Max Lai on Facebook 
YouTube channel A voice that doesn’t talk down to you but a voice that talks with you. A voice that listens, learns, and understands our current issues and uses all available information to make informed decisions that consider the present and the future.
Max Lai
Independent for City of North Vancouver Council
Housing & Homelessness
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Affordability
It’s clear that today’s housing market is unaffordable for most young adults and families. Our policies should focus on ensuring adequate, affordable housing for all.
Increase the amount of units secured via the Inclusionary Housing Policy towards stratified developments from 2% to 10%.
Homelessness
Targeted Housing Plans to build non-market, affordable and supportive transitional housing
Housing Accessibility
Look into the viability and implementation of rent-to-own programs.
Expand the existing “Affordable Housing Reserve Fund” to give more incentives to homeowners.
Expand the existing “Housing Initiatives Grant” to homeowners specifically building for senior housing and those with disabilities.
Proactive engagement with the federal government to engage them in helping fund affordable, local housing.
Public & Assistive Housing
Creation of a Workforce Housing program, securing 20% of net new units to be dedicated for individuals and families earning $30-80,000 per year.
Rent & Rental Stock
Streamline Inclusionary Housing Policy to raise both the amount of units to 30% and streamlining rental rates to 30% to match BC Housing’s definition of Rental Affordable.
Zoning
Making it easier for homeowners to zone homes from coach houses to laneway houses to multiplexes and not be bogged down by lengthy and costly permit times to reducing bureaucratic hoops to start building
Public Spaces & Services
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Fitness & Sports Facilities
Recreational and Community Services are integral to our community. We should continue to expand our current amenities while building facilities for our future generations.
Work with the North Vancouver Recreation Commission to expand and create more programs to help reduce the cost of using recreation facilities.
Not delay funding for a skate park roof, which was promised in 2022 by the Council.
Advocate for a North Shore Curling Rink, since no public rink has been accessible since 2014.
Advocate and push for NVRC to ensure all current and future lifeguard jobs are part-time or full-time rather than auxiliary to promote worker retention and decrease burnout.
Green Space
Follow the 3-30-300 rule for areas that are known hotspots especially in central and lower lonsdale
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
Continued advocacy for those that incentivize those that bike to continue biking through Bike-Share Programs to well-planned biking lanes
Zoning
Making it easier for homeowners to zone homes from coach houses to laneway houses to multiplexes and not be bogged down by lengthy and costly permit times to reducing bureaucratic hoops to start building
Transit & Getting Around
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Private Vehicles & Parking
Paid Parking should be a supplement to Transit alternatives, not a reason to put it down because it is seen as a revenue stream.
Working with Translink to ensure a detailed policy plan on actually increasing transit mode share, as well as improving internal mobility and north-south travel.
Sidewalks & Bike Paths
Continued advocacy for those that incentivize those that bike to continue biking through Bike-Share Programs to well-planned biking lanes
Transit Projects
Advocating for the implementation of a 25$ Low Income Transit Pass Program.
Advocating Translink for more than one BRT line being implemented on the North Shore.
Working with Translink to ensure more consistent and frequent transit service on the North Shore.
Walking & Cycling
Continuation of the NSTS, ‘North Shore Transportation Survey’, to ensure clear and precise reporting on current, deliverable actions, and anticipating future travel needs.
Look to make local bylaws clear and concise on what is apprioriate for owning and using a personal E-Bike, as seen with increasing incidents of E-Bike Usage
Climate Change, Heat, & Fires
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Energy-Efficient Buildings
More local incentives to have homeowners build solar panels to heat pumps without the bureaucratic tape or middle-man song and dance.
Green Space
Follow the 3-30-300 rule for areas that are known hotspots especially in central and lower lonsdale
Private Vehicles & Parking
Paid Parking should be a supplement to Transit alternatives, not a reason to put it down because it is seen as a revenue stream.
Working with Translink to ensure a detailed policy plan on actually increasing transit mode share, as well as improving internal mobility and north-south travel.
Urban Heat
Look into newer buildings to code AC due to the rising heat of BC summers and increasing regularity of forest fires
Walking & Cycling
Continuation of the NSTS, ‘North Shore Transportation Survey’, to ensure clear and precise reporting on current, deliverable actions, and anticipating future travel needs.
