How can business have a voice?

On behalf of our members, The Chamber has reached out to candidates running for a seat on council in the City of Victoria's Dec. 12 by-election. We've asked candidates five questions about issues important to the business community. We also hosted a virtual discussion with select candidates. Watch the video below.

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Candidate Q&A:

    Stephen Andrew     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

1) increase public safety by fully and appropriately finding the police department.

2) collaborate with other levels of government to address housing, mental health and addiction issues.

3) develop strategic plan to assist with economic recovery from covid.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

I would like to develop a business council to seek guidance on challenges that we face as a city with informed decisions. We need to remove red tape. Listen to all Victorians and solve problems with reason, not ideology. Focus on the business of the city and not special interests or pet projects

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

I have worked in the private sector, worked with major pharmaceutical companies, consulted for companies in communication projects.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

Yes.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am independent.

    Rob Duncan     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

(1) Victoria’s rental market crisis, which can be addressed to some degree with policy changes including working with the provincial government to implement vacancy controls on residential rents, and expansion of the City’s inclusive zoning policy.

(2) Homelessness in Victoria and in the CRD. The starting point of my approach is the recognition that housing is a human right, and that people who don’t have housing are people whose human rights are being violated. Victoria should acquire funding available from the federal government under the Rapid Housing Initiative, and start building the purpose-built housing needed for the population in question - rather than housing them in derelict motels that are unsuited for the purpose and that lead to community dysfunction - beginning for instance with the restaurant/night club section of the Paul’s Motor Inn property.

(3) The planetary climate emergency, which I would work to address with policies such as: - extending fare-free bus transit (currently available to school-age children living in the City of Victoria) - electrification of transit buses - transit signal priority technology, which allows a bus driver approaching a traffic light to keep the light green long enough to let the bus through (greatly improving the efficiency of buses for commuting purposes) - encourage and expedite installation of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations - an end to building new fossil fuel related infrastructure (as called for by, for instance, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) - promote development of a walkable community, with the goal of eventually making it possible for residents to walk to work and school, to get groceries, to access services, and for other transportation needs - a ban on gas-powered leaf-blowers, lawn mowers, weed-wackers, and other kinds of two-stroke engine garden machinery (which are astronomically high in hydrocarbon emissions)

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

Several of my policies would benefit businesses in Victoria. I will push for a municipal affordable childcare program, which would make hiring and retaining employees easier for Victoria businesses. Similarly, alleviating the rental market crisis through policies such as vacancy controls and expansion of the inclusive zoning policy will also make hiring and retention easier. My ideas about a municipal living wage policy, to the extent that it might help to create an environment in which other employers who are not obliged to by the policy look at raising wages as well, would benefit Victoria businesses through the increased consumer spending that would occur, since as we know, low-income workers (i.e., those not currently making a living wage) who receive wage increases tend to spend the additional income in the local economy, providing a stimulus for local businesses (rather than investing it in the stock market, adding it to a retirement fund, spending it on foreign travel, or in some other way, removing it from circulation in the local economy).

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

I have worked for numerous private-sector businesses over the last four or five decades, but I suspect that’s not what you mean and that the answer to the question is “none.”

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

I have never written a business plan, but I can certainly read a financial statement. I studied, used and taught statistical methodology for many years in academia, and I generally have no difficulty with most kinds of quantitative analysis.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

No, I would be an independent voice on Council. I oppose the introduction of party-like slates of candidates in Victoria municipal politics.

    Stefanie Hardman     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

My top priority is working together to get through this pandemic. We are facing a health crisis and an enormous economic shock that, among other challenges, is hurting our local businesses. I’m committed to providing targeted relief to those who need it most, including granting access to broad deferrals for licenses, taxes, and fees to help ensure that firms can make it through this difficult period. Another of my key priorities relate to affordability. Housing is the biggest expense faced by most families in Victoria, and the pandemic has made those high housing costs more difficult to carry. It is essential that we increase our housing options, strengthen protections for renters, and take bold action to make housing truly affordable. And finally, I want to ensure our city is one where everyone feels safe. Like cities across the country, we are also seeing a visible increase in poverty, homelessness, and overdose deaths. One of my top priorities would be to escalate our response to the overdose crisis and extend Housing First programs with wrap-around services.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

