Good morning, Westshore! Today’s edition is packed with election coverage, which I trust you will find helpful as you choose who gets your vote on Saturday. Look for a special edition in your inbox on Saturday night with the results. Then, maybe we can move on from election coverage for a while. 😀
Reporter, The Westshore
HEALTH CARE
Health care is a top issue in the election, but what can municipalities do?
The dire shortage of family physicians and a resulting lack of access to health care across Greater Victoria has been one of the major issues at the forefront for candidates running for mayor and council in this election.
Municipalities have limits on what they can do, leading to a few similar ideas making their way through Greater Victoria—many intended to encourage health-care spaces within new developments and to make life better for health-care workers.
“A lot of the stresses the health-care system is facing are actually related to policies and decisions that are within the sphere of local government,” said Mark Holland, a planner who is working on creating a toolkit of options to help municipalities address doctor shortages.
The forces behind staffing shortages are not about facilities or programs, he suggests, but around available and affordable housing for doctors, nurses, and medical office assistants. Those pressures are directly within local governments’ jurisdiction, he said.
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
Mayoral interviews with Colwood, Langford, and View Royal contenders
Clockwise from top left: Rob Martin, David Screech, Sid Tobias, Doug Kobayashi, Stew Young, Scott Goodmanson.
With just two days until the general election (polls are open Saturday, 8am-8pm) we spoke with each of the mayoral candidates in Colwood, Langford, and View Royal to learn what they think the greatest priorities are, and how they’ll tackle them.
Stew Young has been mayor since Langford was incorporated in 1992, and he's running for re-election. He’s proud of how far Langford has come since then, noting that people used to move away for work, and now says “everyone wants to move to Langford.” He’s being challenged by political newcomer Scott Goodmanson, who also has long-time family roots in Langford. Goodmanson’s first commitment is to improve community engagement.
Read what Young and Goodmanson have to say
Doug Kobayashi, a first-time councillor, had almost decided to step away from municipal politics when a group of Colwood residents asked him to consider running for mayor. He considered it, and decided to try. His focus is on consultation with the community, whether from knocking on doors or talking with neighbouring municipalities. Before that, Kobayashi ran against NDP MP Randall Garrison as a federal Liberal candidate, but lost.
Rob Martin is finishing his first term as mayor after beating former Colwood mayor, Carol Hamilton, in 2018 after his own single term as a councillor. He says his work isn’t finished, and he’s gearing up for another four years to move forward on active transportation projects.
Read more from Kobayashi and Martin
In View Royal, Mayor David Screech has been in charge since 2014. Before that he was a councillor for 12 years. He’s being challenged by Sid Tobias, a former military man who works in the provincial government. Like Kobayashi, Tobias’ main focus is on improving consultation with residents, saying people are telling him they haven’t been meaningfully consulted on View Royal’s direction.
More from View Royal’s mayoral candidates
Are freezies a violation of local election rules?
Mary Wagner, one of the first candidates to declare her intention to run for council in Langford, hosted a meet-and-greet for residents in the summer. She had music, and handed out water bottles and freezies on the hot day.
Then Wagner got a letter from Langford’s chief electoral officer, Marie Watmough, who is also the city’s director of corporate services, warning her that her early campaign events might have violated section 161 of the Local Government Act that prohibits vote buying.
Around the ’Shore
⏱ In the timestamped guide to the Westshore all-candidate meetings we shared on Tuesday, we didn’t yet have a recording of Sooke’s meeting. That’s now been shared, and the Sooke guide is here.
🎄Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet in****Nutcracker, Dec. 2-4, 2022 at Royal Theatre. Kids’ prices available! Tickets available at the box office: 250-386-6121 or DanceVictoria.com.*
👩🏼 🦰 Inspired by her cancer-surviving student, a Colwood teacher shaved her hair to donate as a wig to other cancer patients. The kindergarten student, Jamie, is now cancer-free after battling leukemia as a toddler. [CTV]
🔆 Do you struggle to feel joy or have difficulty persevering? Beacon Wellness can help you thrive once again. Book your free consultation now with one of their trauma-informed counsellors.*
🛹 It’s official: the new Westshore skatepark is coming! Months after the design for the park at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre was shared publicly, funding is now in place and construction can begin. The park is scheduled to open in March 2023. Most of the $1.3-million project came from fundraising and in-kind donations, with a combined $459,600 from Colwood, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, and View Royal municipalities.
