Andrew was elected to Oak Bay Council in 2018 on a platform of leadership on sustainability, personal accessibility and transparency. Over his term he has developed a reputation for innovation, pushing for solutions and advocating for good governance.
Andrew spent his childhood exploring the creek behind his house in the Lower Mainland which began a lifelong affection for the outdoors. As the only child of a single working mom, Andrew spent his youth dividing his time between the city and visiting his father in the Kootenays which enabled him to become equally skilled in navigating both a public transit system and the wilderness in a canoe. After high school, Andrew worked in a bike shop which led to a love of all things on two wheels.
This foundation of exploration, playing in the outdoors, and discovering greener ways to travel led Andrew into a career in environmental protection and sustainability. Andrew has spent more than two decades working in the environmental field, including positions at all four levels of government and over 10 years in the non-profit sector working with communities on greening public space. Along the way he’s had many great experiences – He’s had sea lions sit on his lap, loaned CEOs of national corporations his shoes, and led an Earth Day event that planted 4000 native plants in one day.
Andrew currently works as a regional Manager in the province’s Recreation Sites and Trails program.
As councillor, Andrew has played a number of key roles on behalf of the community:
- Greater Vancouver Library Board Trustee and Chair of the Board’s strategic planning working group
- Liaison to the Advisory Planning Commission, Heritage Foundation and Heritage Commission
- Chair of the Community Climate Action Working Group
- Oak Bay representative on the CRD Inter-Municipal Climate Action Steering Committee
- One of two councillors appointed to the Oak Bay’s indigenous reconciliation initiative
Before his election Andrew was a board member of the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network. He also served as a volunteer on both Oak Bay’s Advisory Planning Commission and the Mayor’s Task Force on public engagement. He’s also a past volunteer coach with Bays United soccer.
Andrew lives just south of Oak Bay village with his wife of 22 years Jodi, his two teenage sons and a chubby cat. In Andrew’s spare time, you are most likely to find him riding his bike. He is a keen cyclist with a mediocre competitive record (He prefers “enthusiastic participant”). Like most south islanders, the Appletons are an outdoorsy family that love to camp, hike, cycle, paddleboard and fish.
Follow Andrew on Twitter: @TheCapitalIdeal
