AMS VP External Solomon Yi-Kieran campaigned on a platform advocating for increased affordability, housing rights and transit expansion for students.
Ten months into their term, Yi-Kieran has made considerable strides toward their goals of lobbying for student needs at the municipal and provincial levels, fostering relationships between the AMS and external organizations, and renewing interest in issues such as the SkyTrain extension to UBC. However, some tangible outcomes are still pending.
Transit
A significant focus of Yi-Kieran's term as VP external has been on UBCx — a proposed Millennium Line SkyTrain extension that would connect the future Arbutus Station to UBC's Vancouver campus.
In an interview with The Ubyssey, Yi-Kieran said the project was one that “needed more attention,” pointing out that 18 years have passed since the provincial government had promised a SkyTrain to UBC.
With this delay, Yi-Kieran has lobbied heavily to bring UBCx back to public consciousness. In July, they launched a petition campaign demanding a SkyTrain to UBC, which garnered over 15,000 signatures, surpassing their original goal of 10,000. They also organized a rally for the SkyTrain outside the Nest, which attracted hundreds of students.
Combined with lobbying efforts to the B.C. Legislature, an endorsement from the province's largest labour union and an AMS-supported motion for UBCx proposed by Vancouver City Councillors Sean Orr and Lucy Maloney, all culminated in a unanimous city council vote calling on the province to accelerate progress on the SkyTrain to UBC.
Ultimately, the construction of the SkyTrain depends on several factors, including securing government funding, managing competing transit priorities and gaining approval from all levels of government. Although early planning for the extension is underway, an exact timeline is unclear and the AMS is currently waiting for the province to release the business case before it can move forward.
Housing
Another aspect of Yi-Kieran's campaign centred on affordable housing and tenant rights for students, according to their executive goals.
On this issue, Yi-Kieran reported successful meetings with the University Endowment Lands administrative team, presenting them with a lobby brief which advocated for increasing the allocations of non-market rental housing on the University Endowment Lands Area D.
Yi-Kieran said the cabinet shuffle that saw a change in the provincial housing minister four months into their term presented a challenge. The AMS has not yet met with the current minister, Christine Boyle, to bring forward student housing issues, and Yi-Kieran has passed their original executive goals deadline to do so.
Despite these setbacks, Yi-Kieran said that they are working on a tenancy rights report which would outline how the AMS should be advocating for student tenants.
“The fundamental goal when it comes to housing, on my part, is making sure that my successors are set up with the tools they need to advocate on that issue effectively,” they said.
Strengthening alliances
A specific area of success Yi-Kieran highlighted during their term was strengthening alliances with various student coalitions and external organizations.
One such example is the Youth Climate Corps, which originally started as a pilot program in BC to hire youth to work on climate action projects, but received a $40 million commitment in the most recent federal budget for its establishment on a national level.
Yi-Kieran noted efforts for a Youth Climate Corps. They mentioned sending briefs to parties running in the federal election and meeting with Vancouver-Quadra MP Wade Grant, where Yi-Kieran extensively advocated for a national Youth Climate Corps. They stated that these lobbying efforts, combined with an open letter to the federal government co-authored by the UBC, UVic and SFU student unions, were “very substantial in getting the $40 million commitment for the Youth Climate Corps.” Yi-Kieran also stressed the role of climate activists and organizers in this accomplishment.
Yi-Kieran said they were satisfied with the increased cooperation between UBC and various student coalitions, such as the Alliance of BC Students and the BC Federation of Students.
When asked about plans for the rest of their term, Yi-Kieran is currently on a federal lobbying trip to Ottawa, where they are meeting with various MPs to advocate further for student issues.
Reflecting on their term so far, Yi-Kieran said they were “really happy” with the progress they and their team have made, especially in terms of engaging students in advocacy through high-visibility public campaigns. Furthermore, beyond their role as VP external, Yi-Kieran expressed optimism for the current AMS administration as a whole.
“Historically, there's been complaints that the AMS kind of feels distant from students, that it doesn't feel approachable. I think this year, not only my office, but other offices too, have done a great job of making the AMS something that students … can see themselves in a bit more."
