District of North Saanich voters will be going to the polls on Saturday October 17th and will have three options for mayor along with 11 choices for their six available council positions. 

There is one elector organization, or political slate, in the municipality called North Saanich Strong. 

According to North Saanich Strong, the five candidates they have endorsed aim to bring their own ideas and perspectives while sharing a commitment to constructive collaboration and to responsible, ethical and accountable leadership.

Their priorities include principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs. 

Incumbent Mayor Peter Jones is running once again and there are also three incumbent councillors along with several newcomers. 

Who is running for re-election?

Mayor Jones will be running for his second term and is running against Jack McClintock, a currently sitting councillor hoping for the mayor’s office.

The three incumbent councillors running are:

• Kristine Marshall
• Irene McConkey
• Sanjiv Shrivastava
• Phillip DiBattista

Candidates for mayor

Peter Jones, incumbent

Peter Jones is running independently for his second consecutive term as mayor of North Saanich. 

In 2022, he successfully won the election with no prior experience on the District’s council. 

He has lived in North Saanich for the past 27 years and was educated as an electrical and construction engineer. 

Through his professional life, Jones has worked with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, providing technical advice in regulating land values and improvements for property tax purposes.

Jones has no candidate website outlining his priorities and did not submit a candidate profile for the North Saanich website. 

Felice Mazzoni

Felice Mazzoni is running for the first time in North Saanich this election and is affiliated with the North Saanich Strong slate. 

He has worked for over 30 years as a municipal planner and community leader and from 2023 to October 2026, has served North Saanich as director of planning. 

Through this role, he says he collaborated with North Saanich residents and facilitated the Official Community Plan (OCP) process coming to completion.

If elected mayor, Mazzoni says he will bring respectful, effective leadership to council; base decisions on evidence and community input; explain those decisions clearly; manage public resources responsibly; and keep municipal hall accountable to the people it serves.

Mazzoni’s priorities include those that North Saanich Strong is pushing for: principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs. 

Just days before the election, on Tuesday, October 13th, Mazzoni was fired by the District due to behavioural issues he caused in the department he led.

Find more information on Mazzoni online here. 

Jack McClintock

Jack McClintock is running as an independent candidate for mayor in North Saanich after having served a total of 12 years on council.

He has been part of council from 2014 to the present. 

McClintock has had a 40-year career in policing, conservation and local government that has been guided by a commitment to public service, practical solutions and community responsibility. 

As he completes his third term on North Saanich Council, he says he remains focused on protecting the rural character, agricultural lands, natural environment and quality of life that makes North Saanich unique. 

He also wants to ensure the community remains welcoming and affordable for seniors and young families.

Through his years on council, McClintock says he has supported transparency, accountability, public consultation and open debate. 

He believes major decisions should be discussed publicly, informed by evidence and shaped by meaningful community input. 

His priorities include keeping taxes affordable, delivering strong core services, protecting the character of North Saanich, fostering open government, ensuring accountability in decision-making and strengthening relationships with neighbouring municipalities and community partners to advance shared interests.

Find more information on McClintock online here. 

Candidates for North Saanich council

Jane Burnes

Jane Burnes is a newcomer this election who is running independently. 

She has lived in North Saanich for over 30 years and has served on North Saanich’s Jubilee Committee, Community Stewardship Committee and Healthy Living Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Saanich Peninsula Pipe Band.  

Burnes has worked for over 40 years in public service and has led significant projects with municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations governments. 

She says she believes in good governance and transparent decision-making, listening, collaboration and financial accountability 

Her priorities include promoting agriculture, preserving the community’s rural character and protecting the environment, parks and trees.

Burnes does not have a candidate website. 

Phillip DiBattista

Phillip DiBattista is running independently for his second term as councillor. 

He has lived on the peninsula nearly his entire life, having been raised on a farm, and says he values everything the amazing community has to offer.

DiBattista has been a police officer for almost 25 years and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Community Planning Committee, the Official Community Plan (OCP) Advisory Working Group and as a local hockey and lacrosse coach. 

He believes North Saanich needs a real and sustainable plan for the future of the community that supports what residents love about the municipality and a practical plan for young families and seniors.

DiBattista does not have a candidate website sharing his priorities. 

Gerald Hannig

Gerald Hannig is running for council as an independent candidate. 

Records show that he has previously served council prior to 2022, but do not specify what years he was on council. 

He has lived in the municipality since 2017 and has worked as a homebuilder throughout the community. 

Hannig believes that North Saanich is a district, not an urban centre, and that it should be protected as such. 

He has also said that while growth will be necessary, it must be organic, responsible and aligned with the values of residents. 

Hannig says financial management protects taxpayers while maintaining essential services and supporting local businesses, which is what he would bring to the table if elected. 

He does not have a candidate website. 

Walter Langer

Walter Langer is a first-time, independent council candidate in the upcoming North Saanich election.

He has called North Saanich home for 20 years, living on acreage near Horth Hill.

Langer works as a self-employed excavation contractor with a background in mechanical engineering. 

Much of his work lies in ecological restoration, repairing land and waterways throughout the capital region. 

He says he will protect the region’s farmland, nature and green-spaces while planning honestly for growth.

Langer also noted the Province’s housing targets and said that he is prepared to help guide where they end up being built in order to have the least impact on the rest of North Saanich. 

He has no candidate website. 

Stuart Mackinnon

Stuart Mackinnon is another independent candidate for council this election. 

He was previously elected to the Vancouver Park Commission for 11 years, including three years as board chair, and has served as a Public Library Trustee and on several boards, including VanDusen Botanical Gardens, the Wilderness Committee and the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation.

Mackinnon had a 30-year teaching career and worked as a constituency advocate for both Jody Wilson-Raybould and Adam Olsen during federal and provincial elections.

He has not publicly shared his priorities and Mackinnon does not have a candidate website.  

Kristine Marshall, incumbent

Kristine Marshall was elected as councillor in a 2023 byelection and is now seeking re-election as part of the North Saanich Strong slate. 

She is a registered parliamentarian, strategic thinker, organization coach and evidence-based decision-maker with 20 years of experience working with boards and governance models.

She has also volunteered with Girl Guides of Canada and Search and Rescue, has rescued and rehabilitated injured raptors and has mentored young falconers. 

Marshall’s priorities include those that North Saanich Strong is pushing for: principled leadership, community-led planning, fiscal responsibility, agriculture and food security and building housing that meets the community’s needs. 

Find more on Marshall online here. 

Irene McConkey

Irene McConkey is running with the North Saanich Strong slate and is hoping to win a second term as councillor. 

She says she wants to protect what makes North Saanich special—the agricultural land and natural spaces that are central to the community’s identity and future. 

McConkey also said that if elected, she would try to ensure North Saanich remains a community where neighbours help neighbours, people feel connected and the community preserves the character and quality of life that make it unique. 

McConkey has a candidate website registered but as of this publication, the link is broken. 

Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson is an independent candidate running for council for the first time. 

He says he was born in Sidney and raised his family in North Saanich, which has given him an appreciation of what a special place the Saanich Peninsula is.

Robinson has an education in civil engineering and he has worked in local government for 38 years. For the last 28 years, he has been in managerial roles with North Saanich and the Town of Sidney.

As he nears retirement, he hopes to continue to be of service to the community as a council member. 

Robinson is also chair of both the North Saanich Healthy Community Advisory Committee and volunteers for the Sidney Guide and Scout Hall Society.

If elected, he says he will try to ensure that council decisions represent the greater good of the residents of North Saanich as a rural residential, agricultural and marine based community.

Robinson has no candidate website. 

Sanjiv Shrivastava, incumbent

Sanjiv Shrivastava is seeking his second term as councillor and is running as part of the North Saanich Strong slate.

He is a scientist and educator who chaired three working groups for the mayor’s Official Community Plan (OCP) through his first term as councillor.

If elected for a second term, he says he will prioritize protecting North Saanich’s land and waters, strengthening local food security and delivering open government, including a public dashboard where residents can track commitments, progress and costs.

