Candidate questionnaires are in!
We asked Mayor & Council candidates 8 questions about priorities from months of community listening, as ranked in our September survey. Candidates who responded are: Sam Holland, Kevin Murdoch, Sarah Starkweather, Karin Sweeney, and Katerina Weller. Esther Paterson and Will Moore shared in person that they were unlikely to respond. There was no formal response from Hazel Braithwaite, Cairine Green, Roxanne Helme, or David Gleeson.
Our Elections page has additional info on voting. Here are all responses in one document.
Public, affordable, universal care availability for all ages
Based on information gathered through our local Child Care Resource & Referral centre, and directly from local daycare providers, we learned this spring that there are fewer than 10 infant-toddler childcare spots in Oak Bay. Many families struggle to find out of school care that bridges the school day to longer parent/caregiver work days. Please outline what you would do to help families access the care they need.
Many seniors want to age in the community for as long as possible. Please outline what you would do to help seniors access in-home support, assisted living, and long-term care while staying connected to their friends and community. Would you support rent-control for elderly renters who income-qualify?
Healthcare
Please outline your vision for improving local access to medical care. We are interested in your thoughts on the future of the Oak Bay Lodge site: what kind of project you would support for this to help increase healthcare access and how you would attract family physicians to work there? Specifically, what kind of pressure would you exert to overcome Island Health's inertia on this issue? Would you support an infant/toddler childcare program in the same building with priority access for healthcare workers who work in the building? We are also interested in your views on other healthcare access initiatives.
Housing for all generations (extensively covered in Livable CRD survey, won’t be covered here)
Safety & equitable climate action
13 to 18 year olds (including Oak Bay High students) who live in Victoria are eligible for a free bus pass funded by the municipality. Teenagers who live in Oak Bay are only eligible for a free bus pass if their household qualifies for the means-tested LIFE program (e.g. under $55,078 total household income for a family of 4); we understand that only about 30 teens in Oak Bay currently qualify. Would you expand eligibility for free transit passes for teens who live in Oak Bay? Why/why not? How does this relate to your broader perspective on transportation policy?
Vibrant, inclusive community life
25% of Oak Bay residents are renters, but renters' opinions are severely under-represented in current Oak Bay annual survey responses, political representation on Council, and civic discussions (Council meetings, town halls, etc). Would you do anything to change this? If yes, what?
What do you see as the three most important actions the District of Oak Bay can take to move forward truth and reconciliation with the Songhees and Xʷsepsəm (Esquimalt) Nations, as well as other Indigenous people living within the CRD? How would you support Oak Bay residents to engage respectfully in truth and reconciliation efforts?
Financial sustainability and affordability
High commercial rents are placing pressure on many local small businesses, and we have seen some (e.g. Hide and Seek) leave the municipality. What would you do to foster a vibrant community of small local businesses?
If forced to choose, would you cut public services in Oak Bay or implement measures to increase Oak Bay’s tax base? If the latter, what options do you propose (e.g. increased density, increased commercial and/or mixed use, increased taxation for all, progressive land value tax, increased permit costs)?
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Universal care
The two main levers council has over childcare are land use regulations and direct financial or space support. On land use, childcare has been a tightly regulated use in most areas of Oak Bay for a long time. I will be a vote on council to expand where childcare is allowed across the District, in neighbourhoods, in addition to hubs like Estevan, between UVic and Camosun, and Oak Bay Village.Private childcare will never meet the need for subsidized daycare, however. Oak Bay is sadly lacking a general purpose community services nonprofit like the neighbourhood house in Fernwood, or other neighbourhoods like Quadra Village or Fairfield. These organizations are often the organizations that municipalities can support in providing affordable childcare, with provincial funding. I would support bringing such a space to Oak Bay, in a municipally-owned building. As many of our municipal buildings across the district are coming to the end of life, the time to start thinking about these kinds of projects is now.
