In the municipal election, Victoria voters will choose from eight mayoral and 37 councillor candidates to fill the seats on council.
In the race to be mayor, there are two current councillors — Marianne Alto and Stephen Andrew — competing with six other candidates who haven’t previously served in an elected position.
For the councillor positions, only one incumbent councillor – Ben Isitt – is seeking re-election. The current mayor and six other councillors have announced they will not seek re-election in this year’s election. There are eight councillor positions up for election.
Some of the people running for a position on council are running as part of a slate — called VIVA Victoria — which has been criticized for its views. As first reported by Capital Daily, the party has “extensive” ties to the People’s Party of Canada and the convoys that were calling for the removal of COVID precautions.
In addition to voting for the mayor and eight council positions, Victoria voters will also vote for nine school trustees for the Greater Victoria School District.
Victoria will have five advance voting days with different locations and times, as shown below:
- Oct. 5 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Victoria City Hall
- Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Our Place
- Oct. 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Victoria City Hall
- Oct. 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at UVic’s Student Union Building
- Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Victoria City Hall
On general voting day on Oct. 15, Victoria has 13 voting locations around the city. All operating hours on general voting day are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Central Baptist Church – 833 Pandora Avenue
- Central Middle School – 1280 Fort Street
- Cook Street Village Activity Centre – 380 Cook Street
- George Jay Elementary School – 1118 Princess Avenue
- Glenlyon Norfolk School – 781 Richmond Avenue
- James Bay Community School – 140 Oswego Street
- James Bay New Horizons Centre – 234 Menzies Street
- Margaret Jenkins Elementary School – 1824 Fairfield Road
- Oaklands Elementary School – 2827 Belmont Avenue
- Quadra Elementary School – 3031 Quadra Street
- Sir James Douglas Elementary School – 401 Moss Street
- SJ Burnside Education Centre – 498 Cecelia Road
- Victoria West Elementary School – 750 Front Street
Accessible voting machines will be available at advanced voting at Victoria City Hall on Oct. 5, 11, and 12, and on Oct. 15 at Central Middle School.
Additionally, Victoria voters can request to vote by mail, but they have to be mailed by Oct. 6.
In the previous election, 29,707 votes were cast for a voter turnout of 44.9 per cent. In that election there were 10 candidates for the mayor’s chair, and 29 for councillor.
Mayor
Marianne Alto
Alto, who holds degrees in law and science, was first elected to Victoria council in 2010. She has been elected to the Capital Regional District board from 2011 to 2018.
She serves as the council liaison to the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, the Te’mexw Treaty Advisory Committee, the South Island Prosperity Partnership, the Greater Victoria Public Library, and the CRD’s Royal and McPherson Theatres Society Advisory Committee.
If elected as mayor, she plans to address housing issues, invest in city services to meet the needs of residents, promote a healthy and active community, address climate issues to protect the planet, invest in a strong economy, and work on Indigenous relations and reconciliation.
In 2018, Alto received the eighth most votes with 10,245.
Alto’s website can be found here.
Stephen Andrew
Andrew is a former journalist who has worked for outlets including CTV, CBC, CHEK, and C-FAX. He has also worked as a communication consultant and was the executive director of a national cancer patient and caregiver charity.
He is the vice-chair of RunSport and has served on boards of the Victoria Press Club and Lifetime Networks. On council he has sat on board for the Royal and MacPherson Theatre Society (RMTS) and Destination Greater Victoria. He is also a member of the Renters’ Advisory committee and the Canada Day sub-committee.
If elected, he plans to improve housing in Victoria, improve livability, and operate with the principals of good governance.
Andrew was elected in a byelection in 2020 with 6,937 votes where 17.5 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot.
Andrew’s website can be found here.
Lyall Atkinson
Atkinson was born and raised in Victoria and has owned Your Friend With a Truck Ltd. for 23 years. He has volunteered on a number of car shows over the last 20 years including Deuce Days, Sidney Car Show, the Oak Bay Car Show, Colwood Cars Show.
If elected, he hopes to “fix what the damage last Mayor and council ha s [sic] done.” He aims to streamline projects like Crystal Pool and “tweak or remove” bike lanes like Vancouver Street and Humboldt.
Atkinson’s website can be found here.
Rafael Fuentes
Fuentes says he is running for mayor of Victoria because he has been dealing with housing affordability issues as a single father. He is renting in View Royal and was previously a 50 per cent homeowner.