*Sponsored Listing
SPONSORED POST. CONTACT US TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE WESTSHORE.
TOGETHER WITH RISING ECONOMY 2022
A conference about the future of where we live and work
Explore world-changing ideas, cut through the noise, and gain clarity at Rising Economy 2022, an in-person and online event, Nov. 15 to 17.
The 3rd annual Rising Economy, produced by South Island Prosperity Partnership, features leading thinkers sharing bold ideas about key issues of our times, from economic evolution to energy transition, climate resilience, housing, and more.
Rising Economy 2022 is for those ready to RISE to the challenge of creating a Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable economy for our region and the world.
Presented by Royal Bank of Canada. Sign up at OurRisingEconomy.com.
Community Events
🗳General voting day is this Saturday, Oct. 15. Polls are open from 8am to 8pm at the following locations. To vote, bring your voter card (check your mailbox) and two pieces of identification. If you didn't receive a voter card, you might not be registered. Fret not, because you can register in person at the polling station. Bring two pieces of identification that show your signature and address.
🚒 Come for the pancake breakfast, stay for the fire truck rides: Langford Fire Rescue is hosting an open house Sunday, Oct. 16, 10am-2pm at Station 1, 2625 Peatt Rd. Bring a donation for the Goldstream Food Bank to help “Fill the Boat.”
🎃 Pumpkin Party at Lohbrunner Community Farmfor the next two weekends, 11am-4pm Saturday and Sunday. Pick a pumpkin and enjoy warm drinks by donation.
What’s Offshore? (A Ship Ton!)
Esquimalt Lagoon looking towards Washington State, taken on Oct. 12, 2022 (📸 Tom Gierasimczuk)
🚢**#1**The Potinais a Bulk Carrier built in 2011 and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. It is sailing from 🇯🇵 Himeji, Japan ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and was scheduled to arrive two weeks ago but is delayed.
⛴ #2 The FPMC B Foreveris a Bulk Carrier built in 2010 and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. It is sailing from 🇹🇼 Mailiao, Taiwan ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and was scheduled to arrive three weeks ago.
🛳️ #3The Mol Premiumis a Container Ship built in 2008 and is sailing under the flag of Panama. It is sailing from 🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and is scheduled to arrive later today.
🚢 #4The SeaSpan Beaconis a Container Ship built in 2015 and is sailing under the flag of Hong Kong. It is sailing from 🇰🇷 Busan, South Korea ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and is scheduled to arrive this afternoon.
⛴ #5The Polymniais a Bulk Carrier built in 2012 and is sailing under the flag of Marshall Islands. It is sailing from 🇯🇵 Nagoya, Japan ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and was scheduled to arrive two weeks ago but seems to be delayed.
SPONSORED POST. CONTACT US TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE WESTSHORE.
TODAY’S PARTNER: CENTENNIAL COURT
Designed for your lifestyle: Centennial Court
Located in the heart of Langford, Centennial Court by Ironclad Developments offers studio, one- and two-bedroom homes with elevated amenities that will enhance your lifestyle. Under construction and move-in ready this winter, take advantage of early bird incentives and pricing.
Sales start in October from the low $300s – register today at CentennialCourt.ca.
Westshore Snaps
An unexpected visitor took advantage of the sunshine to rest up on Pearson College's docks. According to marine sciences teacher Laura, viewing from a distance, the California sea lion is an older male recently sighted in Pedder Bay near the college. Laura advised the Marine Mammal Response Network so it can monitor this unusual visitor’s status. California sea lions are common on Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, but rarely appear on school docks. — Brian Geary, Metchosin
📸 Snapped a photo you’d like to share? Send it with a caption and don’t forget to add where you live.