Seniors
The first thing we need to do is ensure that Oak Bay seniors have access to a diverse set of housing options that can accommodate a variety of disabilities, live-in support, and long term care needs. While BC already has quite proactive rent controls, I support bringing in a renter protection bylaw specifically to support renters in apartment buildings in the case of redevelopment. Currently, Oak Bay is a decade behind surrounding municipalities on this issue, and it is time to catch up.
I will also work hard to bring the Oak Bay Lodge site to completion, with long term care beds for seniors and wraparound medical care services.
Please outline your vision for improving local access to medical care. We are interested in your thoughts on the future of the Oak Bay Lodge site: what kind of project you would support for this to help increase healthcare access and how you would attract family physicians to work there? Specifically, what kind of pressure would you exert to overcome Island Health's inertia on this issue? Would you support an infant/toddler childcare program in the same building with priority access for healthcare workers who work in the building? We are also interested in your views on other healthcare access initiatives.
HealthcareIt's important to highlight that the reason Oak Bay Lodge has sat empty for most of a decade is not just Island Health, but also Oak Bay Council. A fully funded and costed proposal came to Oak Bay council in 2011 and 2012 and was soundly rejected. We then lost fourteen years of progress on the project.
To move the Lodge site forward, the first thing we need to do as council is bring the Province back on side. How we do this will be very dependent on the outcome of the snap election on the 24th, but Mayor and Council have not played well with the Province over the last four years. I have a good relationship with our MLA and other South Island MLAs, and I will start from there. Unless we build and repair these bridges, Oak Bay will remain on the bottom of the list for funding support.
The other piece is to build a regional coalition. While the Province might be able to ignore one small municipality, it is much harder for them to ignore coordinated advocacy from the entire CRD.
On attracting medical workers: I would totally support childcare on-site, not least as a staff benefit, but also because people seeking care also often need a place for their kids or grandkids to be.
On other initiatives: Oak Bay needs to get creative in improving local access to medical care. I support creating a local community clinic, as Langford and Colwood have both done, and hiring family doctors and nurse practitioners for local residents. This might later make sense to move to the Oak Bay Lodge site, but it could easily be spun up in existing commercial space.
Safety & equitable climate action
Yes, I support free transit for teens. While I would vote to expand the program municipally, the appropriate venue for this is the regional transit commission, at which Oak Bay and Esquimalt share a seat. I would be a voice on the commission to implement free transit for teens.
Regionally, I would also support implementing a low-income pass.
I believe access to transit will be increasingly important over the next decade as our region densifies and grows, and traffic increases, the The Province has increasingly stepped away from transit expansion. Budget 2026 froze transit funding and established a freeze for the next three years. This will require an incredible amount of local and regional coordination to get this freeze undone. We will also need to think seriously about a new provincial transit funding model.
In the meantime, Oak Bay needs to do its part to get busses out of traffic, particularly on Henderson (the only major delay point in Oak Bay).
Vibrant community life
Consider real co-management and co-governance of significant sites like Spewhung/Turkey Head.
Engage, listen, learn, and build strong interpersonal and government to government relationships with local nations.
Add accurate and interesting historical context to key locations across the District, ensuring that our shared history is not framed as just starting with Cook or Vancouver.
Municipalities need to actively work to bring educational and leadership resources and programs to the district. That might mean partnering with local nonprofits doing reconciliation work, or doing micro-grants for local leaders. We also have a responsibility to support local urban indigenous folks. Among other things, that means making sure that local urban indigenous organizations have adequate spaces to offer services or host events.
I'd start by being the a voice for renters on council. I'd suggest that a lot of Oak Bay renters are very engaged in organizations outside of Oak Bay, in part because many of the hobbies, activities, communities, etc don't have spaces to operate in Oak Bay.
Financial sustainability and affordability
We need more small commercial space in the district, or commercial rents will continue to rise. This means revisiting our zoning.
I will meet regularly with local business owners and the Oak Bay Village BIA, to make sure I am in full understanding of the needs of local businesses.