If elected, his priorities will be creating solutions for affordable housing, family doctor shortage and making public safety stronger.
Fuentes’ Facebook page can be found here.
Rod Graham
Graham is Metis and he is a homeless man who has been an activist for over 45 years. He was homeless in Vancouver as a child. He was previously a correspondent for the North American Street Newspaper Association.
If elected, he hopes to push for laws to protect the rights and liberties of Canada’s poorest citizens, defund and redirect resources, take immediate actions toward housing all homeless in Victoria, repeal unjust laws and implement bylaws to protect the poor and homeless, create a task force of volunteers from the public to oversee maintenance and manage the bureaucracy at city hall, and ensure public libraries are well funded and managed.
Graham’s website can be found here.
David Johnston
Johnston says if elected he has a “radical” and “on the surface, ridiculous” platform.
He plans to sell every non-essential municipally-owned asset and investigate the Johnson Street Bridge project, initiate a new civic deputy certification program, create a diversion detox program for people experiencing addiction issues, not support tent cities as long as the addiction epidemic exists, and end vaccine mandates.
In 2018, Johnston unsuccessfully ran for mayor with 119 votes.
Johnston’s Facebook page can be found here.
Brendan Marshall
Marshall is a lifelong resident of the capital region and is a small business owner in the food and beverage industry.
If elected, he plans to put Victoria first, prioritize vehicle traffic over bike traffic, increase livability, put a freeze on property and other taxes, cut red tape to address affordability, revitalize the local economy, increase funding for arts, address the environment, be transparent, work toward reconciliation, and return to a community policing model.
Marshall’s website can be found here.
Michelle Wiboltt
Wiboltt is running for mayor of Victoria as well as a seat as a Greater Victoria School District trustee.
If elected, Wiboltt would like to ensure separation of church and state, and address concerns with the missing middle initiative including limiting to three-storey heights. She would also like to implement universal wages, update the website to ensure conflict-free language, and democratize city hall to prioritize public attendance.
Councillor
There are 37 people competing for the eight councillor positions in Victoria, including seven candidates of a slate.
Julia Alvarez
Alvarez’s parents immigrated to Canada from South America when she was a child. She has lived in all three Prairie provinces and has lived in Greater Victoria for four years. She has a career in the travel and tourism industry as a travel agent and airport representative for domestic charter airlines.
She is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, she plans to put forward sustainable living initiatives including turning lawns into veggie gardens, tackle the issue of homelessness by spearheading tiny home projects, investing in mass transport, and cutting red tape and bureaucracy.
Alvarez’s profile can be found here.
Gary Beyer
Beyer has owned a business on Broughton Street for over 12 years and other businesses in the city before that. He is running for council to address some of the issues he believes have not been addressed in recent years.
If elected, he plans to address safety in the city through increased funding to the police, investing in infrastructure, and addressing issues like 24/7 camping in parks.
Beyer’s website can be found here.
Tom Braybrook
Braybrook has 12 years experience working in municipal governments and 30 years experience operating a small business.
If elected, he hopes to restore trust in the city, improve communications, include resident voices, support bylaw and police, work towards practical solutions to the housing crisis like selective zoning, streamlining application processes, using tax policy to incentivize family dwellings and rentals, and lobbying senior governments to do their part in funding affordable housing.
Braybrook’s website can be found here.
Michael Cameron
Cameron is running for council because he feels he is underrepresented in the city and wants to make positive change.
If elected, his priorities include affordable housing, and addressing the mental health and addictions crisis.
Jeremy Caradonna
Caradonna has been active in Parent Advisory Councils and has led initiatives including ones to save music education and keep late French immersion at Central Middle School. He has a Ph.D. in history of scientific, environmental and political thought. He teaches part-time at UVic and works full-time as a policymaker with the provincial government.
If elected, he has four areas he plans to focus on. Solving the housing and affordability crisis, shelter every unsheltered person in Victoria, reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for a changing climate, and support the city’s economy, increase liveability, and revive the downtown core.
Caradonna’s website can be found here.
Christopher Coleman
Coleman is a former longtime Victoria councillor who did not seek re-election in 2018, but is now seeking to be elected to the table once again. He has a BA and an MBA from UVic and a law degree from UBC.
If elected, he plans to create affordable housing solutions, provide safer streets, promote Victoria as a market for various types of economies, increase acceptable density, address infrastructure needs, slow the increase of the tax burden, enhance the city’s recognition as the provincial capital, and increase regional co-operation or amalgamation to reduce conflicts caused by civic boundaries.