See more on Shrivastava online here. 

Greg Warner

Greg Warner is running as a first-time candidate as part of the North Saanich Strong elector organization. 

He was a former chartered accountant, holds a commerce degree and has over 30 years of experience in finance and business. 

Throughout his career, Warner says he has developed a disciplined approach to assessing risk, weighing options and making sound, long-term decisions. 

He says he believes in responsible municipal spending, transparent decision-making, thoughtful planning and meaningful public consultation that will help residents have a clear understanding of the issues, options and implications behind council decisions. 

His priorities include protecting North Saanich’s rural character, supporting local agriculture and food security and ensuring tax dollars are managed carefully. 

Warner does not have a candidate website. 

Jim Woolford

Jim Woolford is a newcomer this election and is running as an independent candidate. 

Following his lengthy career in law enforcement, Jim and his wife established a residential contracting business, providing him with firsthand experience in construction, planning, infrastructure and the challenges facing homeowners and local businesses.

He has previously served as a Saanich School District 63 trustee and has volunteered extensively with the Special Olympics. 

Woolford says he is running for council because he cares deeply about North Saanich and its future. 

His priorities include protecting the community’s rural character and environment, responsible growth, fiscal accountability, improved communication with residents and transparent decision-making.

Woolford also does not have a candidate website.  

In the District of Highlands there will be two choices for mayor with currently sitting Mayor Ken Williams running for his fourth consecutive term. 

For councillors, there are 11 options voters will have to choose between, with a handful of incumbent candidates as well as two candidates who previously served—Mary and Ken Brotherson. 

The Brotherstons are a married couple who in the past have received significant media coverage regarding their sons and a 2008 murder charge. Ken and his sons were acquitted in 2010.

They also were in local media coverage for subsequent legal proceedings involving their younger son and the passing of their oldest, Ken Jr., in 2021.

Who is running for re-election?

Aside from the incumbent mayor seeking another term at the helm of the council table, there are four candidates looking to win consecutive terms. 

The incumbent councillor candidates include:

• Leslie Anderson
• Ann Baird
• Marcie McLean
• Karel Roessingh

Candidates for mayor

Ken Williams, incumbent

Ken Williams is seeking his fourth term as mayor of the District of Highlands. 

He has been the community’s mayor since 2014 and was a Highlands councillor for nine years before that. 

Outside politics, Williams is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who has toured with the Dixon House Band, Rick Springfield, Zipper and the New Vaudeville Band.

Later, he co-owned Legacy Music Ltd. and Kayum Sound Inc., specializing in music for film and television.

To engage with arts in the community, he started the Highlands “Blues Jam” night at the Caleb Pike Coffee House, which grew into a series of concerts as a way to bring the community together through music.

His priorities in this election include protecting the natural areas and character of Highlands, approaching governance with common-sense, strengthening emergency preparedness and pursuing appropriate commercial and light-industrial opportunities on already-remediated lands to help ease taxpayers’ burden. 

Gord Baird

Gord Baird has served Highlands as councillor for 12 years spanning three consecutive terms and is now seeking the mayor’s office. 

Additional regional roles include chair and commissioner of the CRD Regional Water Supply Commission and the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission. 

He is a farmer who has raised children in Highlands alongside his wife. He says that most of his time goes to his farm, but he still has time to volunteer by pressing juice with community members for the Heritage Park Society, supporting the community garden and building the Eagles Lake washroom.

Gord also runs a water design and consulting business where he puts together potable rainwater harvesting designs and consults for other local, regional and provincial governments. 

His priorities include protecting the community’s rural character along with the natural spaces in Highlands, increasing stewardship of water and the region’s climate, committing to reconciliation with First Nations and supporting local groups that help uplift the community. 

See more on Baird online here.

Candidates for Highlands council

Justin Allen

Justin Allen is a first time candidate running for the District of Highlands council. 

He does not have a campaign website detailing his priorities and platform. 

Leslie Anderson, incumbent

Leslie Anderson has served as councillor in Highlands for the last 12 years. 

Aside from working on council, Anderson has served various boards, including the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society and local heritage and environmental committees. 

Anderson does not have a candidate website. 

Ann Baird, incumbent

Ann Baird is the wife of mayoral candidate Gord and has served as a councillor for the District of Highlands for three consecutive terms, from 2014 to the present.

Ann Does not have a candidate website. 

Marie Brotherston

Marie has served on the Highlands council before from 2002 to 2005 and is married to fellow candidate and former councillor Ken Brotherston.

She has lived in Highlands since 1975 and raised three children with Ken while operating a family-owned business that has served the community for 53 years.

Marie and Ken tragically lost one son to an overdose, have another who works every day to live a life in recovery and also have a daughter. 

She says these experiences have strengthened their compassion for families facing addiction and loss.

Her priorities include broadening the tax base to take pressure off of taxpayers, improving wildfire preparedness, making transparent decisions around land-use and environmental matters,prioritizing infrastructure projects that are needed, supporting residential food production, increasing housing through secondary suites and remaining transparent and respectful. 

See more on Marie Brotherston and her husband Ken online here. 

Ken Brotherston

Ken Brotherston also served the Highlands council previously from 2002 to 2008. 

He and Marie have lived and worked in the Highlands for decades and say that climate emergencies, rising costs and changing economic conditions were what prompted them to run again this year. 

The Brotherstons also assert that they are running as individuals, not as a slate. Though they may share values and a vision for the Highlands, Ken says they may take different approaches on council votes. 

His priorities are the same as Marie’s, and include broadening the tax base to take pressure off of taxpayers, improving wildfire preparedness, making transparent decisions around land-use and environmental matters, prioritizing infrastructure projects that are needed, supporting residential food production, increasing housing through secondary suites and remaining transparent and respectful. 

See more on Ken Brotherston and his wife Marie online here. 

Patrick Harriott

Patrick Harriott is a newcomer this election, running for the first time in Highlands. 

Harriott has no candidate website sharing details of his background or priorities. 

Genny Holt

Genny Holt is also a newcomer in this Highlands council election. 

Holt does not have a candidate website. 

Rob Justice

Rob Justice is another first-time candidate in this election. 

He has lived in the Highlands community for 45 years and has taken up beekeeping in his retirement. 

His campaign focus is reportedly to preserve Highlands’ rural lifestyle, diversify the tax base, and improve traffic safety in the community. 

Justice does not have a candidate website. 

Marcie McLean, incumbent

Marcie McLean was first elected to Highlands council in 2008 and has since served 17 years total across 4 terms. 

In addition to her council experience, she has served on various municipal advisory committees in Highlands.

McLean also does not have a candidate website. 

Karel Roessingh, incumbent

Karel Roessingh has served on Highlands council for seven terms, spanning from 1993 to 1996, was mayor from 1999 to 2005 and once again as a councillor from 2008 to the present. 

Roesingh does not have a candidate website detailing his priorities for the community. 

Adrian Selby

Adrian Selby is another newcomer running for Highlands council for the first time this year. 

Selby also does not have a candidate website. 

Central Saanich politics will see a bit of a shakeup no matter what this election as Mayor Ryan Windsor is not running for office. 

Windsor, who is now running in the provincial election, was elected mayor in a 2013 byelection, won again in 2014 and went on to win by acclamation in both the 2018 and 2022 elections. 

In the upcoming election, one currently sitting councillor is running against a newcomer for mayor and there are 10 candidates vying for a seat at the council table. 

There is one official elector organization, or political slate, with candidates in the region called Sustain OUR Central Saanich. 

The slate is critical of some decisions made by the previous council regarding development, engagement and transparency. 

According to Sustain OUR Central Saanich, their four candidates would tackle issues of transparency, unsustainable tax increases, “out-of-control” bureaucracy and development and, lastly, alleged erosion of public trust and participation. 

Who is running for re-election?

Currently sitting councillor Zeb King is running for mayor in Central Saanich. 