Artists and cultural venues need access to cheap commercial space. I'd be interested in exploring how the District can better use municipal tools to expand access to studio space and tiny commercial spaces where people can prototype business ideas.
If forced to choose, would you cut public services in Oak Bay or implement measures to increase Oak Bay’s tax base? If the latter, what options do you propose (e.g. increased density, increased commercial and/or mixed use, increased taxation for all, progressive land value tax, increased permit costs)?
I would chose to increase the tax base. I support increased density as appropriate, increased small scale commercial and mixed use throughout the district, and a land value tax (although LVT requires a provincial change).
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Universal care
Preamble: I understand that Council candidates may not feel comfortable participating in a questionnaire developed by an organization founded by one or more Council candidates competing in the coming election (I had a similar issue with the LivableCRD survey which included agencies associated with my opponent). As Mayor I am comfortable answering any reasonable community-based inquiries, and hope my answers provide some clarification on the scope and mandate of local government, what Oak Bay is doing now, and what improvements may be possible.
Answer: While Oak Bay is an operator of childcare (participating in $10/day childcare and before/after school care), childcare itself is funded Provincially. At this time the Province has made clear that they are intending on providing all future needed childcare directly, primarily on school properties, including the 0-3 age category care, meaning there would be no direct role for the District in expanded childcare. Obviously this may change with the policies of a future Provincial government, and Oak Bay has proven itself willing to partner if the Province requires in future.
Care for seniors
In-home supports are provided by the Province, they are not a municipal responsibility.
Rent control and tenancy regulations also fall exclusively under the provincial government via the Residential Tenancy Act. There is local / community support however. In Oak Bay, we support the Oak Bay Volunteer Services Society (OBVSS), who help fill in gaps in service and provide direct support to seniors. I volunteered with OBVSS for many years, but suspended that volunteer work when I became Mayor.
I continue to work in my role on the Capital Regional Hospital District to bring disparate service partners and funding providers to see a campus of care built on the old Oak Bay Lodge site.
Healthcare
The Oak Bay Lodge site is the best opportunity to find space for a clinic that can provide primary care support for seniors and families in the region. I have spent a great deal of time visiting and learning the business models of the various clinic structures, and as a result do not support a municipally-owned clinic. There is likely a role for the District to help provide funding / loan to assist in the startup of a clinic, ideally with a payback period to the taxpayer over time. Again, funding of healthcare is a clear provincial responsibility, with the exception of capital funding, of which 30%-40% is paid via property taxes already (the CRHD budget was $32.7M in 2026).
Safety/climate action
Of the 13 municipalities within the CRD, only the City of Victoria provides fully subsidized youth bus passes - in fact they are the only municipality on Vancouver Island. The Province can consider funding this, as they do the Get On Board program, which funds the 12-and-under fees. I do not support Oak Bay funding this service, as it shifts the subsidy of transit from a shared municipal-provincial funding to 100% property-tax subsidized - and the average home in Oak Bay already pays around $400/year to subsidize transit in the region. As transit is already a cost-effective and heavily subsidized transportation model, I believe it is better to fund individuals meeting income thresholds than all youth.
Vibrant/inclusive community life
The District already makes great effort to engage with renters and uses a wide range of social and traditional media to ensure the widest possible number of people are aware of engagement opportunities. This includes direct mailers to all residents when we are seeking wide input (such as the OCP). Council also hosts town halls throughout the District to ensure people have the opportunity to meet with Council in their own neighbourhoods, lowering the barrier for engagement.
Council is responsible for our government-to-government relationships, and has regular meetings with First Nations Councils. The District also regularly involves First Nations in openings, welcomings, and cultural events. The Relationship Agreements underway are the best tool we have to ensure we understand each other’s priorities and how we will engage on issues of priority. The District can (and does) support community-to-community event funding through community partners like church groups and societies. The District also supports local First Nations art and language in public spaces to ensure they are welcoming for our indigenous residents and visitors alike.
