In the lead-up to the Oct. 19 provincial election, Black Press Media asked the candidates in Esquimalt-Colwood a series of three questions.
What do you see as the most pressing issue for your riding, and what would you do to address it?
Camille Currie – B.C. Greens: The most pressing issue in our riding is the lack of access to primary health care, leaving too many families without a family doctor and relying on overburdened emergency rooms. This crisis has impacted my family personally and reflects deep systemic issues, yet the B.C. Greens' platform offers achievable solutions. I founded B.C. Health Care Matters, a patient advocacy group, to address the challenges faced by thousands without access to timely care. I was honoured to receive the “Excellence in Health Promotion Award” from Doctors of B.C. in 2023 for my work on initiatives that enhance health and safety in B.C. However, I recognize that much more needs to be accomplished. I have advocated for health-care spending to be tied to measurable outcomes, ensuring that funds are allocated toward services that directly benefit patients. This approach aligns with the B.C. Greens' commitment to transparency and includes reassessing the effectiveness of urgent and primary care centres while redirecting resources to strengthen frontline care. I support an approach that emphasizes preventative care and integrates a team-based model, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. By expanding their roles in primary care, we can reduce pressure on emergency services and provide more timely, comprehensive care for all residents. Moreover, improving working conditions for health-care professionals is essential for retaining and attracting talent. By addressing burnout and ensuring fair compensation, we can build a more resilient health-care system. Through these reforms, I aim to ensure that everyone in our riding has access to the care they need.
Darlene Rotchford – B.C NDP: In my time on Esquimalt council and talking to people throughout Esquimalt-Colwood, the top concerns people share are housing affordability and access to health care. Our community is a great place to live, but housing is expensive and many residents still struggle to find a doctor. That’s why I’ve chosen to run with David Eby – he’s taking action to ensure everyone can afford a good home with actions like a crackdown on standalone short-term rentals, capping rent increases to inflation, taking on speculation, and cutting red tape to unlock the construction of hundreds of thousands of middle-class homes. I’m an addiction recovery worker who works in mental health and substance use – health care is close to my heart. I’ve seen firsthand that we’re facing big challenges with the fallout from the pandemic and the shortage of doctors across Canada. David Eby is taking action to train and hire more doctors, nurses and health-care workers than ever before. We’ve opened a new Urgent and Primary Care Centre in Esquimalt, and hired over 800 new family doctors in B.C. in the last year. Over 400,000 people have been connected to family doctors and nurse practitioners — but we need to finish the job.
John Wilson – B.C. Conservatives: Crime and safety. After seven years of David Eby and the NDP people no longer feel safe in their communities. Gang-related shootings and violence are becoming increasingly frequent, leaving families terrified. The streets are becoming more dangerous every day, and this alliance has offered nothing but empty promises while communities suffer. Under the Eby-Trudeau alliance, criminals know they can get away with anything. Soft sentencing, revolving door justice, and lack of enforcement have made B.C. a haven for gang activity. The Eby-Trudeau alliance is more interested in protecting criminals than in protecting families. John Rustad and the Conservative Party of B.C. have a plan to address this. Increase funding for law enforcement agencies to empower them to take the fight to the gangs and organized crime. We insist on harsher penalties for gang-related crimes and Implement strong legal consequences for gang members, ensuring they are kept off the streets and away from vulnerable communities. We will end revolving door justice and reform the justice system to ensure that repeat offenders and violent criminals face real, lasting consequences. Community investment to prevent gang recruitment: Provide funding to help at-risk communities and youth break free from the cycle of gangs.
How do you balance the need for housing affordability with homeowners’ desire to not lose money on their investment?
Rotchford: After decades of rampant speculation in the housing market, finding an affordable place to call home in a community you love is one of the biggest challenges facing people in B.C. I’ve heard too many stories of long-time residents being forced to leave our community because they couldn't find a new home in their budget. We want families to be able to stay in their neighbourhoods – not move away, and health-care workers and teachers to be able to live close to work. David Eby is taking on speculation and cutting red tape to unlock the construction of hundreds of thousands of middle-class homes. Across B.C., the speculation tax alone has made 20,000 new homes available, and experts project that our housing plan will deliver 300,000 middle-class homes for people. We’re just starting to see some signs we’re turning the corner, and we can’t let up now.