Among the 10 candidates for Central Saanich council are three incumbents:

• Christopher Graham
• Sarah Riddell
• Bob Thompson

Candidates for mayor

Zeb King

Zeb King has been a member of the Central Saanich council for 21 cumulative years. 

He was first elected in 2002 and served until 2008 when he lost his seat by a mere 58 votes. He then was re-elected in 2011, has served as councillor for four more consecutive terms and is now seeking the mayor’s office as an independent candidate. 

King is a third generation Central Saanich resident who believes the community is at a crossroads.

Throughout his years on council, King has advocated for transparency by webcasting council meetings, protecting natural areas, protecting farmland from urban sprawl, engaging in meaningful reconciliation and fiscal responsibility. 

In this election, his priorities include listening to residents and understanding their needs, supporting balanced growth that respects farmland and building a strong community.

More specific priorities were not available. 

Find more information on King online here. 

Pat Bryant

Pat Bryant has not held elected office in Central Saanich, but has had a long history of public service in the community as a Central Saanich police officer. 

He has spent 21 years of his 37-year-long policing career in Central Saanich and is now seeking the office of mayor as an independent candidate. 

Outside his police work, Bryant has supported and raised funds for Wounded Warriors Canada, Special Olympics and Cops for Cancer. 

His platform in this election is based on four principles: community safety and wellbeing, responsible growth, an accountable and transparent government and a strong, connected community. 

Find more information on Bryant online here. 

Candidates for Central Saanich council

Rafael Regalado Fuentes

Rafael Regalado Fuentes is running for office in Central Saanich for the first time as an independent candidate, but had previously unsuccessfully run for mayor in the City of Victoria in 2022. 

In the 2022 election, he was a resident of View Royal, but for the upcoming election, his municipality of residence was redacted and unavailable to the public. 

Fuentes works in customer service at the Victoria International Airport and has previously run a pre-school/small business. 

He said in a Facebook post that if elected, he would be in favour of holding referendums for major decisions in Central Saanich and that he is looking to be elected in order to gain experience in politics. 

Fuentes does not have a candidate website. 

Christopher Graham, incumbent

Christopher Graham was first elected in 1996 and served for 12 consecutive years until 2008 when he unsuccessfully ran for mayor in the district. 

He was elected as councillor again in 2014, 2018 and 2022, serving another 12 years while seeking another four as an independent candidate.

Graham says he has deep roots in Central Saanich as his family first settled in the area in the mid-1800s. 

He is an accountant and has owned Beacon Tax Services since 2012, which operates out of Sidney. Graham is also an active farmer and has served as a CRD Regional Water Supply Commissioner. 

Graham does not have a candidate website detailing his platform or priorities in the community. 

David Lawson

David Lawson is a newcomer this election and is part of the Sustain OUR Central Saanich slate. 

He was born and raised in Nanaimo and attended UVic for the business administration program before moving to Japan for a number of years where he studied further. 

Upon his return, Lawson operated a business that served the Central Island region, studied computer programming and after eight years of operation, sold his business and transitioned into consulting, specializing in accounting and IT systems. 

He is now retired and has lived in Central Saanich for around 40 years. 

Apart from the slate’s issues and priorities, Lawson’s priorities include committing to honesty and integrity, financial accountability and serving the community. 

Lawson does not have a dedicated candidate website. 

Ben Michell

Ben Michell is an independent candidate running for council in Central Saanich for the first time. 

He was born and raised in Central Saanich, where generations of his family have lived and worked before him.

Michell manages his family farm and has a background in small-business operations and residential projects. 

He says he wants to bring an independent, practical and next-generation voice to the decisions that will shape Central Saanich for the years to come.

His priorities include protecting farmland in the district, supporting new housing in the urban areas of the district, ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth and spending taxpayers dollars responsibly. 

Find more on Michell online here. 

Sarah Riddell, incumbent

Sarah Riddell is finishing her first term as a councillor in Central Saanich and is seeking a second as an independent candidate. 

Riddell is the executive director of a local non-profit healthcare organization and one of the Saanich Peninsula’s largest primary care providers. 

Prior to this role, she held leadership roles with the BC government and has nearly two decades of public-sector, leadership and governance experience. She holds master’s degrees in health administration. ​

In her time on council, Riddell says she was primarily focused on turning community priorities into results. She says the new splash pad, multi-sport box and parkland, child care, more affordable housing options, safer streets and new sidewalks, trails and multi-use paths were some of the products of this focus.​ 

Her priorities in this election include continuing to improve infrastructure; expanding parks, recreation and public spaces; creating housing options for all; protecting agricultural land; and making long-term decisions. 

Find out more information on Riddell online here. 

Anny M. Scoones

Anny M. Scoones is running as an independent for the first time in Central Saanich, though she has previously served as a councillor for North Saanich from 2002 to 2012. 

Aside from her council work, she is a published author working on her seventh novel, an instructor of English and business to refugees and a board member for the Saanich Inlet Protection Society (SIPS).

Her priorities in the upcoming election include protecting agricultural land, reducing the development of overly tall buildings, enhancing village centres, spending responsibly, voting against an increase in remuneration for council, meeting with residents and supporting community endeavours. 

Find more on Scoones online here. 

Lori Anne Shaw

Lori Anne Shaw is running for council for the first time in Central Saanich as an independent candidate. 

Shaw has no candidate website. 

Bob Thompson, incumbent

Bob Thompson has served as councillor in Central Saanich for 17 non-consecutive years and is running for another term as an independent candidate. 

His first term saw him serve from 1993 to 1996, his second and third terms lasted from 2002 to 2008 and his fourth to sixth had him in office from 2014 to 2022. 

Thompson has been a Saanichton resident for 35 years and has volunteered with local organizations such as the Saanich Fair, Peninsula Country Market, Flavour Trails, Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association, Island Farmers’ Alliance and BC AgriTourism Alliance.

He believes his experience will make him an asset to the next elected council. 

His priorities include reviewing processes to improve public satisfaction and transparency, reconciling the Official Community Plan (OCP) and its policies with community expectations and reviewing what the community needs versus what it wants to manage reasonable tax increases. 

Find more information on Thompson online here. 

Susan Zedel

Susan Zedel is running for the first time in the upcoming election and is affiliated with the Sustain OUR Central Saanich slate. 

She was born and raised in Victoria and has lived in Central Saanich since 1985 where she raised two daughters in the community alongside her husband.

Zedel holds a bachelors in natural resource management and has worked for BC’s Ministry of Forests for 35 years before retiring in 2019.

She has been a longtime volunteer with the Girl Guides of Canada and she belongs to a long list of local environmental organizations. Since retiring in 2019, Zedel has kept herself busy as a director of the Beaver Elk Environmental Stewards Society (BEES) and is also a member of the Central Saanich Advisory Planning Commission.

Zedel says she regularly attends council meetings, follows what is happening with local developments and the decisions council makes that impact the community. 

Her priorities include improving transparency, providing the public more opportunities for feedback, planning with long-term growth in mind, connecting with the community and advocating for environmental matters. 

Find more on Zedel online here. 

Kathleen Zimmerman

Kathleen Zimmerman is a first-time candidate in Central Saanich and is running as part of the Sustain OUR Central Saanich elector organization. 

She was born and raised in Kamloops to Swiss immigrants and retired to Brentwood Bay in 2021. 

Before retirement, she worked as a professional agrologist with a very strong public service focus. 

Although she is running as part of a slate, she made a campaign promise to always vote independently on council matters if elected. 

Other priorities include establishing tax rates that are closer to cost-of-living increases, promoting and approving development that is consistent with the community’s needs and respecting the OCP. 

Find more information on Zimmerman online here.

Voters in Sooke will have 18 candidates total to consider in the upcoming election for mayor and council. 

On Saturday, October 17th, voters will be tasked with electing six councillors and a new mayor. 

There are two political slates in Sooke with several candidates from both electoral organizations that will be on the ballot. 