Financial sustainability and affordability
Commercial rents are not controlled by the municipality, and some turnover of business is normal, due to rent and other factors. The upcoming Village Area Plan process will help ensure that changes to the villages (buildings, sidewalks, roads, cycling infrastructure, parking, etc.) fosters a welcoming and vibrant space for businesses. Continuing to financially advance our infrastructure replacement allows for taxes, as a portion of costs, to stabilize - and taxes are a significant part of Business operational expense.
Increasing tax base/cutting services
I would argue this is a false dichotomy. We are already looking at operational efficiency measures, fee structures, etc. Most services in Oak Bay are core services, not luxury matters. Increasing density adds tax base but also adds maintenance cost to service the infrastructure, offsetting the gain. Options like progressive land value tax are not legal in BC, and permits are only allowed to cover the cost of the service, not act as a revenue source.
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note from Sarah Starkweather:
Housing for all generations
This topic has been extensively covered in the Livable CRD scorecard and the Oak Bay Neighbourhood Network questionnaire, from two very different perspectives. We will not ask additional questions on this topic.
Thank you for identifying this as a key concern. I appreciate the desire to avoid redundancy, but it is notable that seven out of eleven of Oak Bay’s municipal candidates chose not to engage with the Livable CRD survey.
Care for all ages
My answer to this question starts from the theme that will come up in many of my answers: by staunchly resisting reasonable change in our urban form, previous Oak Bay Councils have sacrificed our municipal capacity to provide or encourage much-needed community services, including child care.
We need to view childcare as a priority and be ready and willing to partner with provincial agencies as funding becomes available. The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund created or will create over 40,000 licensed childcare spaces in the province, none of which are in Oak Bay.
Our Official Community Plan states the intention to “permit childcare uses more broadly” and “support more flexible childcare options,” but Oak Bay must actually change and/or develop bylaws to ensure the removal of barriers (such as parking requirements or prohibitions on outdoor activity). We must also consider the inclusion of childcare space in all municipal redevelopment projects, advocate for childcare in mixed-use developments (and allow those buildings to be constructed), and proactively develop guidelines and concrete incentives for people who want to establish new childcare businesses.
Housing for all ages
There is a severe lack of suitable housing for older people who want to downsize while staying in Oak Bay, or who require accessible units or in-home care, or who need to enter long-term care.
Oak Bay’s secondary suite and infill housing programs could be better leveraged to allow seniors to create space for family or professional carers, while remaining in their home. For example, we could consider a tax rebate or fees reduction for additional units that are being actively used for this purpose. We could also streamline the permitting process and design guidelines to increase uptake.
Alternative housing forms that would support older people remaining in Oak Bay after downsizing include strata conversion of existing single-family homes, accessible market-rate apartments, subsidized or affordable apartments, and co-op housing. (Long-term care beds at the former Oak Bay Lodge site are discussed in the next question.) In order to actually get these built, Oak Bay will not only need to get out the way (for example, by increasing the number of parcels zoned Multiunit Residential 2 and/or being more realistic about height restrictions in other zones), but will need to proactively seek partnerships with nonprofits and/or provincial and federal agencies. I do not think we are currently seen as a viable partner for housing development.
Oak Bay Lodge/Healthcare
I support a comprehensive campus of care at the Oak Bay Lodge site, offering intergenerational services focused on community well-being with a particular focus on the needs of seniors. Action Oak Bay’s vision of a development combining seniors’ housing for independent living, long-term care beds, hospice beds, a medical clinic, childcare, caregiver support, and other community programming is a beautiful vision of development that would make life better for many residents of Oak Bay.
Although it’s true that progress is dependent on Island Health committing to fund long-term care beds, I don’t view the main challenge as overcoming their inertia; instead, I think the main challenge is demonstrating that Oak Bay is ready to be an enthusiastic partner in this work. It was Oak Bay that prevented redevelopment of the site almost a decade ago by refusing the required rezoning; now it’s Oak Bay that has to prove, through consistent messaging and outreach, that we’re ready and enthusiastic.
