EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this story first appeared in Feb. 2020 there have been a few updates:
In the Dec. 2020 byelection Stephen Andrew was elected to Victoria council – he is a resident of the City of Victoria. In early 2021, Grumpy Taxpayer$ surveyed all provinces to determine the qualifications to run in a local election – British Columbia is the ONLY jurisdiction in Canada that does not require you to live in that municipality. On May 2, 2021, Coun. Sharmarkie Dubow indicated in his Twitter feed that he had moved to North Park in Victoria.
All of Saanich council lives within jurisdiction
How on earth can someone live in one community, sit on the council of another municipality, run their affairs and decide how to spend a $300 million consolidated budget?
It’s a question that’s now being asked about the Victoria council – a by-election is set for Apr. 4 – where four of eight councillors now live outside the jurisdiction.
“It feeds into the cynicism and bewilderment many taxpayers have about local politics and raises lots of questions about governance,” says Stan Bartlett, chair of Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria.
“What’s to prevent someone from Ganges, Metchosin or even Vancouver sitting on Victoria council?”
As of January 2020, Couns. Marianne Alto and and Charlayne Thornton-Joe live in Saanich, , Coun. Jeremy Loveday reside in Esquimalt, according to the 2020 annual financial disclosure statements of councillors.
In municipal elections or by-elections, a residency requirement stipulates candidates must only be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed.
“If you don’t live in the City of Victoria community, how well do you know the residents and issues and priorities? If you haven’t contributed to the tax base, will you be less prudent with someone else’s tax dollars? If you live in another jurisdiction, why wouldn’t you run there? Do conflict of interest issues surface?” asks Bartlett.
So, do municipal boundaries matter?
It clearly does in Saanich, where the mayor and all of council reside within district boundaries, according to the 2020 annual financial disclosure statements and
If the city councilors do not live in Victoria, but own either commercial or residential rental real estate in Victoria or run a business in Victoria, I think it would be acceptable for them to serve on the city council.
That’s sounds like a compromise position and I think it has merit.
I agree that if you own property or a business within Victoria you should be qualified to run for council. Just as you should also have the right to vote if you own a business. It is incomprehensible to me that business owners do not get a vote in Victoria civic elections.
I am vehemently OPPOSED to non-residents being able to hold office in a jurisdiction in which they do not live or own property or a business. (shame in Victoria because Charlayne Thornton-Joe is the only level headed councillor who holds staff feet to the fire) .
The Question is: WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? The provincial government has to be convinced that this is what people want. WHO is going to organize this campaign. NOW!!!!!!!