Interview with key city planner at New Westminster, B.C. Special

John Stark, 48, is one of the key officials at the municipality of New Westminster. In this interview Stark tells me about his background, the projects he handles and the challenge he faces.

{{Gibril Koroma:}} Please introduce yourself to our readers: place of birth, schools attended, work experience and so on. {{John Stark:}} I was born in Australia and moved to England when I was five years old and Canada when I was nine years old. I have a Bachelor of Arts (Geography) at Simon Fraser University and a Masters in Environmental Design (Planning) at the University of Calgary. Prior to working with the City of New Westminster, I was a consultant for close to 15 years. In this capacity, I did contract work related to land use and social planning and was involved in a number of major public consultation processes. {{GK:}} What does your work at the New Westminster City Hall entail? What have been your challenges and achievements? {{JS:}} I am the Senior Social Planner with the City of New Westminster. In this position, my responsibilities include: Child Care and Early Childhood Development, Homelessness and Affordable Housing, Multiculturalism, Seniors, and Youth. I am also doing more work in the area of Physical Accessibility. I have been with the City for approximately three years. The major challenge has been juggling a number of different areas of responsibility, while, at the same time, ensuring that each area receives the attention that it deserves. As with any juggling act, you always have to be mindful not to drop the ball. Regarding Multiculturalism, the major challenge has been gaining an understanding of the different settlement and integration agencies at work in New Westminster and making connections with the various cultural communities. Regarding my achievements, the City, in partnership with BC Housing, has developed 25 new shelter beds and 84 new transitional and supportive housing units targeting the homeless in New Westminster. This new housing is making a significant difference, with street and visible homelessness all but disappearing. The City also prepared a Child Care Needs Assessment (October 2008) and Child Care Strategy (February 2009). Since the development of the Needs Assessment, 142 group and 35 family child care spaces have been created, with another 50 group child care spaces pending rezoning approval. Additionally, the City has established a Multiculturalism Advisory Committee; revised and operationalized its Multicultural Policy; and, in partnership with settlement and integration agencies, is working towards creating a welcoming and inclusive community. More specifically, a number of projects have been initiated under the title of ‘Reach Out New West … Greet, Inform, Connect.’ These projects include a Community Gateway (Ambassador) Project (Greet); a Newcomers’ Guide (Inform); and an Immigrant Mentorship Program (Connect). {{GK:}} A lot of research has been done on the immigrant community of New Westminster. What concrete achievements have come out of that research, in your view? {{JS:}} Two recent documents that have informed my thinking are the Access New Westminster Immigrant Survey (May 2007), which was based on the input of 243 immigrants, and the Diversity and Immigration Profile for New Westminster (December 2008). Regarding the latter document, it reports that between 2001 and 2006, increases in the immigrant population comprised 79.1% of total population growth in New Westminster. These documents informed the development of a Community Partnership Development Charter, which was the basis for accessing funding under the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program. {{GK:}} Have the community leaders in the various immigrant communities been involved in projects initiated by the New Westminster municipal government? If the answer is yes, what has been the quality of this collaboration and what have been the results? {{JS:}} The City’s Multiculturalism Advisory Committee includes broad representation by a number of different cultural and ethnic communities in New Westminster. The purpose of this body is “to promote multiculturalism and race relations within the City of New Westminster and to foster engagement by all citizens in civic affairs and community life.” The City has played a facilitative role with regard to accessing senior government funding such as that available under the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program. Regarding the specific projects under this program, the involvement of cultural community leaders has been left up to the lead agencies. It should be emphasized that municipalities have only recently got involved in multicultural, settlement and integration issues, and that funding for settlement and integration is a senior government responsibility. {{GK:}} What do you or your office expect from immigrant community leaders to realize your various projects? {{JS:}} The City is not involved in program design or delivery with regard to settlement and integration services in New Westminster. These decisions are left up to the lead agencies. {{GK:}} Could you give us an update on the Chinese reconciliation process? The Chinese Reconciliation Process, which was initiated by Council resolution on July 13, 2009, is nearing completion, with a Report expected to go to Council on June 28, 2010. This process comprised two distinct phases: (1) research and documentation; and (2) consultation with the Chinese community. Based on the first phase, it was determined that the City engaged in past discrimination against its Chinese community in two primary ways – i.e., restricting employment opportunities and making requests to the senior levels of government. Based on the research findings, Council directed City staff to enter into a discussion with the Chinese community around possible steps and actions in support of reconciliation. Based on the second phase, which involved close to 150 people, most of whom were Chinese, City staff have prepared a recommendation related to steps and actions in support of reconciliation for Council consideration and possible endorsement.