As for other initiatives: we have seen municipalities across our region be proactive in finding ways to establish primary care clinics. They’re getting results, and for relatively modest investments: View Royal has committed only $225,000 in initial capital outlay plus $125,000 a year for ten years, for a clinic that will provide primary care for 1,600 people by the end of year two of operation. The last Oak Bay Council declined to explore the possibility of a municipal clinic; I think that was a mistake.
Safety and equitable climate action
I’ll start with my broader views on transit and transportation. I support using any policy levers we can to encourage mode shift away from private auto use, as a matter of equity (not everybody can drive), as well as climate action. This means more use of car share services, walking, cycling, and transit—with the latter having the most potential to reduce vehicle traffic on our roads and CO2 emissions from our municipality.
I am skeptical of universal free transit, because we need to be able to fund frequent and reliable service. However, for certain groups—such as youth, seniors, and low-income residents—I would support expanded free transit passes. Regarding youth in particular: providing children and teens with access to free transit will encourage lifelong transit usage; will support our youth in developing the independence they need to be functional adults; will give them access to opportunities for jobs and recreation and learning; and will help keep them safe when they are out on their own.
Vibrant/inclusive Oak Bay
I would certainly try. Council’s job is to try to make decisions that will serve the greater good, and this simply isn’t possible if there are segments of the population that are systematically underrepresented in our community engagement. For renters, or for other underrepresented groups, corrective actions could include additional targeted outreach for surveys or other engagement tools, an advisory committee, or other methods devised in collaboration with members of the underrepresented group in question.
Truth and Reconciliation
The most important action, which is currently underway, is to develop our formal government-to-government relationships with local First Nations, in keeping with the 94 Calls to Action. We must establish clear protocols that frame our engagement with them as Nations.
The second most important opportunity is the redevelopment of Spewhung (Turkey Head), which should be approached as a comprehensive planning exercise that looks for opportunities for co-governance of this important cultural site. Unfortunately, by severing the marina lease from a comprehensive planning process, Oak Bay has created a situation where non-indigenous residents are encouraged to view reconciliation as bound by or even counter to economic development. We’re going to need to work hard to address the division that this has created.
Third, and more generally, Oak Bay must advance cultural visibility and settler education for all ages. I’d like to see more material cultural markers in the landscape, the more prominent use of lək̓ʷəŋən place names, resources on our municipal website (such as pronunciation guides, maps, histories, stories), and reconciliation-focused offerings through our Parks & Rec program.
Oak Bay Council has the responsibility to vigorously model respectful dialogue about the mutual benefits of reconciliation, and can do this by reporting out to the community more often about the ongoing engagements with the Songhees and Xʷsepsəm Peoples. We need to clearly indicate in word and deed that truth and reconciliation are non-negotiable values in our approach to governance.
Small business/revenue
Oak Bay has relatively little commercial space, very high land costs, and little zoning support for adding more commercial space. Taken together, this means that commercial rents will only continue to increase, and the small independent businesses that residents cherish will be the most at risk.
Oak Bay’s Official Community Plan does not contain details about planning for our designated neighbourhood village areas, so Council must complete the job by providing comprehensive planning guidelines that strongly incentivize commercial and especially mixed-use development. In my opinion, we should also incentivize street-corner commercial development that would allow residents can access desirable services right in their own neighbourhood. Our current approach of requiring rezoning, without providing clear guidelines for success, is a strong disincentive to commercial development that would serve our community and give local businesses more options.
Tax increases v. service cuts
We will be forced to choose—in fact, I’d argue that we have already been choosing, for decades, to cut services (especially in terms of infrastructure maintenance) by preventing reasonable increases in population density and commercial development that would have increased our tax base and made us more economically resilient.