Before COVID-19, Victoria had the strongest economy and labour market in the country. But just like the rest of the country, COVID-19 has hit our city hard and left thousands of people out of work and hundreds of small businesses struggling to get by. Businesses are key partners in the prosperity of the community. They do so much to create the vibrant character of the city – and business owners have a lot to gain when the city thrives. That’s why managing the city budget and keeping taxes in line is a key priority for me. We need businesses to do well for our community to do well, and with the pressure caused by the pandemic, businesses can’t afford to pick up any more costs. This is why I believe that it is particularly important to grant access to broad deferrals for taxes, licenses, and fees to help ensure that firms can make it through this difficult period. Businesses want certainty. They want to understand the city agenda so they can plan for the future, especially in these uncertain times.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

My career has been spent working in non-profits – but a lot of the fundamentals such as managing a budget, limiting expenses, recruiting and retaining qualified staff, and staying on a firm fiscal footing are the same. Collaboration is essential to the work that I’ve done. In my role at the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, I worked closely with the Downtown Victoria Business Association – one of many multi-sectoral partner stakeholders working to address and end homelessness. As an urban planner working on housing issues in Victoria, I sought input from developers and property managers in developing policy. This type of multi-sectoral collaboration is crucial to problem-solving and moving forward on key issues facing our city. Further, I am the proud descendent of Greek immigrants who built their living here in Canada through their entrepreneurial spirit. Both my grandparents and parents have owned and operated restaurants and retail businesses, and I literally grew up within these various establishments.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

Yes and yes. I’ve had to do a great deal of forward-looking planning in my work in the non-profit sector. As someone who has managed departments and programs, I have had to be able to plan, design a budget on modest resources, and implement that budget. Reading financial statements and related materials has been an important aspect of my work.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

Yes, I am proud to be endorsed by the progressive organization Together Victoria, whose membership also endorsed Councillors Sarah Potts and Sharmarke Dubow in the 2018 local election. These councillors have taken a leadership role in building a progressive city and helping Victoria lead the way in responses to COVID-19. Together Victoria councillors are working hard to support people and businesses during the pandemic with initiatives such providing relief to people and small businesses on their city taxes and fees, supporting restaurants by allowing expanded patios, and free bus passes for youth.The support of Together Victoria and its 800+ members has been essential to reaching various communities throughout Victoria. I would be honoured to represent the residents of our city, and I take this role and its responsibilities very seriously. My platform has culminated from my experience as an urban planner who specializes in community engagement. I feel grateful to the people of Victoria for providing their input and support. I will work alongside all seven councillors and the mayor to address the issues facing our city. I am committed to voting on issues in the way that best reflects the values and visions of the people of Victoria.

    Bill Heflin     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

Council abdicated authority “regulating” sheltering in our parks rather than issuing an absolute ban! Homeless are mentally, emotionally challenged; substance abusers; homeless citizens and transients. Deal with them by providing services directly. Transients should be placed in a campground with purpose built sanitation not in our parks or our doorways.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

Council should get out of the zoning business. With a far higher density than we have ever had before, no provision has been made for infrastructure to support these higher densities. Water is going to be rationed again! Development needs infrastructure to support it. Lack of parking and making streets difficult for motorists is another aspect of this problem.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

Small business in Victoria is our back bone. It is under siege. Lack of parking, traffic lanes and other “amenities” are interfering with downtown business. Small businesses are rolling up due to COVID. Small business is our back bone. If the City impacts an area by buying a hotel for the “homeless”, why should a business owner have to shovel human excrement off his doorway just to get into his place of business. We have a Council that deals in the disgusting and it is time to let them know we have had enough. How can the City help small businesses? The City of Victoria should provide tax relief, business license relief and any other relief the business community requires. The City is simply going to have to forego some of its revenue to assist struggling small business. Any small business that employs two or more people should be given one or two parking stalls free of charge on their frontage during the COVID crisis. The City is spending money like there is no tomorrow. If we diverted some of the funds we are spending on mega-projects and directed the money to small business subsidies, some teetering businesses just might survive the COVID crisis. The City should increase and improve police patrols downtown. It is time people enjoyed coming downtown again.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

