Mayor Steve Price and challenger Cliff McNeil-Smith differ on how to deal with future development
The demand for housing, especially affordable housing, is dominating the municipal election in Sidney.
Mayoralty challenger Cliff McNeil-Smith and incumbent Steve Price both say housing — in particular, affordable rental housing — is the top priority for the Town of Sidney.
> More election coverage at timescolonist.com/elections
McNeil-Smith wants to start by reviewing Sidney’s official community plan and engaging in more community consultations to reach a good consensus on where and how housing should be built. He has been critical of the current council, saying it often fails to reach consensus, splitting 4-3 on big decisions.
Price characterizes that approach as a stand-in for NIMBY thinking. He defends council’s record and says working with developers, exchanging, for example, permission to build an extra storey in exchange for community amenities, is more productive.
“We are kind of the victim of our own success,” Price said. “Everybody wants to come and live here, and it’s supply [and] demand. So outside influence is driving up the housing prices over what people who live and work [here] can afford.”
The town’s shopping district remains lively, the waterfront humming with tourists, vendors and business, while manufacturing firms such as Viking Air and UK Sailmakers NW are enjoying good business and paying their share of municipal taxes.
But the cost of housing means some potential employees can’t afford to live nearby.
“Residents and businesses accept the need for higher density in the downtown and with in-fill in our neighbourhoods,” said McNeil-Smith, the owner of Tanner’s Books.
But more housing should not mean the sacrifice of other important elements of community life, he said, and those issues are best protected by consulting with citizens.
“The concern [over housing development] is when it is not balanced with other things we value, like design, green space and transportation,” he said.
“It’s finding a better balance, and you are going to get that with better citizen engagement.”
Price characterized that attitude as part of an excuse to stand still and do nothing.
“My opponent seems to be focusing on how we need more communication and more town hall talks,” he said. “Me, I’m just pro moving Sidney forward.”