Because of these past choices, there is significant pressure to cut services. At the recent All Candidates Forum, more than one incumbent called out Parks & Recreation as representing a significant portion of our spending—so be on the lookout for attempted cuts there during the next Council term.
My priority would be to focus on promoting reasonable increased density in the areas where our Official Community Plan says we want it (around our village areas and on key transit corridors), and promoting mixed-use developments and streetcorner commercial to try to develop our non-residential tax base (which is currently an extremely small portion).
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Public, affordable, universal care availability for all ages.
Childcare is not only hard to find in Oak Bay; it is also being left out of the discussion at the Council table. As a councillor, I would work hard to make sure it is part of the conversation. That starts with following through on the Carnarvon Park Redevelopment Plan and making infant-toddler care a priority in the redesign. Beyond Carnarvon, I would support zoning changes that allow childcare in more developments across the municipality and work with School District 61 (SD61) to expand before- and after-school care. I would work with our new MLA to reaffirm the province's commitment to childcare and ensure Oak Bay applies when funding and grants become available. Finally, childcare depends on the people who provide it, so housing affordability matters too. Those who care for our children should be able to afford to live in the community they serve.
Seniors are valued members of our community, and most want to stay in their homes for as long as possible. To support that, we need greater investment in community programs and home supports. I will advocate to the province for health care funding, oversight and regulations that meet seniors' needs, and I will push for a publicly funded campus of care on the former Oak Bay Lodge site.
I will also support housing that allows seniors to downsize without leaving Oak Bay. That includes accessible suites, duplexes, multi-generational homes, and apartments or smaller homes near our village core, transit and services. Rental apartments and smaller condos close to shops and amenities give seniors more flexibility to stay in the community. We should also look at municipal land and opportunities alongside existing facilities like the Monterey Centre, as places for new seniors' housing that keep people close to the programs and friends they rely on.
Yes, I support rent protection for elderly renters who qualify based on income. Rent control is set by the province, so I would advocate for stronger protections there. Locally, I would support non-market seniors' housing with rent geared to income.
Healthcare
1. One of my core priorities is our residents' health, especially that of our aging population. I want the District of Oak Bay to keep advocating for the former Oak Bay Lodge site to be redeveloped as a regional campus of care for seniors. That should include assisted living and long-term care, affordable housing options, and potentially additional public-private development.I support the mayor in advocating to our MLA and the Ministry of Health to prioritize this much-needed project. I would also advocate for a multidisciplinary primary care clinic at the site for residents without a family doctor, but that project will take many years to realize. In the interim, I would work toward opening a primary care clinic at any available site in Oak Bay. This would follow a model used by other municipalities, where Oak Bay would run the clinic and employ physicians and nurse practitioners, with costs offset by physicians' MSP billings. To help retain and recruit family doctors in our region, I would also push for ways to ease physicians' administrative burden.
I would strongly support an infant-toddler childcare program in the same building, with priority access for the healthcare workers employed there. An intergenerational campus offers real benefits. Regular contact between seniors and young children can build meaningful connections that enrich both groups emotionally and socially. On-site childcare would also help recruit and retain staff, many of whom work shifts in a sector facing chronic shortages. Childcare and seniors' care are both in short supply in our region, and locating them together allows shared indoor and outdoor spaces and parking. That efficiency also gives the project more funding leverage and strengthens the overall proposal.
Safety & equitable climate action
Yes, I would expand free transit passes to teens who live in Oak Bay, similar to Victoria's program. At age 13, teens start going to school on their own, getting part-time jobs, volunteering, and meeting friends without needing a parent to drive them. Free passes can increase ridership, connect young people to the wider region, and build lifelong transit habits that reduce emissions. I would work through the CRD to make this a regional program, so every teen has the same access no matter where they live.
This reflects my broader view that a liveable, climate-resilient Oak Bay is one where people of all ages can get around safely without a car. That means reliable, frequent transit, safe walking and cycling routes to schools and village centres, and accessible options for people with mobility challenges.
