Victoria’s new council shares four-year vision and priorities for the Capital City

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WATCH: Victoria’s new city council say they have bold and big plans for the next four years. Ceilidh Millar reports. 

Victoria’s mayor and eight councillors were sworn in this morning at Victoria City Hall.

The formal ceremony began with a blessing from the Esquimalt First Nations.

Mayor Lisa Helps spoke on behalf of the council members who will represent the Capital City for the next fours years.

In her speech, Helps outlined the issues council will be focusing on moving forward.

“Affordability, climate change, prosperity, well-being and the citizens assembly are the key things,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. “Those are the four key things that we’ve heard that we need to work on and that’s where we are going to be digging in.”

Surrounded by friends, family and the public, it was a memorable and emotional day for new council members like Laurel Collins.

“I think there are a lot of shared values [on council,]” explained Collins. “There’s a shared commitment to contributing to our community and to representing the people of Victoria.”

Geoff Young, who has served on council since 2005, expressed his thoughts on working with a new council.

“I think the new council will be wanting to do some things differently,” Young said. “The Mayor’s speech reflected on some of the things they ran on.”

Helps says they have big and bold plans for tackling the city’s housing and affordability crisis, an issue that was at the forefront of the campaign.

“We have ideas like buying land for housing, larger garden suites and movable tiny homes,” Helps explained.

In their opening speech, Helps addressed instituting a climate ambassador program as well as establishing a long-term jobs plan to create sustainable employment across the city.

“We are passionate and dedicated to making this place on earth, that we all love, better, together, every day,” an emotional Helps said.

Ceilidh MillarCeilidh Millar

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