Collaboration

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People sometimes ask me:

“Amanda, how has Area C been able to get so much done?”

It isn’t a secret, we have accomplished some wonderful things.

But there is a strategy.

Know your jurisdiction.

Know your community.

Build relationships.

Find opportunities.

And make sure Area C has a strong voice when decisions are being made.

Over the past eight years, I've worked with MPs, MLAs, neighbouring elected officials, First Nations, local businesses, foundations, community organizations and other levels of government to bring partners to the table.

I've worked across political lines because a good idea for Area C shouldn't depend on someone's political stripe.

That approach has helped bring more than $85 million in outside funding, investment and services into projects benefiting our community over my two terms—money we didn't have to raise solely through local property taxes.

That's important because residents have consistently told me two things:

Keep improving our community—and be careful with our taxes.

Doing both takes creativity.

It means finding grants, negotiating agreements, building partnerships and sometimes spending years putting all the pieces together.

The proposed East Vernon Road active transportation improvements are a good example. Rural roads can involve multiple jurisdictions, different funding programs and limited infrastructure dollars. We're continuing to work behind the scenes to move that project forward.

Not every project happens overnight.

My job is to stay at the table until we find a path forward.

And the benefits of investing in Area C don't stop at our boundary.

People from throughout Greater Vernon walk our trails, visit our parks, bring their dogs to Mutrie and BX Dog Parks, explore Silver Star and enjoy the incredible rural landscape surrounding the city.

We love welcoming you.

That's why I believe strong communities aren't built by competing over who gets the biggest piece of the pie.

They're built by making the pie bigger.

That's what strong partnerships can do.

And there are still opportunities on the table that I intend to pursue.

Let's keep the momentum going.