Vibrant, inclusive community life
A quarter of Oak Bay residents are renters, and they are too often left out of decisions on housing, transportation and other parts of community life. Accurate representation shapes better policy. I support making participation easier with evening and weekend options, childcare, online surveys, and language support. Because renters are often harder to reach through the usual channels, we need to connect with them through building managers, community spaces, social media, and other means. I also support actively recruiting renters to Oak Bay's advisory committees and community groups. Understanding the needs of diverse community members is central to my belief that community and social well-being belong at the centre of every Council decision.
2. Support reconciliation beyond land acknowledgements, such as the future of Spewhung/Oak Bay Marina as a potential model for economic reconciliation with the lək̓ʷəŋən people, built on shared prosperity and genuine partnership.
Move forward with the Draft Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Framework, including its four areas: Government-to-Government Relationship Building; Cultural Expression, Recognition, and Revitalization; Cultural and Reconciliation Learning and Activities; and Land and Environment Conservation. Continue work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action at the municipal level.
Advocate for ways to meaningfully involve First Nations in land stewardship, including through our new Community Climate Action Plan and Urban Forest Management Strategy, and support programs like the Vancouver Island Trail Association's work with Songhees Nation youth. Council can lead by example. Listen first. Build relationships openly. Create opportunities for wider community learning.
Financial sustainability and affordability
I would advocate for zoning and business licensing policies that give local, independent businesses long-term stability. I would treat "third spaces" like parks, cafés, small shops and gathering spots as essential community infrastructure, so people from all walks of life have places to come together. I would engage local business owners directly in planning that affects our village centres. And I would support economic development partners such as the Oak Bay Business Improvement Association, Oak Bay Tourism, and Oak Bay's arts and culture community.
2. I would grow the tax base rather than cut the services residents rely on. Oak Bay's tax base is almost entirely residential (94.63%), and no single solution will fix that. One part is finding ways to add density and mixed-use development near our village centres, transit and services, and using development cost charges and amenity cost charges to help pay for the infrastructure upgrades. We also need smarter ways to fund what we already have: sharing service costs regionally where it makes sense, using long-term borrowing responsibly for major infrastructure, and creating a dedicated role to pursue grants and other outside funding. I am also open to new tools, such as a land value tax, that would require provincial approval, as long as it protects low-income residents.
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Universal care for all ages
Families need access to reliable, affordable child care that works with the realities of work and family life. As a municipality, Oak Bay can help by identifying opportunities in municipal buildings, land and future community facilities for licensed child care, including infant/toddler and before- and after-school care. We can also make sure child care is considered early when planning new community facilities or working with other partners. I would bring child care providers, families, the school district, Island Health and the provincial government together to identify gaps and practical opportunities. We cannot solve child care alone at the municipal level, but we can take action within our role and be a strong local partner and advocate. I want Oak Bay to be a community where families, children and caregivers of all backgrounds and circumstances can participate fully.
People should be able to age in Oak Bay while staying connected to their friends, families and community. That means looking at the full continuum of needs: accessible housing, home support, assisted living, long-term care, transportation, recreation and opportunities for social connection. Council can use its planning, housing, accessibility, transportation and community-building tools while working with Island Health, housing providers and organizations serving older adults.
I support housing stability for seniors and other renters who may be vulnerable to rising housing costs. Locally, I would focus on creating a community where people can find appropriate housing, access services, participate in community life and remain connected at every stage of life.
Healthcare
The future of the Oak Bay Lodge site is an important opportunity to improve access to health and community services close to home. I would support a project that address the needs in community: primary care, seniors' services, respite care, long-term care and other services that strengthen the continuum of care. I would also explore whether child care, including infant/toddler care with opportunities for health-care workers, could be incorporated if it fits with the overall project.
