Unlocking community potential: start local
Better North Shore started in 2022 as a chat group. Photo: Martyn Schmoll
Most of us care deeply about affordable housing, safer streets, reliable transit, and good schools. Here on the North Shore, they're the issues that directly affect us – and our kids – every day. But what do you do if you see something that isn't working or needs to change? If you’re not into politics, it’s easy to feel like there’s no clear way to make a difference. The good news is you don’t need to be a political junkie to create real change. With our municipal elections coming up in fall 2026, now’s the perfect time to get involved in your community—on your terms.
Start with what matters to you
Ask yourself: What’s bothering me in my neighbourhood? What needs fixing? Some of the most successful grassroots organizing groups build on momentum by focusing on specific, winnable goals that resonate with everyday people. You can take the same approach locally. Identify one or two core issues that matter to you and your neighbours. Talk to the folks around you and see what they care about. The more grounded your message is in real experiences, the more powerful it'll be.
Learn the local landscape
Municipal elections often fly under the radar, but they matter more than many realize. City councils, school boards, and mayors control budgets, zoning, policing, and services that affect your daily life.
Build a small but committed group
You don’t need an army. You need a group chat. Find 3–5 people who care about similar issues and start coordinating. Assign simple roles: one person tracks key dates, another manages social posts, and someone else writes up conversation starters or canvassing materials. The most effective grassroots movements start with small, trust-based groups that grow organically.
Engage, don’t preach
Political fatigue is real. People tune out when they feel overwhelmed. So ditch the soapbox and start conversations. Host a coffee meetup. Share a link to a candidate’s housing plan with a comment like, “I thought this was interesting—what do you think?”
You don’t have to have all the answers. You just need to be willing to listen and help others feel empowered to participate. This “relational organizing” model mobilizes voters through personal networks—friends talking to friends.
Who is running?
Spend an afternoon getting familiar with who’s running and what they stand for. You don’t need to know everything—just enough to connect the dots between your concerns and the decisions being made. Attend candidate forums, or organize your own informal Q&A session. Go as a group and ask informed, issue-based questions at town halls - it puts pressure on candidates to answer with substance.
Make voting easy for everyone
Not everyone knows how or where to vote. One of the simplest, most powerful things you can do is help remove those barriers. Share deadlines and polling locations. Offer rides to the polls. Help someone register or update their information. As we saw in 2022, when Mathew Bond came within just 300 votes of winning the election against Mike Little in the District of North Vancouver, these efforts can swing tight races.
Stick around after election day
Win or lose, don’t disappear. Keep showing up at council meetings, community hearings, and school board sessions. Change takes time, and lasting impact comes from consistent presence. Stay connected to the group you’ve built and be ready to gear up for the next local battle.
Final thought
You don’t need to be “into politics” to make a difference in your community. You just need to care, get informed, and bring a few people along for the ride. That’s how change happens—quietly, steadily, and from the ground up.
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