Issues that are top of mind for the candidates in Saanich North and the Islands in this month’s provincial election, are very similar to the issues that were front-and-centre four years ago.
Here’s a look at how the candidates stand on those long-standing issues.
Affordable housing
Stephen Roberts – BC Liberals – says this issue comes with a cost. Municipalities play a role, he said, with local policies and their approval process. He pointed to examples of affordable housing projects under way in Sidney and Central Saanich. Both communities have development companies building new, affordable units right now. One received a variety of concessions from Sidney and the other, in Central Saanich, tapped into provincial funding to help defray costs. Work, Roberts said, is continuing on the issue overall.
He said the provincial government has the money available for affordable housing projects — and that municipalities and developers have to take advantage of that.
Adam Olsen – BC Green Party – says the BC Liberals have not done enough to drive change on the affordable housing issue on the Saanich Peninsula, and across the province.
“LNG was a focus for government revenue … but housing costs jumped and the Liberals ave been happy to ride that,” Olsen said. “Now, there’s rampant speculation, money laundering and flipping of houses like commodities.”
Olsen said housing affordability is tied directly with the security of families in B.C. and can have an impact on all aspects of a person’s life — as they may be forced to move communities if they cannot afford to live where costs are high. He said government has to be involved with both money and policies to control speculation on housing.
Gary Holman – BC NDP – spent time on the issue of affordable housing as the incumbent MLA. He worked to help facilitate a housing needs assessment and inventory document that’s in the hands of all three Saanich Peninsula municipalities.
“I’ve heard real fears from seniors and renters that if they experience a surprise expense, they may not be able to afford rent,” he said.
Holman said the NDP is promising to build 11,000 new units of housing each year for 10 years as part of its election platform.
Health care – doctors
Holman said there are many people in B.C. and this riding who do not have a physician and his party hopes to address that by investing in urgent care facilities — similar to a clinic in Sidney that opened earlier this year, offering a range of of medical practitioners and services.
“We want to move to this model of care,” Holman said. “You can lessen people’s reliance upon only one health care professional.”
He added, however, this issue will take time to address. Holman said the NDP is talking about publicly-owned urgent care facilities and not private ones, which he said has been hinted at by the BC Liberals.
Roberts said the province should be able to make more seats available in medical schools for additional doctors. He said there were 100 seats 10 years ago, 200 today, and the party has plans to increase that amount to 400 “in the future.”
“The population is aging,” he said, “and doctors have a different work ethic that they had years ago. They want collaboration.”
Roberts says the province had funds set aside to support new start-up clinics like the Sidney example. That clinic, Roberts pointed out, started with funds from the province’s GP For Me program.
Olsen said health care is a consistent problem for all three parties and making any change on the issue comes down to political will. He said doctors’ work expectations have changed and the concept on more integrated services provided by clinics is a model all three main parties agree on — at least in Saanich North and the Islands.
“Now that we all agree,” Olsen said, “let’s do it.”
Olsen added his party also wants to focus on education and prevention as ways to help reduce the pressure on doctors and patients.
Independent candidate Jordan Templeman has weighed in on this issues during election forums on the Peninsula.
On affordable housing, he suggested that changing the province’s property transfer tax could help encourage new buyers into the market by reducing at least one cost centre.
“I feel the existing tax is stacked against the average family,”he said, noting that there’s an estimated $8,000 in property transfer taxes on a $500,000 house.
To make up for any loss of revenue that might cause the government, Templeman said the percentage of tax charged to multi-million dollar homes could be increased.
On health care, Templeman has said he support increasing the amount of money the province spends on care in B.C.
That, he said, can help attract additional doctors, and help ensure those without a physician can get one.
As well, he has suggested the province can seek out ways of reducing a new doctor’s debt load after they complete their schooling.
“We also need to pay (doctors) enough so they’ll stay in Canada. Pay them more, or they will leave.”
Advance polls are open until Saturday, May 6.
General voting day is May 9 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
