Hello

My name is John Buffery

For the past 15 years I have had the privilege in serving you, the public, in the provincial government sector at a senior level where I write risk management standards, policy and procedures to protect public safety. For 18 years prior to that, I owned a successful corporation consulting in mountain safety risk management for feature films throughout the world. I still have annual contracts in this field and have brought feature film work to the Kootenays. I bring my international exposure and experience to focus on our beautiful City of Nelson, which has supported me with a healthy, happy, and successful career.

Check out my personal website by clicking the button below.

SafetyWrangler.com

Vision

My passionate connection to the landscape of Nelson and the people in our community, inspires me to lead City council on a balanced path of sustainable principals, values and equity, founded in our rich historical culture, niche businesses and well-earned unique reputation.

Goal

I want to unify our community to engage in a high quality, healthy, expressive life, where everyone feels their capacity to contribute to Nelson’s beautiful and progressive culture.

My Platform

Climate change is the first lens that must be applied to all our informed decisions.

Collectively we will adapt to the effects to our new environment as it affects the mountain wildlife corridor we inhabit. Let’s commit to keeping our people and wildlife safe from negative interactions. A top priority will be to incorporate bear and rodent proof human waste management practices. I will ensure BC Bear Smart practices are incorporated in the first draft of our next Official Community Plan within a year.

Our community has some unique vulnerabilities to wildfire risk. We will engage with all stakeholders in our area to target strategic wildfire fuel management practices.

These two past summer droughts have severely stressed our historic urban forest. The shade of established trees reduces the temperature throughout town as well
providing mental health for visitors and inhabitants. We will work with our community to manage and support an aesthetic succession of planned urban forestry, and ensure this asset is incorporated into Nelson’s infrastructure.

Reassessing the negative effects from the pandemic.

Covid 19 tested Nelson’s resilience, essentially shutting tourism down. Everyone suffered horrendously by every account; economically, emotionally, physically, and socially. We need to reassess the negative effects from the pandemic, paying particular attention to rebuild and enhance our high quality, sustainable tourism sector. As part of that drive and to support all local businesses, we need to increase equitable rental housing so the people who work in our community can
afford to live within it.

Prioritize a budget that outlines long term planning.

My present job is with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. I will ensure we communicate and prioritize a budget that outlines long term planning to update our aging infrastructure capturing opportunities of investments with private development and other government agencies. I would like to see a safe pedestrian-centric downtown core, increasing assisted or self-propelled
transportation corridors from Fairview and Rosemount, and to alleviate car parking challenges for those who have fewer transportation choices.

Supporting our at-risk population.

A quantifiable measurement to a healthy successful society is observed in how its
mentally and socially challenged population is held. A dynamic population and evolving addiction issues in Nelson create a complex, multifaceted puzzle to be faced with courage and creativity. I will engage in detailed dialog and action with all stakeholders, in the effort to support our at-risk population. I support a 24/7
safe injection and inhalation site, with professional health support and education for people to transition back into a supportive society.

Values

I believe Nelson’s great attraction for people to live and visit here, stems from our rich and deep heritage and evolution of our unique culture.

Recently, I was honoured to help the Sinixt community discover evidence of a lost spiritual site on a steep cliff face, that has long been part of their storytelling tradition.

In our city, we have inherited beautiful stone buildings and walls constructed by our earlier settlers. The rural survival skills and food security established by Doukhobors and Japanese settlers set the table for our present day quality cuisine. Baker St. was renowned for its specialty retail stores in the 1800's with the miners, but now caters to a slightly more sophisticated clientele.

The foresight to construct world class performance and cinema theaters lives on with internationally recognized local talent.

We are beneficiaries from the intellectual draft dodge migration, with the creation of David Thompson University, Kootenay School of the Arts, Selkirk College, and many other private schools.

The cultural, arts and heritage preservation and enhancement are some of my core community values.

Nelson’s numerous diverse and successful businesses are the result of ingenuity, perseverance, and tenacity. I support sustainable development, with a focus on respect for our region's natural ecological values.

I have been a professional athlete my entire adult life. The growth of recreational sport in our community over the last 30 years has produced world renowned athletes. Sport is a sector of our economy with massive expansion potential, and I support its development whole-heartedly.

My Volunteering

Nelson Nordic Ski Club - Board Member
Nelson Electric Tramway Society - Trolley Conductor
Capital Theatre - Rigger for Peter Pan
Street-fest - Rigging Coordinator Aerial Dancers
Association for Canadian Mountain Guides - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
Canadian Avalanche Association - Governance Committee
International Commission for Alpine Rescue - Canadian Ambassador

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Media & News

Kootenay Co-Op Radio Interview

Buffery’s mayoral interview KCR

00:00 / 03:31

Synergy

Play Video

Why Me?

I am process and systems driven. I am approachable with developed listening skills. I am a communicator and the unifier with the clear intention to bring our community together.

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My 40+ years of exposure managing uncertainty in the mountains professionally, has given me expertise in making the right decision when life and death are often the consequences.

I am bringing that focus to manage Nelson to be a safe, healthy, cohesive and proud community.

Most photos courtesy of Dustin Lalik