Sooke Together is one,with the organization saying it prioritizes four things: planning for the public, not private interest; public health and safety; development of the local economy; and connected neighbourhoods and transportation.

The other is Sooke First, who have seven priorities: clearer decisions, respect for taxpayers and the cost of living, fair rules and clearer rights, practical planning and sensible growth, respect for differing views, better alignment before major decisions and better community alignment. 

Who is seeking re-election?

With current Mayor Maja Tait not running in the upcoming election, District of Sooke voters will have to pick a new mayor with two candidates in the running, Al Beddows and Kevin Pearson, who are both finishing terms on Sooke’s council. 

There are 16 candidates for council, of which there are only two incumbents: 

• Herb Haldane
• Tony St-Pierre

Candidates for mayor

Al Beddows

Al Beddows is finishing up his second term on Sooke’s council and is now seeking the mayor’s office. 

He is running independently. 

Beddows was born in Ontario before moving to Chemanius at a young age. He attended Vancouver Island Vocational Institute to obtain his electronic technician certification. 

He then worked in the electronics industry for 30 years, retiring as the manager of electronic communications for the Department of National Defence in Esquimalt.

He has volunteered for local service organizations including Sooke Hospice, Sooke Food Bank and Sooke Lions.

Beddows also had council appointments for Sooke & Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Commission (SEAPARC), the Official Community Plan Advisory Committee and the Sooke Community Association. 

Beddows does not have a candidate website detailing his platform or priorities. 

Kevin Pearson

Kevin Pearson was voted to Sooke’s council in 2011, 2014 and again in 2022, and is now running for mayor. 

Pearson is running with the Sooke First electoral organization. 

He was born and raised in Sooke, has worked for Canada Post in the region for over 35 years and has spent many years actively coaching and volunteering in various sports and other local organizations. 

His council appointments have included the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission and SEAPARC.

Pearson’s priorities include improving affordability and fiscal accountability, creating fair rules and clear rights for residents to understand how council works for the community, focusing on public safety and being ready for emergencies. 

Find more on Pearson online here. 

Candidates for Sooke council

Susan Belford

Susan Belford is a newcomer this election and is part of the Sooke Together electoral organization. 

She says she is running because she believes in Sooke’s future as a thriving coastal town with a robust local economy. 

Belford is a retired mediator and group facilitator who has volunteered in the various Greater Victoria municipalities she has lived in, including a toy library in Vic West, pest management in View Royal and neighbourhood visioning in Saanich. 

Since moving to Sooke, Belford has served on the Land Use and Development Committee and has been involved with Transition Sooke, Sooke Arts Council, Zero Waste Sooke, Sooke Harbour Players and Friends of Eagle Bluffs Forest Society.

She says that as a senior on a low fixed income, she is motivated to find ways to reduce the District’s dependence on residential property taxes, while ensuring that the service and infrastructure needs of the growing community are adequately met. 

Her priorities include making decisions in the public’s interest over private lobbyists, building up the local economy and improving infrastructure in the interest of emergency preparedness. 

Find out more about Belford online here. 

Nick Dickson-Wilde

Nick is running independently for the first time to become a Sooke councillor. 

He has strong family ties to the Sooke area, has lived in the district since his teen years and, together with his wife, has built a home and business in the region.

Dickson-Wilde has worked in web development while also owning and operating Sooke Shukokai Karate alongside his wife. 

As a young professional, business owner and father, he believes he can bring a valuable perspective to Sooke council and represent the needs and priorities of families and the next generation. 

His priorities include improving council productivity, investing in infrastructure and long-term planning, creating more opportunities for local small businesses and protecting the environment. 

Find out more about Dickson-Wilde and his priorities online here. 

Noah Dowhy

Noah Dowhy is another newcomer this election who is also running independently. 

He was born and raised in Sooke, and is now raising his own family in the Saseenos neighborhood where he grew up.  

Dowhy has worked as a journeyman carpenter working in the West Shore for over 20 years, and says this has helped him to become aware of the pressures rapid development can put on a community. 

He is also involved in community theatre as an actor and has seen how an arts scene can thrive when supported by local leadership.

Dowhy has served as a district representative with the Edward Milne Community School Parent Advisory Council, volunteered to build sets for local youth theatre and supported Sooke Minor Hockey as a scorekeeper.

His priorities this election include delivering a safe design for the Throup Road connector, funding community-led sports venues, supporting policy that leads to a diverse housing stock, ensuring proper funding for RCMP and firefighters, continuing support for local arts and finalizing a plan for Lot A. 

Find more information on Dowhy online here. 

Janet Evans

Janet Evans has previously served 12 consecutive years on Sooke’s council, including nine years as mayor. 

She decided not to run again in 2011, instead returning to work in the business community. 

Now, she is running once again for a council seat, and is affiliated with the Sooke First slate. 

Aside from her roles in Sooke’s municipal government, she has worked at Wood Travel, Silver Streak, Sooke Chamber of Commerce and Keycorp Consulting. 

After retiring, she has been involved in the community via Sooke Fine Arts and has been volunteering with the Sooke Harbourside Lions for the past 29 years. 

Evans’ priorities include improving affordability and respect for taxpayers’ dollars, revisiting the Official Community Plan (OCP) to ensure growth is proportional and creating more housing, jobs and services that match the pace of Sooke’s growth. 

Find out more about Evans online here. 

Landon Kenneth Grams

Landon Kenneth Grams is a newcomer this election and is running independently of political slates. 

The 30-year-old candidate says he is running because this feels like an important moment to step forward and serve his community. 

He moved to Sooke in an effort to become more self-reliant and engage with food production, which led him to an organic farming apprenticeship and starting a hobby farm near the Sooke River. 

Grams says his background in food rescue and distribution also connected him to local non-profit organizations such as Sooke Food CHI and the Sooke Region Food Systems Network. 

His priorities include addressing Sooke’s tax pressure through responsible budgeting, creating a forward-looking transportation strategy, increasing the municipality’s role in providing healthcare and protecting Sooke’s parks, trails, water, food systems and natural areas. 

Find out more about Grams online here. 

Heb Haldane, incumbent

Herb Haldane is one of two incumbent candidates running for council in this election and is running with the Sooke First political slate. 

He has previously served as a council member from 2008 to 2014 when he made an unsuccessful bid for mayor. He then tried to run for council in both 2018 and 2022, but was defeated both times. 

Haldane says he is once again running for council because he believes Sooke needs experienced, practical leadership at the council table.

On top of his terms as councillor, he has worked for decades as a Sooke-based building contractor, community volunteer and local advocate. 

He has been involved with the Victoria Home Builders Association, the Sooke Home Builders Association, the Sooke Community Association, the Sooke Legion and has done volunteer construction work at the Jack Brooks Hatchery.

Haldane’s priorities in this election include protecting the Chinook Enhancement Initiative, addressing Sooke’s development policies, developing an affordable plan for the Throup Road connector, reducing property taxes, protecting property rights and improving infrastructure. 

Find more information on Haldane and his priorities online here. 

Kyra Juliana Lazzar

Kyra Juliana Lazzar is a first time candidate in this election for Sooke council and is running independently. 

Lazzar is a member of the T’sou-ke Nation and if elected, she will become the very first T’sou-ke Nation member to serve as a councillor for the District of Sooke. 

Outside of politics, she has been involved in local community governance, and has served as a director for the Sooke Region Museum board. 

Lazzar does not have a candidate website. 

Elliott Lifton

Elliott Lifton is running for the first time to be a Sooke councillor and is affiliated with the Sooke First slate. 

The 37-year-old candidate has worked in the tree care industry since 2010, and in 2018 started Alligator Creek Falling, a local tree service and firewood business. 

From 2017 to 2023, he also worked in the forest industry as a contract faller on Vancouver Island and in the coastal inlets.

He says that running his own company has given him firsthand experience with the realities local business owners face: rising costs, regulations, scheduling, equipment, staffing, customer expectations and the pressure to make sound decisions every day. 