In 2014, he received the eighth most votes with 7,295.
Coleman’s website can be found here.
Matt Dell
Dell is a long-time Victoria resident who has volunteered in the community for 20 years. He has served as the president of the South Jubilee Community Association since 2018 and serves as a director with the B.C. government. He has a master’s degree in political science from UVic.
If elected, he plans to tackle affordability by building homes and investing in services, improving the quality of life for people living in the city, and investing in the future by expanding parks and green space and implementing a bold climate action plan.
Dell’s website can be found here.
Rob Duncan
Duncan is a former academic social scientist with a Ph.D. in developmental psychology. He has worked with climate action groups including Greenpeace Victoria, Extinction Rebellion, and Leap Victoria.
If elected, he plans to focus his efforts on the housing crisis and climate crisis. For the housing crisis, he would push for the provincial government to implement vacancy controls, extend the city’s inclusionary zoning, and implement policies to recognize housing as a human right. Some initiatives to address the climate crisis include extending fare-free transit, change traffic signal priority for buses, as well as protect and enhance green space in the city.
In 2018, Duncan unsuccessfully ran for mayor with 527 votes.
Duncan’s website can be found here.
Jalal Elarid
Elarid is running for council because he believes the quality of life in Victoria is declining and the cost of living is rising.
If elected, his priorities include advocating for public safety and improving vehicle traffic flow, suspend further bike lane construction until more consultation can be completed, support the engagement of public opinion on developments, ensure the city’s goals don’t negatively impact youth and their educational and future opportunities, advocate for more city event facilities, take action on climate change, and advocate to reduce property taxes.
Elarid tells CHEK his website is under developement.
Marg Gardiner
Gardiner has a bachelor of science in chemistry and a MBA in public management. She has worked for the provincial government and a university. Her career was focused in regulatory enforcement, program management, research administration and technology transfer. She has served on the James Bay Neighbourhood Association since 2006.
If elected, she plans to focus on six areas. Governance and accountability, public safety, transportation and parking, housing and communities, climate change, and Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation.
In 2018, Gardiner unsuccessfully ran for council receiving 7,041 votes.
Gardiner’s website can be found here.
Riga Godron
Godron says if she is elected she plans to increase Victoria Police’s budget, ban camping in parks, implement bylaws for public safety, and restore enforcement of civil discources in the downtown core.
In 2018, Godron unsuccessfully ran for council receiving 1,567 votes.
Godron was recently arrested on a provinve-wide warrant in relation to an incident on Canada Day where she is alleged to have been driving a vehicle that VicPD officers had to “leap out of the way of” to avoid being run over.
Stephen Hammond
Hammond has lived and worked in Victoria for 17 years. He has a BA in political studies from the University of Manitoba and a bachelor of law from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He formed his company, Harassment Solutions Inc., in 1992.
If elected, he plans to focus on three main priorities. Making Victoria a safer city, implementing realistic housing solutions, and focus on core municipal services like parks, community centres, public spaces and fixing potholes and sidewalks.
In 2018, Hammond unsuccessfully ran for mayor receiving 8,717 votes.
Hammond’s website can be found here.
Christopher Hanna
Hanna is a fourth-generation Victorian and advocate of social liberalism and financial conservatism. He has a 40 year career as a historian and historical researcher of Victoria, Victorians, and Victoria’s built heritage.
James Harasymow
Harasymow has lived on the Island since 2001, and worked at a cafe owned by his wife and her family which hosts live music and events seven days a week. He has also worked at a number of restaurants in the Victoria area.
If elected, he plans to make the city safe and vibrant, address housing affordability, and invest in the culture and community.
In 2018, Harasymow unsuccessfully ran for council receiving 1,362 votes.
Harasymow’s website can be found here.
Ben Isitt
Isitt is seeking his third term as a councillor in Victoria after serving two terms.
If elected, he plans to focus his attention on affordable housing and the climate crisis by advocating for fare-free public transit for seniors and low-income earners. He also plans to pursue enhanced food security and expand parks and trails, and have open government with community participation.
In 2018, Isitt received the most votes with 14,205.
Isitt’s website can be found here.
Sandy Janzen
Janzen has a bachelor of arts focusing on global governance and has served in the primary Army Reserves.
She is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, she plans to focus on mental health needs and offering practical health solutions to combat depression and anxiety.
