North Saanich voters will choose between three mayor and 13 councillor candidates in the municipal election.
The incumbent mayor is not seeking re-election, and only three councillors are seeking re-election, meaning there will be at least four new faces at the council table.
North Saanich voters will also cast a ballot for who will fill the two Saanich School District trustee seats.
Voters will have a chance to vote at advance voting days on Oct. 5 and 12, or general voting day on Oct. 15. On all three days, voting will take place at North Saanich Municipal Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In the 2018 election, 4,008 people voted for a turnout of 43.5 per cent. In the 2018 election, only the mayor was up for election, and the entire council was acclaimed to their positions.
Mayor
Nancy Borden
Borden is a fifth-generation Victorian who grew up in the Saanich area. She moved to North Saanich 25 years ago. She has volunteered with a number of groups including Peninsula Minor Hockey Association, Saanich Peninsula Basketball, and Sidney/North Saanich Softball. She served on a number of PACs. She was a school trustee for SD 63 in 2014 but did not seek re-election in 2018. Her family businesses include Borden House Corporation, Borden Mercantile and VI Propane.
If elected, she hopes to make the council a strong and cohesive group, listen to the taxpayers, reason issues out respectfully, stick to the fiduciary duty to each other, and advocate for the district to neighbouring municipalities, the CRD, provincial and federal governments.
Peter Jones
Jones began a professional career as an electrical and construction engineer. For 22 years he has applied his postgraduates in law and economics, with engineering on behalf of Canadian and international corporations. He has hands-on experience with municipalities working on land use, community charters, the rural act in B.C. and similar legislation in other locations.
If elected, his priorities include keeping the urban containment boundary where it is, support the regional growth strategy, and looking at concerns and disagreements with the current OCP.
Jones’ website can be found here.
Murray Weisenberger
CHEK News reached out to Weisenberger asking for a bio, his priorities if elected, and any links to a website or social media but did not hear back. The story will be updated with information if it is provided.
Councillor
There are six councillor positions in North Saanich.
Sanjiv Shrivastava
Shrivastava, who will only appear on the ballot by his first name, has lived in North Saanich since 2014. He grew up in Kenya and Zambia, and has a masters degree in nuclear physics and a doctorate in condensed-matter physics. He worked as a university professor in South Africa for over two decades before moving to Edmonton in 2011 where he started a scientific consultancy.
If elected, his priorities are collaborative solutions, engage local community expertise, fiscal accountability, strengthen food security, environmental sustainability, and respecting rural.
Shrivastava’s website can be found here.
Phil DiBattista
DiBattista was born and raised on a hobby farm on the Peninsula, and lives in North Saanich as well as coaching sports and participating in opportunities to shape the future in the district. He sits on the OCP commission and the Community Planning Commission. He has years of experience on governance and oversight boards with education and sports organizations. He has been a police officer for the last 20 years in Greater Victoria.
If elected, his priorities are preserving the community character and feel by protecting agricultural lands, exploring diverse housing options, and ensuring the OCP review process is completed while restoring public confidence through open communication and transparency.
DiBattista’s website can be found here.
Erin Giesbrecht
Giesbrecht does not have a publicly available bio. CHEK News sent an email request for a bio. If a response is received this story will be updated to include it.
On Facebook, she says her priorities are to bring an unbiased voice to coucnil, increase community involvement in every aspect, hold more accessible community gatherings and information sessions, continue to protect ALR land, sensitive infill housing, preserve parks,and listen to the community’s wants and opinions.
Giesbrecht’s Facebook page can be found here.
Tara Keeping
Keeping is a long-time volunteer with a number of organizations including as Deep Cove PAC President, and past Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Director. She has had a long career in aviation, and has lived in Asia and the Middle East.
If elected, her priorities include preservation of North Saanich for people of all ages to live.
Keeping’s website can be found here.
Jack McClintock
McClintock is a retired police officer who worked in Vancouver, Victoria, and Central Saanich and Conservation Officer from Alberta and Yukon. He is married and raising a family in North Saanich. He has published a children’s book and rode in the 2014 Tour de Rock. He also volunteered with the Salvation Army.
