Candidates in
Vancouver

Colleen was born, raised and educated in Vancouver. The Hardwick family has provided civic leadership in the City for three generations. Her father, Dr. Walter G. Hardwick, served on city council from 1968 to 1974 and is known as the ‘Father of False Creek.” Her grandmother, Iris L. Hardwick, was one of the the first women elected to the Vancouver Park Board (1956-1960). Colleen obtained a B.A. in Geography and Political Science at the University of British Columbia in 1983, and a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

From the mid-1980s to 2000, Colleen worked in the film industry and progressed through the ranks to create her own company, New City Productions, which produced dozens of film and TV projects in the region. During this period, she was nominated in the Entrepreneurship category for a prestigious YWCA Women of Distinction Award, named one of the 13 Most Important People in the B.C. Film Industry by the Financial Post, and received a 40 under 40 Award from Business in Vancouver.

Circling back to her urban geography roots while working on a planning project in 2010, Colleen sought to consult with residents online within specific neighbourhood boundaries. When she could not find a solution, she set out to invent one. The result is PlaceSpeak, a pioneering location-based community consultation platform designed to authenticate online public consultation in order to facilitate evidence-based decision-making and policy development. Since receiving the support of the National Research Council of Canada for technology validation in 2011, Colleen has continued to advance the platform’s technology and processes, and is a frequent speaker on the subject of online citizen engagement.

Colleen has two daughters, who live and work in Vancouver, and is a grandmother of two, and is committed to helping ensure that future generations can continue to live in Vancouver. She is married to well known character actor Garry Chalk, and lives in Kitsilano.

Reason for running

submitted by the candidate or their team

Vancouver is my home.

This is where I was born, raised and educated.

As someone who’s spent their entire life here, it pains me to see the state of our city.

Vancouver has become unaffordable, unsafe, and disconnected from its own residents.

I have a deep sense of responsibility to apply my unique background to help Vancouver fix what’s broken, and reset its direction for the future.

I will stand up for our communities and put the emphasis back on essential services like roads, garbage pickup, schools, parks, pools and community centres.

We’ve been let down by previous administrations, who offer slick slogans and empty promises but don’t deliver.

I believe in keeping my word, and keeping City Council open and accountable.

Growth must happen with neighbourhoods, not to them, and should be shaped through meaningful consultation with local residents and businesses. That means respecting local character, and making sure infrastructure keeps up, from schools to transit to green space.

As a mother and grandmother, I am committed to a Vancouver that is affordable for our future generations. I raised my kids here, and I want future generations to be able to raise their families here as well. I want to ensure that my grandchildren have parks and green spaces to play in, and they can afford to get into the housing market when they grow up.

We have work to do, and I’ve never been someone to shy away from hard work. I’ve never been afraid to ask the tough questions, and stand up for what’s right. I have the foundational knowledge to bring forward a plan for Vancouver that will actually work.

I believe this is the time for change - to recover our balance as a truly livable Vancouver.

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Contact

colleen@voteteam.ca

@colleenhardwick.bsky.social

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