Council cannot direct Island Health or recruit physicians, but we can be a persistent advocate and partner. I would work with Island Health, the Capital Regional Hospital District, provincial representatives, health-care providers and residents to advocate for progress and clear communication about next steps. Oak Bay's role can include planning, land-use decisions, transportation connections, municipal facilities and partnerships. I want us to use every tool that is actually within municipal jurisdiction to help create a community where health and care are more accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
Housing for all generations
Oak Bay needs housing that works for people at different stages of life, including families, seniors, young adults and people with different abilities. I support development that adds housing choices while planning responsibly for infrastructure, transportation routes and our natural assets. I would prioritize housing that is well designed, accessible and connected to services, amenities and transportation. We should also make better use of existing housing and underused spaces. As a councillor, I would work with residents, our city staff and housing partners to understand our needs, identify gaps and support practical solutions that increase housing choices and help build a welcoming, inclusive community for everyone.
Safety and climate action
I would support expanding access to free transit for Oak Bay youth and would ask staff to bring forward the costs and options for doing that. Young people need safe and affordable ways to get to school, recreation, jobs, friends and community activities. Transportation should not be a barrier to participating in community life.
This fits within a broader transportation approach: Oak Bay should have safe, connected options for people who walk, cycle, take transit or drive. I cycle and walk with my family, and I want children and adults to be able to move around our community safely and independently. Oak Bay already has a role in supporting transportation and accessibility, and I would like us to keep moving forward on connected sidewalks, active transportation and transit options that work for people of different ages, abilities and circumstances.
Vibrant, inclusive community life
If a significant part of our community rents, renters should have a meaningful voice in how we make decisions. I would work to make municipal engagement more accessible to renters and to people who may not traditionally participate in Council meetings or formal consultations. That means using a mix of online and in-person engagement, offering pop-up information sessions and making it easier to understand how residents can participate.
I also want Council to close the loop. If we ask residents for their input, we should explain what we heard, what decisions were made and why. I would make a deliberate effort to hear from renters alongside homeowners, families, seniors, youth, people with disabilities and residents from all backgrounds. An inclusive community means making sure people can participate regardless of their housing situation, age, income or ability.
Truth & Reconciliation
Council's first responsibility is to build and maintain respectful relationships with the Songhees and Xwsepsəm Nations. As a white settler, I don't believe it is my role to decide what Indigenous communities need from reconciliation. Our role is to listen, learn, build relationships and take action on what we hear. Reconciliation is our work to do; it should not be the responsibility of Indigenous people to continually teach settlers how to do it.
I would focus on three things: building relationships, putting reconciliation into municipal decisions, and creating meaningful opportunities for residents to learn and participate.
Spewhung is an important opportunity to approach land, history and stewardship through collaboration with the Nations. I also want Council to amplify Indigenous voices and support respectful learning in our community.
Financial sustainability
Small businesses are an important part of a vibrant, connected community. While the District cannot control private commercial rents, Council can make it easier for local businesses to operate by providing clear and predictable permitting processes, reducing unnecessary administrative barriers and considering the impact of municipal bylaws and fees on small businesses.
I would support lively, accessible commercial areas that people can reach by walking, cycling, transit or driving. Creating opportunities for a mix of businesses and services can help meet the needs of residents while bringing people together. I would work with local businesses, business organizations and community members to understand what they need from the municipality and where Council can take practical action.
I don't think responsible financial management should be reduced to choosing between cutting services and increasing the tax base. Council needs to look carefully at both sides of the equation: how we use public money and how we sustainably support the revenue needed for the services our community relies on. That means reviewing services and efficiencies, planning responsibly for infrastructure and considering opportunities to strengthen the tax base.
I support thoughtful, well-planned growth that allows more people to live, work and participate in Oak Bay, including opportunities for housing, commercial space and mixed-use communities. I would not promise a particular tax increase or development target without understanding the numbers and long-term implications. As a new councillor, I would ask questions, do the homework and take action based on evidence, affordability, sustainability and the needs of the whole community.