Look to make local bylaws clear and concise on what is apprioriate for owning and using a personal E-Bike, as seen with increasing incidents of E-Bike Usage
Zoning
Making it easier for homeowners to zone homes from coach houses to laneway houses to multiplexes and not be bogged down by lengthy and costly permit times to reducing bureaucratic hoops to start building
Local Government & Democracy
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Good Governance
A voice that listens, learns, and understands our current issues and uses all available information to make informed decisions that consider the present and the future.
Public Engagement
Creation of a motion to advocate to lower voting age to 16
Top three issues
Biography
submitted by the candidate or their team
Born and raised in North Vancouver. I am passionate about contributing to the community and making positive changes in our city. Learn more about who I am and how I plan to support North Vancouver City.
Graduating from Handsworth Secondary in 2012, I studied at SFU and graduated with a B.A. in political science. Through my education, I have seen the benefit of lifelong and continual learning. With the lenses of patience and open-mindedness I proactively look to find common ground. Additionally, I do my best to be aware that there is always a new perspective to consider and more to learn.
I love swimming and teaching. My swimming experience as a lifeguard/instructor for ten years, our recreational facilities are vital to both our community’s mental and physical well-being. The facilities that we have in place should have the ability to both serve the present needs as well as invest into the community’s future. My teaching experience as a volunteer for Cheakamus Centre outdoor educational program, a YMCA camp leader for teen youth leadership, and as an education assistant for SD 45 means I understand the need for substantive, supportive programs to help reduce the cost of living and improve affordability.
Political research has always been a passion of mine. Data driven policy is essential to make actionable and incremental positive changes within the community. I started by volunteering for Former MP Jonathan Wilkinson from Sept 2016-Dec 2016, helping compile, sort and organize data and files. I have experience on the federal NDP level volunteering as a research, data, and debate analyst for Justine Bell (2019) and Tammy Bentz (2021 and 2025). With what I’ve learned on these campaigns I aim at addressing important community issues such as Affordable Housing, Transportation Alternatives, Cost of Living, and many more.
My community experience includes volunteering within the North Vancouver City and District to familiarize myself with the processes required to effectively implement change. I served on the Community Service Advisory Committee (2019-2021) for the District of North Vancouver to learn about quality of life concerns and address them by assisting non-profits within the community. In the City of North Vancouver, I serve on the Integrated Transportation Committee (2021-2023) to develop an understanding of current policy and the effects of new development on traffic flow. I also currently serve as President for my Strata Council since 2021, working with fellow homeowners and strata management when it comes to dealing with specific homeowner issus to dealing with developer issues.
I would love to hear your experiences in the community and how I can support you and your family.
Reason for running
submitted by the candidate or their team
Using my experience volunteering in both federal and municipal politics, I want to efficiently support improvements to transportation, housing affordability, recreation, and cost of living
I was raised on the North Shore, and thus I will always want to continue living in this beautiful community. I love being able to find quality cafes where I can enjoy a nice cup of coffee in Lower Lonsdale. From the plethora of shops and restaurants, an abundant amount of green space and parks, to the diversity of different areas to visit, makes this the perfect community to live in.
The cost of living has grown at such an unattainable pace that living on the North Shore for many is no longer a viable option. From unaffordable housing prices to rent usually eating half of one’s monthly budget for many working adults who wish to live on the North Shore, to our constant traffic woes, which forces many, for those who can’t live on the North Shore, to decide if the cost of travel is enough for the benefit of the work.
Add on volatile gas prices, which can press into one’s transit budget, rising bus pricing for those trying to be conscientious, to those dependent on transit and growing grocery bills, the idea of wanting to live or continuing to live on the North Shore seems to be stretched farther and farther away.
Politicians serve as the interface between the community we represent and the policymakers who look to improve our community. That we are the connecting piece between the staff and policy makers who make it, and the community that is affected by it. I believe the goal of any politician is to be a public resource for the community; the interface that translates what happens in the council meeting to educate and inform the public.
It’s time to vote for those who understand both our current communities’ needs and can also envision and see what our future communities’ needs will be. I want to be that voice for our community. A voice that doesn’t talk down to you, but a voice that talks with you. A voice that listens, learns, and understands our current issues and uses all available information to make informed decisions that consider the present and the future. A voice that understands honesty, transparency, and accountability is a standard, not a campaign promise.
I am running to be a councillor that works with and works for everyone, of all ages, so they can work, live and play on the North Shore
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