As a lawyer in private practice in the Kootenays, I was often called on to assist small business owners with both legal and planning problems. I served as vice-chair of the Nelson and Area Economic Development Commission for half a dozen years during the period Nelson pulled itself out of an economic hole created by the loss of its University, its large lumber mill and an exodus of skilled workers due to those factors. One embittered business owner wrote that “the last person to leave Nelson should turn out the lights”. Due to many factors including the work of my deceased wife, who was an “alderperson”, the movies and a very pro-business climate Nelson has turned its economic situation around and is a relatively prosperous interior community. I have co-authored a business plan for a ski resort in Fernie, BC while also creating its initial strata plan development. I have also done business plans for various small business in the West Kootenay Region. I can read a financial statement and have been on the board of governors of Selkirk College for four years.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am running purely as an independent.

    Jason Heit     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

1- Support and encourage economic development in Victoria.

2- Lower crime and increase security of property. Increase community-based policing.

3- Hold other government bodies and municipalities responsible to help Victoria with their share of the homeless and addiction issues.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

I will support building and economic development in Victoria. I will support job creation. I will support safety and security of citizens and property.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

I am the owner of Island Boxing in downtown Victoria and the owner of Westshore Boxing Gym in Langford. I am an entrepreneur with business experience including being the founder and president of the Armageddon Fighting Championships, a mixed martial arts promotion company that held events across Canada and had international television broadcast deals. I was also the President of Blackhorse Productions, a film production company based out of Beverly Hills, CA as well as owning a security company in Los Angeles, CA.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

Yes, I have written several business plans. Yes, I can read a financial statement. I have a history of proven vision, execution, and accountability in business.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am not a politician. This is the first time I have run in an election; I have no political alignment or ties. I am running for councillor because I care about this city and want to contribute to it on a larger scale.

    Sean Leitenberg     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

Safety
Making sure our streets and public spaces are safe is a top priority. This encompasses so many issues in our city. The city of Victoria has quickly become a place where crime is on the rise, assaults are becoming common and we are not feeling safe. We have parks where needles are left on the ground. We all need to feel safe as we did just a few years ago. I support the Victoria Police and see them as essential in order for us to return to a safe city.

Housing
Appropriate housing should be available for everyone. Housing without support for its residents creates unsafe environments for everyone. Camping is not a housing solution for the homeless. I have spent over half my life building and renting all types of housing. Drug addiction and homelessness are not the same issue, though they often come together. We need to house those in need of housing. In addition, we need to provide locations and programs to deal with drug addiction with specialized housing. Affordable housing for the working families of Victoria can be achieved through zoning and planning along with working with regional developers.

Downtown
Insuring that our downtown businesses can survive through these difficult economic times due to the pandemic. When a shop owner is helpless to stop theft from their premises, we are headed down a bad path. We have lost so many shops already during this pandemic. There are few tourists, and with locals afraid to go downtown, many more will be lost forever. I have been in private business from retail to hospitality and I know how difficult it can be and with each business lost so are local jobs and tax revenue.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

My years of business experience will help me serve on city council. I will bring insight to the council table. None of the current councillors have the history in business that I do. I have been in business for over 30 years working in many different sectors. I understand the many issues a business has to deal with on a daily basis.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

Retail Experience as an owner and operator of five independent furniture stores, a restaurant, a Tavern and a mobile vending cart. My construction experience includes planning and development of projects from the ground up including repurposing of commercial and heritage buildings to residential homes. I built new construction of single family homes as well as mixed use buildings. I was the owner of a Canadian independent music label with international distribution and a music marketing company operating across Canada in over 300 schools. In addition, I published a national magazine. With Canada’s Reno Rebate I helped local and BC residents recover over five million dollars from the CRA. I handled over 800 tax files for local residents including 400 audits and 200 appeals and represented 21 clients in Federal court actions. I was successful in 19 out of the 21 cases.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

Over many years, I have written numerous business plans and proposals. I can read a financial statement.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am not connected to any current councillors and I believe in independent voices at the council table.

