Last week seemed to revolve around 2 themes: healthy seniors and a safe city. I met with seniors and those caring for seniors in their homes and also attended the City of Victoria Seniors Action Plan’s conversations. I heard first-hand about what seniors need to thrive in our city. The location and design of the building where they live can play a huge role in creating vibrant, connected communities at any age, but particularly for those who are at risk of social isolation. So can ensuring multiple, safe and affordable transportation options close to home. I also met with small scale developers who are interested in ensuring there is housing stock for aging homeowners who may want to down-size and be close to amenities. We have a diverse population so we need to ensure there is diverse housing stock.

Joining Vic PD officers for a ride-along on Friday night, I got a glimpse of what safety in the city looks like from the calls they receive and situations they face. Attending the local shelters on a miserable rainy night, I saw how overrun these facilities are due to a concerning number of people in need. The line between criminal justice, social justice and the health care system seemed extremely thin. Ultimately, though, what we were responding to were calls about personal and property safety.

Throughout the week safety concerns were also reflected by small business owners in the downtown core I met with and who were concerned for the safety of their employees and customers, as well as the well-being of our community members.

Victoria, like most urban centres, is facing complex problems. Complex problems require strong collaboration and a vision for what progress looks like. Now is the time to unite divergent points of view and focus on improving our outcomes. We need to look to other urban centres who are also facing our same challenges and unite through action. We need to go to the source of the problem and focus on realistic solutions. Council members don’t need to be experts. They need to seek the advice and recommendations of the groups who are solving complex problems, and turn it into actions that are appropriate for our community, and within the jurisdiction of the City. We can't let it stall at the council table.

This is what I’m standing by once elected. 

To learn more about my experience, visit my website.