Janzen’s profile can be found here.
Jason Jones
Jones was born and raised in Campbell River who has lived in Victoria for 17 years. He is currently working in a local seniors community.
He is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, he plans to focus on keeping the city and its communities strong.
Jones’ profile can be found here.
Muller Kalala
Kalala is a bachelor of arts in political science student at the University of Regina. He conducted research in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the summer of 2021. He moved to Victoria in summer 2021. He is self-employed and the CEO/Founder of Optic Security & Self-Defence Inc.
He is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, he plans to address homelessness issues, zoning and traffic flow for cyclists and vehicles.
Kalala’s profile can be found here.
Susan Kim
Kim is tri-lingual and has a decade of experience working with social-justice oriented organizations across Canada. She is the director of operations for the Fernwood Neighborhood Resource Group and volunteers with groups like the Sierra Club of BC and the Victoria Korean Women’s Association.
If elected, she plans to implement policies to protect renters, address the housing supply, work on the cost of living, support local businesses, support tourism, work to find solutions for the health care shortage, put in measures to have a healthy community, implement climate action, invest in cleaner transportation, expand green spaces, implement additional policing models, work toward reconciliation, and provide supports for homeless people, drug users, and newcomers.
Kim’s website can be found here.
Anna King
King is a stay-at-home-mother to two toddlers who hopes to build a city that her children can grow and thrive in. She worked in the nonprofit and community sector for 15 years.
If elected, she plans to support initiatives to address the housing crisis, address homelessness and affordable housing, advocate for more child care spaces, support policies for mental health, and work towards accessibility in the city.
In 2018, King unsuccessfully ran for council with 5,454 votes.
King’s website can be found here.
Brian Klassen
Klassen has lived in Victoria for 18 years, is running because he is unhappy with decisions made by the outgoing mayor and council. He has a background in civil service and tourism.
If elected, he hopes to address crime and manage “attractions” that bring “violators” to the city. He would like a no shelter policy in all city parks, and provide more support for downtown businesses and the police. He would like to prioritize vehicle traffic flow “as cars are the number one vehicle transport for families in and around our municipality.”
Klassen’s website can be found here.
Krista Loughton
Loughton is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and business owner who recently launched her film Us and Them, which is a documentary about early childhood trauma and its correlation to poverty, homelessness, and addiction.
If elected, she plans to develop neighbourhood villages to create welcoming public spaces, address housing and affordability needs, and implement initiatives to help with mental health, addiction and homelessness.
Loughton’s website can be found here.
Jeremy Maddock
Maddock has a BA in political science and law degree from UVic. He has worked as a legal consultant since 2010.
He is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, he plans to open Richardson, Haultain, Government, and Vancouver streets, Clover Point and Beacon Hill to vehicle traffic, provide tax incentives for private homeowners to create affordable housing, remove taxes on shopping bags and coffee cups, and make decisions in consultation with the public.
Maddock recently had a B.C. Supreme Court case dismissed where he challenged the B.C. government’s COVID health measures.
Maddock’s profile can be found here.
Janice Nightingale
Nightingale is an experienced municipal councillor who has moved to Victoria. She hopes to have the opportunity to continue to serve her community.
Steve Orcherton
Orcherton is a life-long resident of Victoria and was previously an NDP MLA for Victoria-Hillside from 1996–2001. He is a director of the Oak Bay Kiwanis Pavilion, and has previously served on a number of boards and groups. He has received awards the 125 Canada Commemorative Medal and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his community service.
If elected, he plans to pause major policy changes and initiatives, invest in addressing crime and safety, address homelessness, support initiatives for the housing crisis, assess density, have residents voices heard, improve municipal services, address traffic and people movement, and manage social and economic risks.
Orcherton’s website can be found here.
Emmanuel Parenteau
Parenteau studied general sciences at UVic and kinesiology at the University of Alberta. He has a doctorate in chiropractic medicine from Southern California University of Health Sciences. He has practiced chiropractic medicine for 20 years.
He is part of the slate VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, he plans to work with the Victoria Police Department and non-profits to address homelessness, address what he calls the “overbuilding” of bike lanes, and reduce unnecessary spending.
Parenteau’s profile can be found here.
Derek Pinto
Pinto has years of experience in political engagement and communication, including accompanying a national party leader as press secretary on a Canada-wide tour.