Through his business, he has donated firewood to local fundraisers including Saseenos Elementary’s firewood raffle, the Sooke Museum and other local causes. 

His priorities include improving affordability and taxpayer respect through responsible budgeting, revisiting the OCP to reduce cost pressures, responsible growth and improving services. 

Find out more about Lifton online here. 

Brian James McHattie

McHattie is a newcomer to Sooke elections and is running alongside candidates who are a part of the Sooke Together elector organization. 

Though he is a newcomer to the Sooke political arena, he has previously served three terms as councillor in Hamilton, Ontario. 

While new to Sooke, McHattie says he has visited Vancouver Island many times over the years. 

He has worked selling health and safety equipment and earned a Mohawk College diploma in occupational hygiene. 

McHattie also holds a degree for environmental studies from the University of Waterloo and went on to study the northern resident orca population at Orcalab on Hansen Island in Johnstone Strait. 

He has also worked for Environment Canada, started an ecotourism business, the Green Planet Tour Company and earned a master of science in rural planning and development from the University of Guelph.

In Sooke, McHattie volunteers at ALM Organic Farm, Friends of Eagle Bluffs Forest Society, Sooke Streamkeepers and Jack Brooks Salmon Hatchery. 

McHattie’s candidate website specified no platform outside of Sooke Together’s four principle priorities. 

Find more about McHattie online here. 

Rob Pearce

Rob Pearce is running for Sooke council for the first time this election, and is affiliated with the Sooke First slate. 

He says he is running for council because people are feeling real pressure of rising costs and taxes. 

Pearce’s work background was primarily with Canada Post, but also in fields such as trades, infrastructure and local business. 

His priorities are similar to the other Sooke First candidates: affordability and taxpayer respect, revising the OCP, responsible growth and improving services. 

Find out more about Pearce online here. 

Curtis Peterec

Curtis Peterec is also a part of the Sooke First slate and is running for council for the first time.

The 29-year-old candidate was born and raised in Sooke, and says he wants to follow in his grandfather Don Rittaler’s footsteps, as he served as a CRD Director and was involved with the Sooke River Hotel. 

He graduated from high school at EMCS in 2014 and entered the workforce in construction and infrastructure, including pipe-laying and heavy equipment support. 

Peterec has also worked in local businesses and ran his own food truck, Sooke River Roadhouse. 

Additionally, for the past seven years, he has worked in his family business at Castle Liquor Store alongside his grandmother, mother, aunt and extended family. 

His priorities are the same as the rest of the Sooke First candidates: affordability and taxpayer respect, revising the OCP, responsible growth and improving services. 

Find more information on Peterec online here. 

Helen Ritts

Helen Ritts is running for Sooke council for the second time as part of the Sooke Together slate after losing a 2025 byelection by 25 votes. 

She says that she has attended council meetings for years, volunteered with local organizations, served on community committees and has worked alongside residents who care about Sooke’s future.

Ritts believes that the community already has a clear vision of where to go after the previous council created the most recent OCP, a Transportation Master Plan, a Parks and Trails Master Plan, climate action strategies and many other community-led initiatives. 

She says she wants to respect that work rather than revise it, which is what the Sooke First slate wants to do. 

Professionally, Ritts has worked for over 20 years in marketing and communications in architecture and urban planning. 

Ritts’ candidate website specified no platform outside of Sooke Together’s four principle priorities. 

See more on Ritts online here.

Steven Sorenson

Steven Sorenson is running for Sooke council for the first time as part of Sooke Together. 

Sorenson has been a volunteer firefighter with the Sooke Fire Department since 1980 and has served for 36 years, including as Sooke’s fire chief.

For his work in firefighting, he has earned a BC Community Achievement Award and seen Sooke Fire Hall No. 2 renamed Sorensen Station in his honour. 

He says he is running to keep pace with infrastructure, to be fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money and because he believes his experience will help the next council navigate challenges. 

Sorenson’ candidate website featured no specific platform outside of Sooke Together’s four principle priorities. 

Find more information on Sorenson online here.

Tony St-Pierre, incumbent

Tony St-Pierre was elected to Sooke council first in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. He is now running as an independent and seeking his third term at Sooke’s council table. 

He is a small business owner and has experience in rural planning and development, community development, organizational development, systems analysis and participatory planning. 

St-Pierre has a master’s degree in both planning and adult education and community development. 

His past Sooke council appointments include Capital Regional District Climate Action Inter-Municipal Task Force, CRD-Regional Housing Trust Fund Commission, Te’Mexw Treaty Advisory Committee, Capital Regional District Water Supply Commission, Climate Caucus and Edward Milne Community School liaison.

He has previously stated he cares about affordable housing, local economic development, good design, efficiency that elevates quality and participatory planning.

St-Pierre has no candidate website with his current priorities heading into this election. 

Katherine Strongwind

Katherine Strongwind is a first-time candidate for Sooke council and is running as an independent. 

She has worked in numerous capacities for indigenous communities in Manitoba and British Columbia, including as a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder mentor for the InterTribal Health Authority, policy analyst with the First Nations Family Advocate Office and executive director of Songhees Nation.

Strongwind also co-founded the 60s Scoop Legacy of Canada—a national nonprofit aimed at healing and wellness for survivors and their families. 

More recently, she founded Strongwind Solutions in 2020, a marketing and communications consulting business. 

Strongwind has served on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Edward Milne Community School Society and the Sea to Tree Foundation. 

Her priorities in this election include enhancing public transit, prioritizing road safety, launching a mobile crisis unit for those with mental health and addictions challenges, innovating crisis support, establishing a community safety network, investing in local talent and training, elevating local businesses, protecting natural areas and expanding opportunities for youth entrepreneurs and artists. 

Find more information about Strongwind online here. 

Christine Thomas

Christine Thomas is running for council for the first time and is affiliated with Sooke First.

She has lived in Sooke for 24 years alongside her spouse who has lived in the community his whole life. 

Thomas is a retired correctional supervisor, and currently works as a custodian at EMCS. 

She says she is running because she wants to see change for the better in the community where her family, friends and neighbours live.

Her priorities are the same as the rest of the Sooke First candidates: affordability and taxpayer respect, revising the OCP, responsible growth and improving services. 

Find more information on Thomas online here. 

Voters have plenty of mayoral and council candidates to choose from in View Royal’s upcoming election on Saturday, October 17th. 

There are five candidates for mayor, including former mayor David Screech. 

The currently sitting mayor, Sid Tobias, is not running in the 2026 local elections. 

Another familiar name that will not be on the ballot is Damien Kowalewich, who stepped down from his council position in March 2026 after being promoted to deputy chief with Saanich Police. 

In the last election, voters had only seven candidates to choose from for the six available council seats, but this year there are 12. 

Who is running for re-election?

Among those 12 candidates will be three incumbent councillors on the ballot. 

Those incumbents are:

• Don Brown
• Gery Lemon
• Ron Mattson

Candidates for mayor

Anna Becker

Anna Becker does not have a candidate website, but did create a YouTube video sharing a bit about herself ahead of the election. 

In the video she shares that she was born in South Korea and moved to Edmonton at age seven. She then spent some years in the United States before moving back to Edmonton. 

She moved to View Royal 23 years ago when she and her husband moved to Fort Victoria RV Park. She attended UVic for her master’s in business administration degree. 

Becker started a company, Capital City Purchasing Services Inc., which she says helps public sector organizations spend taxpayers funds through an open and fair competitive process. 

She says that her values are integrity, openness and value for money. 

If elected mayor, Becker says she will establish an open door policy to hear residents’ concerns, prioritize affordability, create a program to help seniors age in place and offer help to home-based businesses. 

View Becker’s YouTube video online here. 

Volker Dammann

Volker Damman was born in Germany, moved to Canada in 1988 and settled in View Royal in 2021. 

His career spans more than 30 years in technology, customer care, business consulting and project management.

Since he moved to View Royal, Dammann says he has followed council closely and become increasingly engaged in the issues affecting the town and its residents.

