Hall, Peter

Part of a series of forums that Douglas College is hosting in partnership with SFU and the City of New Westminster. The goal of these forums is to provide an occasion for frank discussion on important issues facing urban and suburban communities, to both inform and learn from academics, practitioners, and citizens. Should truckers, commuters and residents continue to share the same roads? Is it possible to create an efficient, reliable, equitable and environmentally sustainable transportation system within the City that is part of a regional, national and global system? What solutions are possible? What innovations are on the horizon? Welcome: John Fleming, Dean, Humanities and Social Science (Douglas College). Moderator: Dr. Michael McPhee, Humanities and Social Science (Douglas College). He’s taught at Douglas College for over 20 years and has been a planning and environmental consultant for over 30 years. Mike has worked on planning projects throughout BC, the US, and Asia. He’s held positions with Quadra Planning Consultants, the Fraser River Estuary Management Program, UBC, and Environment Canada. (timestamp) Panelists: Dr. Peter Hall, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (SFU). Dr. Hall is a professor and Director of the Graduate Urban Studies program at SFU. His research examines the connections between port cities, seaports, and logistics as well as community, economic, and employment development. His publications include the co-edited books Integrating Sea Ports and Trade Corridors and Cities, Regions, and Flow. (5:40) Lisa Spitale, Chief Administrative Officer (City of New Westminster). Lisa is a registered professional planner with over 30 years of experience. She has been employed with the City of New Westminster for over 25 years and has held senior management positions, including the Director of Development Services and the Director of Strategic Services. Under Lisa’s leadership, New Westminster has realized unprecedented growth and she’s helped spearheaded some of the city’s highest profile projects including the iconic Anvil Centre and the Westminster Pier Park. (23:08) Matthew May, Vice President (BST Transportation Group). Matthew made his way up the ranks in the transportation industry, from dispatching to his current position as VP. He understands the complexity of all the pieces of the transportation supply chain and how they piece together. By developing relationships with multiple large and smaller clients alike, he’s been an integral part of developing for how BC’s most frequented businesses move their goods. Mr. May has been dedicated to the improvement of how the industry is perceived and promoting the importance of safety in the industry. He is the current Board Chair of the Trucking Safety Counsel of British Columbia. (39:50) Peter Xotta, Vice President, Planning and Operations (Vancouver Fraser Port Authority). In his role as Vice President of Planning and Operators, he is responsible for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s long-term planning, operations, security, and trade development activities. Mr. Xotta joined the Port Authority in 1995 and has held diverse portfolios including business development and leading strategic port projects. He’s the former Chair of Canada Place Corporation and currently sits of the Board of Directors of the Van Horn Institute. He has a Master’s of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and is an active mentor in the program. (53:05) Q&A with panelists (1:08:27)

The SFU Urban Studies Program joins Douglas College and the City of New Westminster in co-sponsoring two public forums on urban challenges. Taking a hard look at the political, historical and social roots of the homelessness crisis in Canada and the Metro Vancouver region. Explore how our perception of housing has shifted from home to commodity and learn how the City of New Westminster has emerged as a leader in fighting homelessness. Welcome: Sarah Dench, Vice President, Student Affairs (Douglas College) Moderator: Dr. Peter Hall, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (SFU). Dr. Hall is a professor and Director of Urban studies at SFU. His research examines the connections between port cities, seaports, and logistics as well as community, economic, and employment development. He was a director of reclaiming the New Westminster Waterfront Research Partnership, which included museum representatives, education, labour, and community partners. As a resident of New Westminster, he also serves on the city’s Advisory Planning Commission. (2:50) Panelists: Dr. Joseph Moore, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (Douglas College). Dr. Moore teaches sociology at Douglas College. He is particularly interested in notions of home, and he is the co-editor of a new book, Sociology of Home: Belonging, Community, and Place in the Canadian Context. Joseph has degrees from the University of Toronto, Concordia University, with a PhD from McMaster. He makes his home in East Vancouver and speaks about sociological approaches to housing and poses the question: what does home actually mean? (8:44) Jonathan Coté, Mayor, City of New Westminster. First elected in 2005 to Council, Jonathan X. Coté served three terms on New Westminster City Council before being elected as Mayor in 2014. He lives in New Westminster with his wife and his daughters. He’s a board member with Metro Vancouver and serves on many of their committees, including the Regional Homelessness Task Force. He’s a member of Metro’s Housing Committee and is a member of the TransLink Board. Outside of his mayoral duties, he’s worked in the insurance industry and has completed an Urban Studies degree at SFU. (26:33) Q&A with panelists (50:46)