To all my fellow neighbours,
As one committed to the community and dedicated to progress, I’m once again vying to be a public servant by running for the Office of District of North Vancouver City Councillor. I hope to bring a new, fresh vision and voice to our city council and shape the future of our community. I believe that contractors of small, medium or large sizes are equally viable candidates for our district.
North Vancouver is a special place to live, work, and raise a family. I have the experience, problem-solving skills, and vision to give our city a bright future and help meet its challenges.
Great communities require great leaders. We need leaders with new visions and the dedication to get the job done, and I believe in making decisions based on what we as a community need, not what I think we need. I welcome using reports, studies, community feedback, etc., to make better-informed policymaking decisions for the community across the board.
As all we know, growth does NOT stop, so we should help each other to stay on the right path going forward. Now is the time to band together as a community like never before and network with ideas, technology, and actions, make and support fair and just laws, volunteer, help, and share. I feel a good City Councillor should act as an advocate for our entire city, demanding transparency and results and going to bat for the little guy, and that is what I am good at! The administrator in me hopes to reduce the wait time for the processing of permits for local residents as well.
As an effective leader, once in office, I would like to address the following issues and ideas:
1 – The Affordable Housing Issue requires study and communication with the provincial and federal governments to allocate a budget to build rental condos with reasonable rent, as well as build pre-sale condos by the provincial and federal governments for the middle class. This, combined with reducing property taxes, could help reduce the costs for existing homeowners, renters, and buyers and decrease the living expenses for all.
2 – Traffic is a big issue for the District of North Vancouver. Every day we have issues. As a problem-solving specialist, I would like to tackle this issue from several angles. I would look to strengthen and optimize transportation systems by continuing the SkyTrain rail lines to the North Shore, including digging the tunnel under the ocean, facilitating quicker and easier commutes to West Vancouver and beyond. The change in how we do things in the last couple of years has worked somewhat to reduce traffic congestion, but we know that we’ll have to keep up with infrastructure demands to keep our increasing population moving along on our roadways.
3 – Entrepreneurship is something I am quite familiar with and would encourage residents of the District of North Vancouver to establish and grow their home businesses. With more people working at home, it not only reduces traffic and emissions but also fosters a new way of earning an income, as so many have transitioned to working from home and opened up a new world for themselves. After guiding several entrepreneurs through preparing a business plan and taking the many practical and legal steps required to establish a company, I am happy to share what I know with budding entrepreneurs to promote small business growth.
4 – Industrial Parks with ‘Zero’ Pollution Standards are the way of the future. I would lend support by studying such projects and communicating my findings to the provincial and federal governments about the feasibility of developing one in the District of North Vancouver. It could not only set a standard of a reduced ecological footprint for the district, but it could also reduce emissions by reducing the commute for those wishing to remain on the North Shore to work while stimulating the local economy for residents and the government. My practical training as an auditor in Quality Management and Environmental Management will serve me well with understanding logistics and more.
5 – EV Stations for charging electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will be required more and more as we transition to electric vehicles, and I would work to facilitate the transitions by increasing their number throughout the district, to support sustainable goals, and provide a solution to the rising cost of fuel and its diminishing supply.
6 – After-school Programs in Community Centers are a wonderful idea for both students and working parents who could use help with family living expenses, and I would gladly support such programs, which could also be run on statutory holidays as well.
7 – Post-secondary Education is something close to my heart, and I would encourage college and university instructors and representatives to present introductions to their institutions and courses to grade 11 and 12 students each year.
8 – First Nations Relationships and interactions are of great importance in British Columbia, with many tribes and their rich and deep history comprising the District of North Vancouver. In respecting First Nations’ rights and continuing strong relationships, I welcome members to participate in programs and decisions. As indigenous stewards of the land, I especially invite First Nations’ input regarding communities dealing with climate change and rising sea levels affecting shorelines and inland flooding or drought.