He says his decision to run for mayor comes from a desire to put his experience to work for the community he now calls home. 

Dammann believes View Royal can grow thoughtfully while protecting the qualities that make it a special place to live. 

His priorities include addressing congestion and regional traffic issues, keeping the town affordable through fiscal responsibility and meeting housing needs while protecting neighbourhood character and improving transparency and accountability. 

Find out more on Dammann online here. 

Teodora Kristof

Teodora Kristof is running for mayor for the first time in View Royal. 

She does not have a candidate website outlining her platform or priorities.

Ryan Painter

Ryan Painter is another newcomer to this View Royal mayoral race.

Painter has experience in governance, runs his own View Royal small business in public relations, has worked in BC’s not-for-profit sector and in the BC legislature. 

He has also served as an elected Greater Victoria school trustee and as chair of the Greater Victoria School Board. 

Painter says his priorities for the municipality lie in improving traffic flow, getting better value for tax dollars, bringing more jobs and businesses to the Western Gateway at Six Mile, bringing more family doctors into the community and allowing people’s voices to be heard.

Since announcing his candidacy, some social media posts from 2024 have come to light in which Painter shares what some concerned voters call anti-trans and anti-Palestinian views. 

Find out more about Painter’s platform online here. 

David Screech, former mayor

David Screech served as View Royal’s mayor for eight years between 2014 and 2022 when he was defeated by Sid Tobias by around 240 votes.

Now he is seeking re-election once again. 

Screech says that he believes that his passion for the community, along with his commitment and experience, place him in a position to lead View Royal for the next four years. 

He believes the town is at a crossroads and needs strong and experienced leadership to ensure the character and charm of the town are protected. 

Some of Screech’s priorities are to address transportation issues, restore citizen-led advisory committees, improve financial accountability, improve communications, conduct maintenance around town and to improve governance, transparency and resident engagement.  

See more on Screech online here. 

Candidates for View Royal council

Don Brown, incumbent

Don Brown was first elected to View Royal’s town council in 2022, but he had served as a school board trustee for 12 years prior to his election. 

Brown does not have a candidate website detailing his platform or priorities. 

Sacha Christensen

Sacha Christensen is running for View Royal town council for the first time this election. 

Christensen says he is running because he feels the community needs a council with the experience and vision to solve some of their most pressing issues. 

He sees these issues as being rooted in traffic, health and housing. 

As a strategic initiatives and public relations professional in government, he has spent his whole career working with policy makers in the region. 

This background has given him experience in bringing together local governments, First Nations and interest groups to collaborate for common solutions to common problems. 

Christensen’s priorities include incentivizing public and alternative transportation, improving traffic light timing across the region, developing a regional transportation plan, creating View Royal’s first municipal-run doctors’ office and supporting a housing stock that works for families.

Find out more about Christensen online here. 

Carolynne Clark

Carolynne Clark is running for View Royal town council for the first time this election. 

She is a parent, a homeowner and a real estate agent who works in the region and says that through her work, she has seen how difficult it is for people to afford entering the housing market. 

Her priorities include helping develop a housing strategy that allows easier access to homeownership, protecting View Royal’s identity through responsible growth, promoting proactive maintenance and responsible infrastructure, easing traffic congestion and climate action. 

Clark does not have a candidate website, but does have a Facebook page she posts to regarding her campaign. 

Spencer Dixon

Spencer Dixon is running for a council seat for the first time in View Royal. 

Dixon does not have a candidate website. 

Diane Fownes

Diane Fownes is a newcomer to the election and has been a View Royal resident for over 20 years. 

She is a mother, a public-service leader and a photographer. 

Fownes says she is running for council to listen, ask questions and represent the community.

She does not have a candidate website, but does have a Facebook page she posts to regarding her campaign. 

Cam Harris

Cam Harris is running for View Royal town council for the first time.

He was born and raised in View Royal, and returned to the community to build his career, run a local health-care practice and raise his family.

Harris says that while he thinks the Town has done many things well, such as protecting green space, maintaining the character of neighbourhoods and keeping View Royal a community people genuinely want to call home, he wants to build on that success. 

He believes thoughtful decisions about growth, improving the services people rely on and making it easier to get around are key. 

His priorities include improving traffic conditions, bringing more primary care to the town and implementing more active transportation and BC Transit service. 

Find out more about Harris online here. 

Jay Josh

Jay Josh is a first-time candidate running for View Royal council. 

Josh does not have a candidate website sharing his platform or priorities. 

Gery Lemon, incumbent

Gery Lemon was first voted to the View Royal council in 2018 and was successfully re-elected in 2022. She is now seeking her third term on council. 

She believes that with just three incumbents running, and at least three newcomers joining council following the election, her experience will be vital at the council table. 

Although she is currently recovering from a knee replacement surgery, Lemon says she hopes her reputation and advocacy for community building, arts services putting the E&N corridor to work to help relieve congestion and listening to the voices of residents on issues will be recognized.

Lemon does not have a candidate website, but does have a Facebook page for matters regarding the local election. 

Sean MacKenzie

Sean MacKenzie is running for a council seat in View Royal for the first time this election. 

He says he is running for council because he wants to give something back to the community his family calls home and to help make sure it remains a great place to live as the region grows and changes. 

MacKenzie believes the next council will have to tackle important decisions about housing, transportation, infrastructure, the environment and the kind of community residents want to leave to the next generation. 

If elected, he says he will bring a thoughtful, practical and evidence-based approach to those decisions, listen to residents, ask good questions and work constructively with Town staff and council. 

MacKenzie’s priorities include making View Royal a destination rather than a place to drive through, to give serious consideration to a passenger rail through the E&N corridor, to mitigate traffic congestion and to build more homes for all types of families. 

Find more on MacKenzie’s platform online here. 

Owen Marshall

Owen Marshall is a newcomer in this local election for View Royal council. 

He has experience working in policy, technology and day-to-day operations and currently works as a people services assistant for BC Assessment. 

Marshall was born and raised in Victoria, and has lived in View Royal for nearly a decade. 

He says he has seen the same traffic, changing neighbourhoods and public spaces as everyone else, and he wants to be useful in working through what comes next.

His priorities include making transportation in the region work as one system, whether cycling, taking transit or driving; coming up with a practical plan for parks, trails and natural areas; keeping infrastructure’s pace with housing; listening to residents’ concerns; and financial sustainability. 

Find out more about Marshall online here. 

Ron Mattson, incumbent

Ron Mattson has served three tenures on View Royal’s council—first between 1990 and 2005, second 2011 to 2014 and his third began last election when he was elected in 2022. 

Throughout his time on council he has served on council-affiliated boards including the Greater Victoria Public Library board and West Shore Parks and Recreation board. 

Mattson does not have a candidate website detailing his priorities. 

Amy McCooey

Amy McCooey is a newcomer candidate this election who is seeking a View Royal council seat. 

She says that as a healthcare worker and mother, she understands the importance of dependable care and dedicated service. 

McCooey has stated that she is running to ensure the town council reflects the real-life needs of the community’s residents. 

Her priorities include helping the town stay safe and connected, investing in vibrant local spaces and advocating for transparent spending and smart investments. 

Find out more about McCooey online here.

In this year’s election on Saturday, October 17th, Colwood voters will have 11 candidates to choose from for council and mayor. 

In the mayoral race, incumbent Mayor Doug Kobayashi is seeking re-election for his second term as Colwood’s mayor. Previously, he had served as a councillor in Colwood between 2018 and 2022. 

Kobayashi is running against former mayor and councillor Rob Martin and longtime Colwood councillor Cynthia Day. 

Among the candidates for council, there are four incumbents running for re-election and five newcomers seeking one of six council spots. 

Who is seeking re-election?

Incumbent Mayor Kobayashi is running for re-election against former mayor Martin and former councillor Day.

