few candidates have raised the issue of establishing a ward system in Kelowna so that people have someone to vote for who represents their part of the city.

Kyle said he was the first to bring it up.

"I think it's a great way to have that neighbourhood by neighbourhood representation of the community."

He said there are things city council could be doing to make a more immediate difference on the issue of housing affordability.

He wants to see changes in regulations provide for cross-subsidized social housing. 

"To support non-profit builders to come in," Kye explains.

"70% of units are market rent and then 30% of units are subsidized by those 70%. They're deeply affordable so that single mothers and low-income seniors at risk of homelessness, they have a place to go."

He wants to see an end to what he calls "exclusionary zoning".

Kyle said it's blocking the creation of what is being described as the "missing middle" in the housing market.

"That's about more house-plexes, townhomes, two and three-bedroom wood frame ground-oriented structures that have private backyards so that kids have a place to play," he said. 

"It's more livable than trying to raise kids in a studio apartment on a busy road, but it's more affordable too."

On homelessness, Kyle admits it's a tough issue and like many candidates, he wants more supports along with the creation of housing projects.

"That means mental health treatment and drug abuse treatment," he said.

As for the proliferation of high-rises, Kyle isn't opposed to them, but he said council needs better planning and fewer variances.

"We just need to have a by-the-books approach where you have a specific height for a specific area and council sticks with it." 

To check out all of the candidates, visit KelownaVotes 2022.

Voting day is Oct. 15.

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