Sidney residents will see some familiar names alongside several newcomers when they head to the polls in October.
The Town of Sidney has confirmed 10 candidates are running for six councillor positions in the 2026 municipal election, while the mayor’s race has already been decided.
Former Sidney councillor Peter Wainwright has been declared mayor-elect by acclamation, after becoming the only candidate remaining in the race. The Town formally declared him elected on September 21st.
Monique Hiltz has also been acclaimed as Sidney’s School District 63 trustee.
Wainwright is no stranger to Sidney municipal politics. He was elected to council in 2018, receiving 3,144 votes, before sitting out the 2022 election.
Who is seeking re-election
Four of the six current council members are seeking another term, including:
- Steve Duck
- Scott Garnett
- Richard Novek
- Terri O’Keeffe
Former Sidney mayor Steve Price is also attempting a return to municipal government, while Eric Diller, who ran unsuccessfully in 2022, is making another bid for council.
Candidates for Sidney council
Eric Diller
Eric Diller is making his second consecutive run for Sidney council after receiving 1,300 votes in the 2022 election, falling short of a seat.
Diller says he has lived on the Saanich Peninsula since 2009 and in Sidney since 2014. An electrician and small business owner, he has served with a number of community organizations and currently sits on Sidney’s Advisory Planning Commission. He has also served on the CRD Water and Wastewater Commission since 2025.
In his candidate profile, Diller identifies fiscal accountability, support for local businesses, parks and improved public transportation among his priorities.
Diller does not have a candidate website.
Steve Duck, incumbent
Steve Duck was first elected to Sidney council in 2022 after receiving 1,751 votes and is seeking a second term.
Duck says he has lived in Sidney for 15 years and brings 45 years of business-management experience.
His community involvement has included the Sidney Community Association, Cycling Without Age Society, Mary Winspear Centre Foundation Board, Sidney Business Improvement Area and Destination Sidney.
His candidate profile emphasizes fiscal responsibility, collaborative decision-making and maintaining Sidney’s existing community character.
More on Duck is available online here.
Erin Fedotov
Erin Fedotov is making her first appearance on a Sidney general election ballot.
Fedotov works for BC’s Ministry of Attorney General and describes herself as the mother of two neurodiverse children. She says her professional work has provided experience in research, analysis and working through complex issues.
Her candidate statement focuses on affordability, the impact municipal decisions can have on household costs, community spaces, responsible use of property-tax dollars and increasing the range of perspectives represented around the council table.
More information on Fedotov is available online here.
Scott Garnett, incumbent
Scott Garnett is seeking a third term after eight years on Sidney council.
First elected in 2018, Garnett was returned to council in 2022 with 1,814 votes.
Garnett says he has lived in Sidney for more than 22 years and spent 32 years working as a letter carrier with Canada Post, including 18 years serving Sidney.
He holds degrees in psychology and sociology from UVic and says he regularly attended council meetings and public hearings for several years before entering politics.
He describes his approach to council as pragmatic, principled, collaborative and respectful.
Garnett does not have a candidate website.
Harninder “Hari” Jacquot
Harninder “Hari” Jacquot is seeking a council seat for the first time in a Sidney general election.
Originally from Richmond, Jacquot says she moved to Sidney 17 years ago for work and remained in the community.
A mother of two, she has volunteered through her children’s schools and sports organizations.
Jacquot, a former two-time CCAA All-Canadian volleyball player, says she wants to protect the qualities that make Sidney attractive to residents, businesses and families, emphasizing community involvement, collaboration and the town’s natural surroundings.
Jacquot does not have a candidate website.
Rory Lambert
Rory Lambert is another new name on Sidney’s municipal ballot.
Lambert says he has lived in Sidney for more than 12 years, is a working professional and has two elementary-school-aged children.
His candidate statement focuses on increasing engagement between residents and the Town, ensuring Sidney remains accessible to working families and future generations, and taking a broader look at major capital projects and how municipal money is allocated.
Find more on Lambert online here.
Richard Novek, incumbent
Richard Novek is seeking another term after being elected to Sidney council in 2022 with 1,489 votes.
Novek says he moved to Sidney in 2017 and has an extensive background in the private education and hospitality industries.
His community service has included 15 years with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, work as a licensed paramedic, and volunteer involvement with the Sidney Museum, Friends of Dominion Brook Park and the Seaside Music Festival.
During the current term he has served on the Vancouver Island Regional Library Board of Trustees and chaired the Peninsula Water and Wastewater Commissions.
He did not specify his priorities for Sidney in his candidate profile.
Novek does not have a candidate website.
Terri O’Keeffe, incumbent
Terri O’Keeffe is seeking a third consecutive term on council.
O’Keeffe was elected in 2018 and topped the council vote in 2022 with 2,155 votes.
A Sidney resident for 28 years, O’Keeffe says she spent 34 years in the federal public service with the Canada Revenue Agency and National Defence and has volunteered with several community organizations.
In her candidate statement, O’Keeffe points to issues including municipal taxation, affordable housing, a proposed tenant-protection bylaw, the future of Beacon Wharf and the Anacortes ferry lands and potential plans for a new town hall.
She also says community consultation should play a significant role in major projects.
O’Keefe does not have a candidate website.
Steve Price, former mayor
One of the most recognizable names on the councillor ballot is former Sidney mayor Steve Price.
Price previously served three terms on Sidney council, including four years as mayor, and was mayor from 2015 through 2018 according to the Town’s official historical records.
He lost the 2018 mayoral election to Cliff McNeil-Smith, receiving 929 votes to McNeil-Smith’s 3,740.
Price says he has lived in Sidney for 36 years and previously owned a small business.
His past community involvement has included serving as president of the Peninsula Soccer Association and Sidney Anglers Association, while his political experience also includes service on the CRD and hospital boards and a term as CRD Board chair in 2018.
In his candidate profile, Price points to municipal amenities, taxes and public consultation as issues motivating his return to the ballot.
Price does not have a candidate website.
Jamie Wellbourn
Jamie Wellbourn is seeking elected office in Sidney for the first time, although they are already involved in municipal affairs.
Wellbourn says they have lived in Sidney for nearly 30 years and currently sit on the Town’s Advisory Planning Commission, a role also confirmed by Sidney’s municipal records.
Their work history includes the Greater Victoria Public Library, Victoria Flying Club and a small business in West Sidney.
Wellbourn says they have regularly attended council meetings and identifies active transportation, transit, support for businesses and community events, accessibility and the Extreme Weather Response Shelter among issues they have been involved with.
Find more information on Wellbourn online here.
A full profile guide of each of the candidates can be found on the Town of Sidney’s website.
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