Among the council candidates, there are four incumbent candidates seeking re-election:

• Ian Ward
• Misty Olsen
• David Grove
• Kim Jordison

Candidates for mayor

Doug Kobayashi, incumbent

Doug Kobayashi is seeking his second term as mayor of Colwood in the upcoming election. Last election, Kobayashi beat out former mayor Martin by 1,343 votes. 

He grew up on the West Shore and later attended Royal Roads Military College for engineering and went on to earn a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Cranfield University in England.

Kobayashi became a lieutenant colonel with the Royal Canadian Air Force before retiring at age 34, when he began building a career in the private aerospace sector.

He returned to Colwood in the early 2000s, opened Bitez Bistro and became involved in the local business community, served as president of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and was elected to Colwood council in 2018.

As mayor, Kobayashi developed a municipally supported medical clinic and focused on keeping taxes affordable while investing in parks, transportation, road safety, economic development and programs supporting children, youth and families.

His focus this election is on healthcare, housing, climate change, transportation, education, economic development and responsible municipal finances.

Some priorities include keeping property taxes as low as possible, delivering improved infrastructure, expanding Colwood’s municipal primary healthcare clinic model, investing in safer street initiatives, protecting the environment and good governance. 

More on Kobayashi can be found online here. 

Rob Martin, former mayor

Rob Martin has been a West Shore resident for 30 years, served as mayor of Colwood from 2018 to 2022 and spent seven years on council before that. 

His campaign emphasises that he knows the community, the responsibilities that come with public office and what can be accomplished when council is honest with residents about the challenges council faces. 

Martin believes that in recent years, Colwood has lost some of that focus and raised questions about transparency, accountability and long-term planning.

Since losing the 2022 election, Martin has been working for BC Ferries at Swartz Bay as a relief terminal manager and equipment operator. 

His priorities include accountability, establishing a West Shore ferry service to help ease traffic congestion, to establish dedicated bus lanes before eventually implementing light rail transit and establishing better public trust. 

Find more about Martin online here. 

Cynthia Day

Cynthia Day has over 20 years of experience on the Colwood council, and is now running for mayor.

She says she is running for mayor to ensure Colwood’s growth is matched by robust infrastructure and transparent leadership. 

Day supports responsible growth where essential systems like transportation and sewers keep pace with development. 

As a fiscal conservative, Day says she advocates for transparent budgeting and infrastructure lifecycle planning. 

She also emphasizes the distinct roles of council and administration, valuing accountability and ethical conduct. 

More information on Day is available online here. 

Candidates for Colwood council

Eugene Tseng

Eugene Tseng lives in Royal Bay with his wife and two children and is running for the first time to become a councillor in Colwood. 

He says that as a transplant to the region, he understands what it means for families to build a new life in a new community, which has shaped his views on inclusive, affordable growth and why it matters to every family in Colwood.

Tseng works as a public servant now and has served as chief of staff to two former Ministers of Energy in BC, worked as a senior advisor at BC Hydro and holds a master of public administration degree in energy and environment from Columbia University in New York. 

He also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science, with a minor in urban and regional studies, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Tseng also has board experience with several charitable non-profit organizations such as Pacific Centre Family Services Association, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation and the Progressive Housing Society.

His priorities include sustainable growth in housing and infrastructure, expanding services such as childcare programs and creating a safe, connected community through fiscal responsibility, traffic calming and arts and culture investments. 

Find out more about Eugene Tseng online here. 

Ian Ward, Incumbent

Ian Ward was first elected to Colwood’s council in 2022 and is now seeking re-election. 

He has worked for over 20 years in various business disciplines such as private practice healthcare. For the last seven years he led mergers and acquisitions for the Canadian retail arm of the world’s largest hearing healthcare organization. ​

Ward says that his approach to council business has reflected his belief that Colwood can prosper while protecting taxpayers, investing in infrastructure and maintaining a decent quality of life throughout his last term. 

His priorities include working to address infrastructure delays, ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth, financial oversight and accountability, improving transportation and traffic congestion, being selective about housing development and prioritizing public safety. 

In September 2024, Ward came under scrutiny when a 2007 photo of him in blackface emerged online. 

After the photo came to light, he apologized publicly, calling his actions “offensive, shameful,” and a “naive and ignorant” mistake. He then stated that he had grown in the 17 years since the photo was taken. 

Find out more about Ward online here. 

Jennifer Parlee

Parlee is running for office for the first time this election after calling Colwood home for the past 16 years. 

She is a former small business owner, school teacher and choir director, and in October 2023, was appointed as a citizen representative to the Sooke and West Shore Region Literacy Project by Colwood council. 

Parlee has also served as an Island Health volunteer and previously held the role of vice-chair for Esquimalt Parks and Recreation. 

She says she has always been drawn to municipal government because it’s where individual citizens can work together to make a real difference in their community. 

Her priorities are to ensure building and developments align with Colwood’s big picture growth, advocate for clear communication and regular reporting, expand Colwood’s municipal healthcare clinic model and protect parks. 

Find more about Parlee online here. 

Misty Olsen, incumbent

Misty Olsen first ran for council in 2018 but was unsuccessful. Her 2022 campaign was successful and she has since served one term as councillor. 

She has lived in Colwood for the past 14 years, and both she and her husband are small business owners in the community. She has worked in tourism, events, local business and community partnerships. 

During her first term, Olsen says she focused on environmental protection, age-friendly planning, waterfront stewardship, supporting local business, being a voice for Colwood on regional boards and committees and collaborative leadership. 

Going into this election, her priorities include investing in services and infrastructure residents rely on, improving access to doctors and primary care, expanding recreational and shared spaces, good governance and fiscal responsibility. 

Find out more about Olsen online here. 

David Grove, incumbent

David Gore was first elected in 2022 and is now running for a second term. 

Grove says he believes that healthcare, housing, food security and employment are interconnected with the quality of life in a community. 

He describes serving Colwood as one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of his life and says that the experience he gained from his first term would help him to contribute effectively to another council term. 

His priorities include four pillars: health, home, food and good ideas. 

Under these pillars are initiatives such as expanding Colwood’s first municipal primary care clinic by supporting a second full-sized clinic, creating more housing for all types of families, helping make existing older homes more energy efficient, supporting more community gardens and other food security measures and improving Colwood’s financial reporting.

More about Grove is available online here. 

Kim Jordison, incumbent

Kim Jordison is running for her second term as Colwood councillor after winning in the 2022 election. 

Jordison listed her residence as being in Langford and is the only candidate not residing in Colwood. 

On her candidate website, she explains that she moved from her former Colwood home for personal reasons after a friend died by suicide. 

She emphasizes that she did not want to leave Colwood or abandon her commitment to the community, but says she could not find a home that would work for her family in the community. 

Jordison’s career spans the private sector, provincial government, non-profits and Island Health. 

She is currently pursuing her master of arts in executive leadership at Royal Roads University and has completed graduate education in values-based leadership and change management. 

Her priorities in this election include fiscal responsibility, reducing congestion, improving traffic flow, better transit, planning for the future, building housing for every stage of life and government accountability. 

Jordison recently came under public scrutiny after reports from two separate independent investigations were released to the public detailing misconduct on her part. 

Find out more about Jordison’s platform online here. 

Deborah Law

Deborah Law is running for the first time to be a councillor in Colwood. 

She grew up in Colwood and moved away for education and to pursue a career. She then returned for a time before moving her family to Australia for three years. Law then returned a second time to her Colwood roots in order to retire in Royal Bay. 

Professionally, Law has spent over 25 years as an accountant auditing the BC public sector with the BC Auditor General’s Office. 

She believes that experience gives her a unique perspective because she has had the opportunity to see what works for public sector organizations large and small. 

Her priorities include putting more focus on the City’s finances, building infrastructure that keeps pace with the growing community, planning efficiently for every neighbourhood and its needs and doing a better job of listening to residents’ needs before making decisions. 

More information is available on Law online here. 

Harold Bloomenthal

Harold Bloomenthal is a 20-year Colwood resident and 40-year West Shore business owner who is running to be a Colwood city councillor for the first time this election. 