9 – Reservoirs and Desalination are becoming necessary topics that could use some focus. We are so fortunate to have our beautiful reservoir and its fine drinking water at the Cleveland Dam. I would like to see smaller reservoirs created to be at the ready in case of fire while providing communities with clean, desalinated seawater. In piping the seawater out of the ocean, we are combating rising sea levels, so it is a double win.
10 – Creating more visitor attractions would be something I’d be interested in supporting, as I see the value in it for all. I see it as a way to naturally stimulate the economy while making the district more enjoyable for both local residents and tourists.
11 – Taxes Increases should be avoided at this time. The federal government helped during the height of the pandemic, and it is not fair to return its help by putting pressure on our community by increasing taxes.
- – Bus Shelters powered by solar energy are a great thing and will encourage ridership, thus, once again meeting our sustainable goals. We can start with installing more benches until we can someday make bus shelters a reality at stops where it is feasible and warranted. All bus stations must have shelter with seating in the District of North Vancouver.
Community involvement starts with listening.
I’ll always be accessible to you, and I encourage you to contact me and talk about your ideas.
I have gained so much satisfaction in applying my vast education to help people visiting and settling in Canada that I thought I would broaden my scope and make my various degrees in law, business, and engineering as well as my education in immigration and public law, available to the community while providing a hub for networking ideas, local business and resources and accessing local laws and standards. I believe a community councillor’s office should provide information on community events, recreational facilities, recycling, sustainability and city maintenance services, food banks, health and welfare support services, affordable housing, transportation/parking, EV stations, and more to make the community run smoothly.
I’m proud to have the support and endorsement of educators, families, and small business owners, and I hope that by Election Day, I will have earned not just your vote but also your trust and support.
With your vote, I will be your voice for our city and serve with wisdom and fairness.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Dr. Thomas Tofigh
Meet Dr. Thomas Tofigh:
Thomas is running to bring a new vision and energy to the District of North Vancouver City Council in 2022 and to offer his well-rounded experience and education in fields that apply to the office on many levels. As City Councillor, he will support the people in the District of North Vancouver, work to improve their quality of life, invest in the community’s future, and stand for the values of the neighbourhood.
Thomas is a hardworking Canadian immigrant who has enjoyed living in North Vancouver since 2011. He and his family came to love the community that gave them so much, and, as many immigrants do, Thomas wants to give back to his new homeland. Working in the field of immigration helped him decide to share his knowledge and experience to help address the lives of local residents. He has met so many wonderful people here, both through bringing people into the country and from meeting the well-established residents with big hearts and a sense of community beyond our district. Their stories, backgrounds, needs, and goals are what inspired this campaign, and Thomas is excited to facilitate a positive forward motion for all.
Thomas believes in supporting Canadian institutions and served as a director on the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation Board for four years, where he was introduced to committee work.
He is also an administrator for a Facebook group called ‘Vancouver Iranian Outreach,’ with over 35,000 members. It was created to help newcomers and residents in Vancouver, as Thomas was born in Iran himself.
Thomas received a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering there. He worked in the field in various capacities in Iran before moving to the UK in 2008, where he earned a master’s degree in Computer Science in 2011. He then immigrated to Canada as a Skilled Worker and has continued to build on his educational credentials, adding a master’s degree in International Commercial Law and a Ph.D. in Public Law along with earning his certificates to become a Canadian Registered Immigration Consultant and taking the course, ‘Mastering Family Sponsorship, Spouse, and Children. In his twenty-plus years of working in the field of immigration, he has taken on titles such as ‘Commissioner of Oaths’ for the government of British Columbia and ‘The Commissioner for Taking Affidavits’ by the ‘Order in Council in Administration Office, in the Ministry of Attorney General.
With years of hard work and community service and dealing with various government agencies on behalf of others under his belt, Thomas believes he can contribute new vision and energy to the city government armed with a solid background as a well-rounded candidate, bringing lots of ideas and the ambition to help on multiple levels.
This election is about the future of our district as we need to keep our neighbourhoods moving forward, together, with goals that benefit many. Thomas Tofigh embodies the bold, energetic, vibrant leadership that is the signature of the North Shore and is here to help.
Member of Liberal Party of Canada since 2011