If re-elected, he plans to bring the community together to work on the OCP process, finalize the Tree Bylaw, and work on the Active Transportation Plan. He plans to continue to ensure the local government is as small and effective as possible to be fiscally prudent. He would also like to locate and secure a boat launch in the district.
In 2018, McClintock was one of the six councillors acclaimed to the board. In 2014, he received the sixth most votes with 1,904.
Irene McConkey
McConkey has lived in North Saanich with her husband since 2016 and has been actively involved in the community since. She was part of the efforts aimed as saving the Loop Trails on Mount Newton, was the municipal liaison for the Dean Park Estates Community Association, and was involved in the OCP consultations.
If elected, she plans to keep North Saanich rural, ensure transparency in the decision-making process, advocate for the community, be accountable for how tax dollars are spent, and listen to residents and act on their concerns.
McConkey’s website can be found here.
Morgan Mikkelsen
Mikkelsen hsa been a resident of North Saanich for 24 years. He would like to serve as councillor to allow people in all positions to feel like they have a representative that will listen to and communicate with them.
If elected, his priorities include creating intuitive housing solutions, create neighbourhood nodes that include things like office spaces or cafes, the community, show younger residents that their voices matter and they can participate in shaping future development and plans, and work with farmers and food producers to maximize the use of ALR land for farming.
Jon Rennison
CHEK News reached out to Rennison asking for a bio, his priorities if elected, and any links to a website or social media but did not hear back. The story will be updated with information if it is provided.
Terrie Rolph
Rolph has been an educator for much of her life, teaching in public school. She is currently working as an online dog training coach. She moved to North Saanich in 2012 with her husband and their dogs.
If elected, her priorities are to protect and enhance the biodiversity and natural spaces, take action on climate change, and take more rapid and effective action to mitigate and reduce the damage done to the atmosphere.
Brett Smyth
Smyth is an incumbent councillor in North Saanich and is a produce farmer who was born and raised in the Victoria area. He is a professional singer in recording and touring rock and blues bands in Vancouver from the late 70s until the early 90s, as well as a studio session singer.
If elected, his priorities include continuing to the next stage of the OCP reveiw, the pending review of the Parks Master Plan, and building stronger relationships with the Tseycum and Pauquachin Nations.
In 2018, Smyth was one of the acclaimed councillors.
Celia Stock
Stock has lived in the Ardmore area of North Saanich for 16 years. She has been a councillor for 11 years, and is seeking to be re-elected for a fourth term. She worked for the Government of Canada for 35 years including in the Northwest Territories where she served as an Alderman on the City of Yellowknife council and the Yukon Territory. She has financial management, policy development and negotiating skills. and was part of the federal negotiating team in the BC Treaty Process.
If re-elected, she plans to warp up engagement with residents and listen to them and the community in general particularly with the OCP review process, ramp up rural and agricultural community vision, work to maintain reasonable property taxes, work sronger on marine, environmental and climate change issues.
In 2018, Stock was one of the acclaimed councillors. In 2014, she received the fourth most votes with 2,938.
Stock’s Facebook page can be found here.
Maya Tse-Cotton
Tse-Cotton previously worked designing policy frameworks for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters in Ottawa, and has since working in international space consulting and high technology. She has a triple major in mass communication, sociology, and economic and cultural anthropology.
If elected, she plans to help bridge the divide in the community, make fair and forward-thinking decisions in finalizing the Official Community Plan, and build long-term lasting social and economic value in the district.
Tse-Cotton’s website can be found here.
Majid Varasteh
Varasteh has lived on the Island for over 20 years, the last two in North Saanich. He worked in the construction industry in several roles from labourer to journeyman carpenter, and builder. He also owned and taught at a martial arts studio for 10 years.
If elected, his goal is to ensure North Saanich is welcoming and inclusive to everyone, support sensitive infill by creating housing options to meet the immediate and future needs of the community, work collaboratively with the community, and incorporate growth into planning for the future to ensure ALR land is protected.
Laura Brougham