    Hailey McLeod     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

If elected my top 3 priorities will be providing housing and supports to those experiencing homelessness, increasing the availability of affordable housing, and addressing racism and discrimination in all forms of governeance.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

I believe talking to business owners about how our decisions will affect them is paramount. Top-down decision making, even if well intentioned, is the cause of a lot of problems. One specific thing I would like to look at, is how to control commercial rent costs. I know the rent has been a huge burden for the small businesses I’ve worked for and I would like to see how we can make small business ownership more accessible and stable.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

I have been an employee for several private-sector businesses in administrative, supervisory, and customer-service roles. My roles usually end up being about improving communication between management and staff. When I see a problem, or hear that someone else is dealing with a problem, I want to go to the source and fix it. I think one of the great things about the private sector is its ability to quickly adapt and change. Good work, efficiency, effectiveness, innovation... all these things get rewarded. It’s refreshing and something the public sector could definitely use more of.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

No. I have never written a business plan. My experience with financial statements is limited to charity organizations, which I imagine run a bit differently from the private-sector. I love digging into systems to see how they could operate more efficiently and fairly, and I am not afraid to get picky over the details, so bring it on!

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am not connected to the current councillors through a slate or political organization.

    Roshan Vickery     Click for this candidate's Q&A

Question 1: If you are elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

It is not easy to identify three priorities as so many issues are inextricably linked. I have lived in the downtown core for almost twenty years now and have never felt as unsafe as I do now. I think that in order for downtown businesses to survive and thrive in the next eighteen months, both shop owners and shoppers have to feel safe. I think that it is imperative to house the remaining tenters as soon as possible. I feel that Mayor Helps and the current council have done an exemplary job under the circumstances but clearly there is more to be done. Housing has to be addressed by all three levels of government in order to have any real impact.

Question 2: If elected, how will you serve on council to help businesses in Victoria?

If I am elected to council I will make it a priority to encourage locally owned interesting and diverse businesses to open up in the city. Too much neighbourhood diversity has been lost at the expense of homogenous chain stores. The very thing that visitors come to Victoria for, the city’s unique charm and character, has been slowly disappearing. I would look at ways to create incentives for desirable businesses, locally owned and operated, to be economically viable.

Question 3: What experience do you have working with private-sector businesses?

While I have never worked with private sector businesses I did enjoy a twenty year career as an auctioneer appraiser with Kilshaws Auctioneers. The experience of working for a seventh generation family run business was invaluable and one that allowed me to form relationships with local business leaders as well as NPOs and non-profit organizations.

Question 4: Have you ever written a business plan, and can you read a financial statement?

While I have never written a small business plan I have experience reading a financial statement.

Question 5: Are you connected to any other current councillors, either through a slate or organization that shares a political agenda?

I am not affiliated with any current councillors or any slate or organization.

Candidates Riga Godron, Keith Rosenberg and Alexander Schmid have not provided responses to The Chamber's questions.

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Can business owners vote?

This by-election is an opportunity for people who have businesses or income properties in the municipality but live outside its borders. Typically during civic elections, voters will cast their ballot in the municipality in which they reside but many don't take the time to also vote in municipalities where they own commercial property.
 
With the Dec. 12 by-election only happening in Victoria, there's a lot of interest from people who have a business in the city but live outside its borders.
 
For information on who is eligible to vote as a non-resident property elector, here’s a link to the details. A few notable requirements include:

• You must be a registered owner of the real property and are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust. There is no corporate vote in BC.
• If there is more than one registered owner, you’ll need written consent of the majority and only one of you can cast a vote as the non-resident property elector.

 
Call Legislative Services at 250-361-0571, or check out Victoria.ca for 2020 Information for Voters, including what documents you need to register as a non-resident property elector.

General information on who can vote in the by-election can be found at Gov.bc.ca.

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