If elected, he plans to invest in housing, work to bring greater safety and security to downtown, support small businesses, call for higher levels of governments to ensure more funding is available to support mental health and addictions, continue to invest in safe cycling infrastructure, fight discrimination, preserve natural ecosystems, engage with Indigenous communities for reconcilition, support community initiatives, and limit noise pollution.
Pinto’s website can be found here.
Khadoni Pitt Chambers
Pitt Chambers has an HBA from Carleton University in Ottawa, with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Geomatics. They have worked and volunteered in politics and local communities across the country. They currently work for City Green Solutions.
If elected, they plan to support initiatives to bring more housing to the city, invest in infrastructure and public spaces, work towards a prosperous and sustainable city, improve transit and active transportation options, and work towards improving health care and child care.
Pitt Chambers’ website can be found here.
Jordan Quitzau
Quitzau moved to Victoria in 2014 and has a bachelor of arts in political science from UVic. He is pursuing a master in professional communications from Royal Roads and is set to graduate in the fall. He served as the director of events on the University of Victoria Students’ Society board of directors from 2016-2017. In the previous federal election, Quitzau served as the CEO of the Southern Vancouver Island EDA — Peoples Party of Canada Association.
If elected, he plans to support initiatives to address housing needs, invest in infrastructure, support small businesses, invest in public safety, work towards accessibility, commit to the policies of good governance, and not introduce new taxes.
Quitzau’s website can be found here.
William Scott
Scott has lived in Victoria for 35 years and retired four years ago from a 33-year teaching career. He has a master’s degree with a focus on bioregional science, and has worked as an orderly in a metropolitan hospital, a pulp mill worker in Port Alberni, and a groundskeeper at a public golf course.
If elected, he plans to engage residents to learn what development is needed, look at ways to increase the housing stock without overly densifying, work for environmental protection, and work towards the City of Victoria’s eight strategic objectives.
Scott’s website can be found here.
Brad Sifert
Sifert has worked at the City of Victoria for 33 years, including 25 years with the Victoria Fire Department. In the last four years of his career, he served as the assistant fire chief of prevention at Fire Hall No. 1.
He is part of the VIVA Victoria slate.
If elected, he plans to support small businesses, and re-open roads that were closed to vehicle traffic.
Sifert’s profile can be found here.
Susan Simmons
Simmons is a long-time resident of James Bay and coaches the Spirit Orcas, a group of open water swimmers with intellectual disabilities. She has a bachelor of arts in applied social science from Concordia University. She works in the Office of the Chief Information Officer in the Ministry of Citizens’ Services.
If elected, she plans to govern with the principals of good governance, improve transportation infrastructure, support housing initiatives, improve community safety, and invest in recreation, parks, and other public spaces.
Simmons’ website can be found here.
Tom Sinclair
Sinclair has lived in Victoria as a renter for 20 years, the last 10 years in North Park. He has a career as a graphic designer and web developer.
If elected, his priorities will be building accessible and affordable housing. He says everything else, both good and bad, is correlated to housing. “No housing, no community, no workers, no tourism.”
Sinclair’s website can be found here.
Shea Smith
Smith grew up being raised in gruop homes and foster care, and spent much of his youth and adult life “trapped in the system.”
If elected, his goals are subsidies, job creation, human rights, community, and housing.
Dave Thompson
Thompson has practiced law in Ontario and B.C. as an environmental offences prosecutor, and counsel advising on law reform. He has master’s degrees in law and economics. He is a small business owner and community volunteer.
If elected, his priorities include housing accessibility and affordability, action and results on the climate emergency, creating great neighbourhoods, and having a city council that works cooperatively with city staff.
Thompson’s website can be found here.
Janice Williams
Williams has a master’s in economics from UVic has worked at her husband’s business since 2016 and previously taught a continuing studies course at UVic from 2004 to 2021. She previously worked for a number of government agencies including Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health.
If elected, she plans to govern with the principals of good governance and accountability, address public safety and crime reduction, enhance accessibility and inclusiveness, enable fair growth and development, improve parks and recreation opportunities, and foster affordability for residents.
Williams’ website can be found here.
Tony Yacowar
Yacowar was born and raised in Victoria and is a Chartered Professional Accountant and UVic grad.
If elected, he hopes to address housing needs, address the homelessness crisis, take a leadership role in climate action, amalgamate core municipalities, develop the area between downtown Victoria and Saanich’s Uptown, and invest in livability, arts and culture.
Laura Brougham
