There will be a lot of familiar names on the 13 mayor ballots when Greater Victoria residents go to the polls in October.
Most of the mayors reached by the Times Colonist say they plan to stand for re-election in the 2018 municipal elections, scheduled for Oct. 20.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps announced Jan. 1 she will seek a second term, and Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell says he also plans to run for a second term.
“I’m definitely going to run again,” he told the Times Colonist, noting that people have been encouraging him to seek another term. “I don’t know what kind of certainty people are looking for for the future, but it’s nice to hear because it says to me there’s a lot of support out there still.”
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins is planning to run for what would be her fourth term as mayor.
“It’s taken me more time than I thought to really work that through, but I think I still have value to the community and I certainly heard that through the year,” she said.
“And I was listening very hard through the year to know whether that was so. So I am going for it.”
With two veteran councillors leaving (Bob Gramigna and Moralea Milne), seven-term Metchosin Mayor John Ranns said he plans to seek re-election in the hope of maintaining continuity.
“In Metchosin, you know, it’s pretty important to have that continuity,” Ranns said. “There’s a specific way you have to operate to maintain a rural community. So my intent is just to stick around long enough to try to pass that knowledge on.”
Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton, who would be seeking her third term in office, said she plans “at this point” to run.
Hamilton said the introduction in 2014 of four-year terms for municipal politicians gave her pause, but “I nonetheless am committed to sticking the course for three terms.”
Hamilton said there is still work to be done at the municipality in terms of asset management. She forecast transportation would continue to be a major issue.
Transportation was also top of mind for View Royal Mayor David Screech, recently elected vice-chairman of the Capital Regional District board. Screech is on a cruise, but said by text message that creation of a regional transportation authority is the No. 1 issue facing the region.
Screech said he will seek a second term as mayor.
Highlands Mayor Ken Williams also plans to seek another term.
“I just think that it’s been a terrific experience so far in building resilience here in the Highlands in a rapidly changing world,” he said.
Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen said he definitely will be looking to win a third term.
“We’ve achieved a lot, but as in any community in B.C., there’s always more we can do,” Jensen said.
Langford Mayor Stew Young, first elected in 1993, said he will run again.
Young said his plans for the future remain the same as the past: “You just try to fine balance your books as best as you can, use common sense and don’t try to be too smart.”
Langford will continue to ramp up policing in the wake of the opioid crisis, he said.
Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor said there is some unfinished business — such as addressing derelict boats in Brentwood Bay and implementing affordable housing initiatives — that he would like to accomplish in a second term.
“One of the things that caught me when I ran the first time was that people said they’d like to see a two-term mayor,” Windsor said.
“They know that ideas take time to develop beyond a single term.”
Windsor acknowledged Central Saanich council will face challenges in crafting bylaws to address cannabis-growing operations on farmland. Evergreen Medicinal Supply last month announced plans to build 21 greenhouses on the old Stanhope Dairy Farm.
Sidney Mayor Steve Price will run for a second term and is unfazed by a citizens’ group called Save Our Sidney that has pledged to run a slate to challenge the town’s mayor and council.
The group opposed the $35-million Sidney Gateway shopping centre at Beacon Avenue and the Patricia Bay Highway, approved by council in 2016.
“They’re about negativity and fear,” Price said. “The majority of our population is exceptionally happy about what council has done.”
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said she is still undecided.
“The election is 10 months from now,” she said.
“It’s super busy here so I haven’t quite turned my head to the election because there’s a lot to do before then.”
Tait said issues such as community health initiatives, transportation, and local infrastructure improvements are currently the focus of her attention — not the election.
North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall is out of the country and was unavailable for comment.
