Michael Buurman is straight up when it comes to acknowledging he's probably not the most experienced as a local resident running for city council.

His commitment to the city, however, is rock solid, he insists.

Since moving to Whitehorse from Edmonton two years ago to earn a degree in social work on top of his Bachelor of Arts degree, the city has enamoured on the 27-year-old and his young family.

"We came up to Whitehorse and just loved it,” he says. "We bought our first house and are planning to set up roots here.

"We think it is a great community.”

Yet the father of a two-year-old says he sees where improvements can be made that will advance the quality of life for residents and further environmental stewardship.

There needs to be more emphasis on selling the transit system as an economical and environmentally sound alternative to private vehicles, Buurman says of his first run at municipal office.

Instead of cutbacks to bus service, the city should be encouraging more use, says the downtown resident who worked through the summer for the territorial family and children's services branch.

"Knocking on doors, people who don't even take the bus were in favour of strengthening the transit system.”

Buurman looks at the $15-million expense of the new Hamilton Boulevard extension as promoting the status quo for private vehicles, contrary to the city's stated comment to expand transit ridership.

If you don't have a vehicle and want to take advantage of activities at the Canada Games Centre after 7 p.m., or enroll in evening classes at Yukon College, it's a struggle to get home, he points out.

"The reality is we should be making it easier for people to take the bus,” he says.

The rookie candidate also questions the city council's focus on the Porter Creek Lower Bench for the next urban subdivision. Perhaps, Buurman suggests, more thought should have given to focusing future development closer to the boulevard extension to take advantage of the $15-million main artery.

Buurman recognizes that providing social housing is primarily a territorial government responsibility.

The city, nonetheless, still has the ability to promote those types of housing opportunities through its influence on zoning and its ability to encourage the use of infill lots, he says.

Buurman applauds the implementation of the new system of collecting garbage one week and composting the next, but believes Whitehorse should go the final step with blue boxes for recycable plastics.

City council should also support the Raven Recycling Society's push to relocate and build a new $15-million depot, with the possibility of securing $11.5 million in federal funding, he says.

"They would need $3.5 million from the territory and municipality,” Buurman says. "If Raven Recycling can get that $11.5 million from the federal government, I think I would support that.”