VICTORIA COUNCIL

Edison Kahakauwila, entrepreneur and 29-year small business survivor facebook.com/ edkforviccity Top three issues:

Affordability, Transportation, Governance. The cost of running the city falls to all citizens, renters and owners, affordability starts with the city in both operations and how it sets priorities. We need to look at options for transportation that truly includes all users. The cost to change the core areas will be much higher if we don’t actually find options to bike only considerations. The next council will need to get governance and planning right to provide economic stability.

One big idea:

I’d like to work on attracting reliable green businesses to Victoria. I’d work with my fellow colleagues on strategies to promote Victoria as “open for responsible business".

Anna King, 30, marketing consultant annaking.ca Top three issues:

Housing — We need to build more housing to meet the growing demands of the people who live, work, and play in the City of Victoria. Efficient public transit — With a growing population and increasing urgency of climate change, Victoria and the CRD must provide efficient and affordable public transit. Poverty & Homelessness — The city, along with provincial and federal governments, must provide increased recovery homes and support services for the most vulnerable in our community.

One big idea:

We need opportunities to integrate youth and seniors, the rich and the poor, the abled and the differentlyabled, and the oldtimers and the newcomers. It is my hope that we can each extend our personal circles to include others different from ourselves because we each have so much to learn from one another together. Integrating social services and recreation within neighbourhoods is an important way our addresses can become communities.

Sean Leitenberg, 50, retired tax specialist seanleitenberg.ca Top three issues:

-Fiscal Responsibility — Taking the time to make educated decisions with proper public consultation on capital expenditures. -Affordable Housing — Implement housing strategies that will increase the stock of affordable rental homes for Victoria’s workers and build subsidized housing with other levels of government while protecting Victoria’s character. -Addressing the Demands of Business — Increased consultation with our business community to make informed decisions on issues affecting them.

One big idea:

The creation of public space that can house programs for children and seniors with music and art. A place where neighbours can work together with a common goal of increasing our well being and happiness. Where the future of our neighbourhoods can be planned, with true public input providing its residents with what they want, not just what makes the most financial sense for the developers.

Grace Lore, 33, UVic lecturer; researcher and consultant gracelore.ca Top three issues:

It is not possible to address anything in Victoria unless we are tackling our housing crisis. A strategy for family housing and a plan to address mental health & addiction are critical to this. Childcare is also a top issue. We have just 1 licensed spot per 8 children in our city. We need a city-wide childcare action plan. A prosperous, vibrant local business scene is also key. We need to attract innovation and entrepreneurs and make sure they can build the businesses our city needs and loves.

One big idea:

I want to see a citywide childcare strategy. Work has been under way with the Mayor’s working group and some flexible zoning for childcare strategies, but much more needs to be done. Ask any young family and they’ll tell you how critical this is. It has been one of the top three issues identified by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce. We need a strategy that address onerous and long processes at the city, extends flexible zoning, and collaborates with the school board and developers.

Jeremy Loveday*, city councillor, facilitator, festival director jeremyloveday.ca Top three issues:

1.Fighting for affordable living and making sure everyone has access to housing, childcare, transportation options and recreational opportunities 2.Building a sustainable city where we are protecting the natural environment, taking climate action, and ensuring every neighbourhood is served by parks and greenspaces 3.Cultivating healthy communities where we invest in libraries, community centres and neighbourhood initiatives and prioritize meaningful, clear, and responsive pubic consultation

One big idea:

Whoever is elected on October 20th will need to heal the growing “us vs them” divide in our community. My big idea is a simple one: that elected representatives work to hear and understand residents’ challenges and seek solutions reflecting the complexity of these issues. We are rarely faced with only two options, and we need critical thinking, creative problem solving, patience, and empathy for each other’s perspectives. I will bring this approach to my work on City Council and the CRD Board.

Pam Madoff*, 64, B&B owner pammadoff.com Top three issues:

Affordable Housing — the City must ensure that neighbourhood contain a wide variety of housing options to ensure that they remain diverse. Neighbourhood Planning — the City must undertake thoughtful and engaged processes to ensure that neighbourhoods are able to determine their future and plan for appropriate growth. Maintaining and Expanding Parks & Green Space — public green space must be provided to serve the increasing population.

One big idea:

A new central library that would become a community hub for learning, gathering.

DelMar Martay, 46 facebook.com/ MartayForVictoria Top three issues:

Homelessness/cleaning up the Streets, lowering cost of government, providing soultions based on problem solving skills.

One big idea:

To prove Basic Income via Government controlled Electronic currency, works.

Sarah Potts, 35, volunteer manager at Our Place togethervictoria.ca Top three issues:

Affordability: We need to address the housing crisis so that families can grow here, workers can live here, and we can protect the city’s most vulnerable. Read our plan at togethervictoria.ca Inclusivity: People of all experiences should feel welcomed in public spaces and we need to bolster public consultations so that more voices can be included in city plans. A Thriving City: We need to ensure fiscal discipline at City Hall so we can spend our limited resources on the biggest impact items.

One big idea:

The housing crisis is not inevitable. All developers can and should be building housing that is affordable for an ordinary wage-earner. Requiring half of new developments to be affordable, and ensuring that we have a workable, realistic definition of affordability, would go a long way towards easing our housing crisis. Opportunities have been missed, but Victoria will continue to see development, and that development needs to meaningfully contribute toward solving the housing crisis.