Wilson: Where you live is your home and it's important to protect that and make it affordable. The B.C. Conservatives have a plan to address the housing affordability crisis that has only gotten worse under the NDP. We will Get B.C. Building, which will streamline approval processes for new construction and deliver the largest tax cut on housing in B.C.’s history, dubbed the “Rustad Rebate”. The Conservative Party’s plan includes immediate tax relief, which will remove B.C. income taxes from $3,000 per month of housing costs, including rent, mortgage interest, and strata fees, offering significant relief to both renters and homeowners. A Conservative government will also repeal hidden taxes on housing that increase construction costs by 30 to 40 per cent through the radical Step Code policy and Net-Zero mandate, which also result in cookie-cutter homes with fewer windows and reduced livability. We will also support transit-oriented communities, complete communities with room for grocery stores, small businesses, and services within walking distance of homes. This is a plan that will get B.C. building, address the shortage of housing that plagues B.C. and immediately puts money into people’s pocket.
Currie: Balancing housing affordability with homeowners’ concerns about their investments requires a thoughtful and compassionate approach. Housing should first and foremost be a place to live, not just a speculative asset. However, I understand that for many, their home is also their most significant financial investment. To address this, we need to increase housing supply in ways that enhance communities and improve affordability. This includes expanding non-market housing options, by supporting non-profit and housing co-ops with upfront investment, grant capital, and low-interest financing while ensuring we protect existing affordable housing stock. By increasing the supply of affordable housing, we can relieve pressure across the entire housing system. This creates a positive ripple effect: more affordable housing means households can save, achieve greater financial security, and contribute to vibrant, mixed-income communities. By promoting sustainable development, preserving neighbourhood integrity, and treating housing as a human right rather than an investment tool, we can ensure that homes remain both affordable for new buyers and a stable investment for current homeowners. This balanced approach will foster stronger, more inclusive communities.
How would your party meet the public’s demand for spending on health care, housing, transportation infrastructure, homelessness, etc., without raising taxes or ballooning the deficit?
Wilson: To ensure that we improve health care access, build housing and upgrade our transportation networks will take strong leadership that we haven’t seen in the last seven years under David Eby and the NDP. We will hold government accountable by ensuring that dollars spent get the best result. Health-care spending will follow the patient, ensuring that they get better health care than the system that is currently crumbling under this NDP government. We will build housing by unlocking the potential of the market, by working with cities to get the approval process shortened for new housing projects. As for major infrastructure projects, we will get projects built on time and on budget. Under the NDP, projects such as the McKenzie Interchange frequently get delayed and their budgets spiral out of control. Elect a Conservative government, and John Wilson in Esquimalt-Colwood, that respects the taxpayer to get projects completed on time and on budget.
Currie: To meet the public’s demand for spending on health care, housing, transportation infrastructure, and homelessness without raising taxes or increasing the deficit, I advocate for a strategic approach centered on efficiency and accountability. Investing in preventative measures – especially in health care, climate change, and homelessness – can significantly reduce long-term costs by addressing issues before they escalate. For instance, the cost of ER visits far exceeds that of primary care, and the financial burden of wildfires, drought, and crop loss can be mitigated through investments in community resilience. We must prioritize reallocating existing resources and streamlining government spending to eliminate waste. Conducting thorough audits of current expenditures will help identify areas where funds can be better utilized to address urgent public needs. For example, the Esquimalt Urgent Primary Care Centre spent $600,000 more on overhead in 2022-23 than budgeted, yet it still cannot provide a single full-time family physician or nurse practitioner. This highlights inefficiency and a lack of accountability. Lastly, the B.C. Greens propose taxing windfall profits and making corporate taxes fairer, impacting approximately 35 companies in B.C. and potentially raising around $4.1 billion annually. This approach promotes equity without putting additional pressure on taxpayers.
Rotchford: Under David Eby, B.C.’s economy is one of the strongest in the country but we’re facing some big challenges. We’re still feeling fallout from the pandemic and global inflation and high interest rates are hiking costs, which means that many people are still struggling. I know that people in our community are counting on a government that works for them and ensures they have the services they need to build a future for themselves and their families. Instead of tax cuts for the top 2%, we’re investing in people. We eliminated MSP premiums, reduced car insurance and electricity costs, and cut average childcare costs in half. I’ve heard from many parents in my community who are saving $900 a month in child care fees – which means they can return to work, earn a good wage, and invest back into our local economy. I also know from my time as a municipal councillor, that local governments need a strong provincial partner to ensure that they can meet the needs of their communities. Local businesses need infrastructure and amenities to grow and thrive. David Eby will keep making smart investments to strengthen services so they’re there for people and businesses.