He says that for more than four decades he has built businesses, created jobs and volunteered his time to strengthen the region’s recreational opportunities and youth sports, specifically hockey.

Bloomenthal says that, if elected, he will take the skills he has learned as a businessperson and volunteer to serve Colwood.

His priorities include creating a livable and well-planned Colwood through smart planning, investing in youth sports and recreation facilities, responsible taxation and budgeting and creating practical solutions to traffic congestion. 

Find out more  information about Bloomenthal online here. 

Terrilynn Gee

Terrilyn Gee is a first-time candidate for Colwood city councillor. 

She believes that as a parent raising a child with developmental delays, she has first-hand knowledge of the unique hurdles and daily challenges our local families face.

Gee says that she helped deliver over 500 rental units in the West Shore, including essential affordable options for the community and that her relationships with local small business owners have helped her understand the economic pressures they face. 

Her priorities in the election include helping small business owners, bringing more high-quality out-of-school childcare programs to Colwood, building more housing and supporting more services for youth and seniors. 

Find more about Gee online here. 

This year’s election in Metchosin will pit former councillor Steve Gray and newcomer Shawn Melinchuk against incumbent Marie-Térèse Little for the mayoral race.

For the District’s council election, seven candidates will be up on the election block, with the only incumbent being Shelly Donaldson.

There are four council seats available.

Candidates for mayor

Marie-Térèse Little, incumbent

Marie-Térèse Little grew up in a Vancouver Island farming community, and went to school at UVic, UBC and Harvard.

Little believes that her education ensures that her work ethic is approached using fact-based decision making with the district’s overall best interests at hand.

She says her background in farming allows her to understand the value of hard work, of neighbours helping neighbours and of preserving Metchosin’s unique rural character.

Little’s platform is rooted in protecting Metchosin’s rural character while ensuring fiscal resilience, modernizing healthcare services and enhancing public safety infrastructure.

She says that if she is elected, she plans to build on the foundation that has been established since 2022 when she was first elected.

Little points to securing $9 million in grants for the district’s firehall replacement project, establishing key strategic, agricultural and climate action plans and building strong relationships with regional, provincial and federal partners to enhance open and transparent government.

More on Little can be found on her website here.

Steve Gray

Steve Gray was elected as a councillor in Metchosin in 2022.

He and his wife have lived in Metchosin for more than 40 years and raised children in the district.

Gray is a retired medical doctor, and says he has decades of senior public service leadership and management experience.

He says his priorities focus on fiscal responsibility, protecting Metchosin’s rural future and making informed decisions.

If elected, Gray says he intends to build council consensus rather than governing by a three-to-two vote and support the non-profits and volunteers that make the community strong.

He also says he will provide honest, team-based leadership, ensure Metchosin’s community and environmental values are upheld, offer due diligence on all decision-making and support Metchosin’s volunteers and non-profits.

More information about Gray and his platform can be found on his website here.

Shawn Melinchuk

Shawn Melinchuk is running for mayor of Metchosin for the first time.

Melinchuk has no available candidate website.

Candidates for Metchosin Council

Shelly Donaldson, incumbent

Shelly Donaldson is finishing her first term as an elected Metchosin councillor and is seeking re-election.

She has called Metchosin home for more than four decades, raising a family on her property at Ewe View Farm. Her children are the sixth generation of her family to live in Metchosin.

Donaldson is a retired chef and business owner. She says she understands the value of hard work, responsible financial management and supporting the people and organizations that strengthen the community.

She currently serves as chair of the District’s Finance Committee and represents Metchosin on the Greater Victoria Public Library Board, West Shore Parks and Recreation Society and the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission.

She is also chair of the IslandLink Library Federation and an alternate member of the CRD Regional Water Supply Commission.

Donaldson says her priorities lie in being a strong advocate for local agriculture, food security, responsible infrastructure investment, reliable emergency services, accessibility and meaningful public engagement.

She believes municipal decisions should be transparent, financially responsible and grounded in respect for Metchosin’s rural character.

More information about Donaldson can be found on her website here.

Ellen Frisch

Ellen Frisch and her husband have lived in Metchosin for 24 years.

She has worked for the BC government, and says that when she first moved to Canada and became a citizen over 35 years ago, she was able to purchase the cheapest house in Victoria at the time, in Saanich.

Frisch has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Washington and says she has extensive training in facilitation, negotiation, meditation and leadership.

She says that her experience from her 32-year career working for government as well as with government, communities and private clients makes her uniquely qualified to work on the Metchosin council to help navigate complex legal and policy issues regarding operational management, fiscal planning, land use, environmental protection, bylaws and project management.

Frisch says she is passionate about good governance, practical decision making, understanding risk and benefit, fiscal responsibility and providing advice based on facts, not opinion.

Her platform promises to streamline administration and reduce costs while achieving more net revenue, use a business-like lens in her duties, implement transparency and accountability for services and use proactive, purposeful planning.

More information can be found on Frisch’s website here.

Kyara Kahakauwila, former councillor

In 1999, at the age of 21, Kyara became the youngest woman in Canada to be elected to public office when she won a seat on Metchosin council.

She went on to serve five terms and a total of 17 years as a Metchosin councillor until the 2022 election.

During that time, she served as deputy mayor and represented Metchosin through local and regional boards, commissions and committees.

She says the past four years away have allowed her to continue learning and growing as a community and business leader.

Since 2022, she has served as president of the Metchosin Community Association, co-chair of the Victoria Cruise Industry Alliance, a director of Destination Greater Victoria and the Canadian director on the National Limousine Association Board.

Kahakuawila says these roles have strengthened her experience in governance, collaboration, advocacy and responsible decision making.

She says her priorities lie in being accountable, inclusive, collaborative and transparent.

More information on Kahakuawila can be found on her website here.

Mattie McMillan

Mattie McMillan is seeking election to Metchosin council for the first time.

McMillan has no available candidate website.

Mark Muldoon

Mark Muldoon is seeking election to Metchosin council for the first time.

He and his partner have lived in Metchosin since 2007, and says they are still overwhelmed by the beauty of the district and the quiet volunteer network that quietly holds the district together.

Muldoon studied psychology at UVic, then went to the University of Leuven, in Belgium, for graduate degrees.

When he returned, he went to work in Victoria’s non-profit sector: first with adults leaving prison and trying to rebuild a life in the community, and then with young people at risk of homelessness.

Since 2018 he has worked with the BC Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, with much of his work done with communities of all sizes, including First Nation communities, experiencing challenges in workforce shortages, especially small communities impacted by such events as mill closures and natural disasters.

He has also worked as a volunteer with the Metchosin Emergency Program for eight years in the communications unit.

Muldoon’s priorities lie in creating a culture of respect at the council table, spending within the means of Metchosin’s rural tax base and creating a rural district sustained on purpose.

He says Metchosin’s potential in food security, climate resilience and environmental stewardship has not been fully realized.

More about Muldoon can be found on his website here.

Jesse Pewarchuk

Jesse Pewarchuk was born in Metchosin in 1989, attending Metchosin Elementary with his two brothers, then Dunsmuir High followed by Belmont Secondary, graduating in 2000.

He says he did not fully appreciate just how special Metchosin was until he left it, saying a few months in Edmonton fixed that.

Pewarchuk was accepted into medical school in the prairies at age 19 and graduated in 2006 as a doctor of medicine, where he met his wife, Nicole, a former Alberta 4-H girl and farm-show veteran.

He also became involved in student politics and served a year on the University of Alberta Students’ Council.

Pewarchuk went on to specialize in internal medicine in Edmonton.

Pewarchuk says his priorities are to build a safe fire hall with a safe financial plan, run a rural municipality like a rural municipality, incorporate rural rules for a rural community, avoid hollowing out the community and listen to residents first.

More information about Pewarchuk can be found on his website here.

Eric White

Eric White is running for Metchosin council again after being unsuccessful in 2022.

During that election, he received 580 votes.

White has no available candidate website.