Results of the 2014 municipal elections in Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich are in and now the speculation over what’s to come from our civic leaders over the next four years begins.
One thing is clear, only in North Saanich did the voters look for wholesale change among its elected officials.
In Sidney, the electorate returned three incumbent councillors (including Steve Price, who will now be the mayor) as well as a former long-time councillor in Peter Wainwright. This core will provide the continuity on council as they are joined by three newcomers. Sidney council has the potential to hold the line on some policies, while forming new ones out of then energy of what could be termed the new guard.
In Central Saanich, four incumbents were re-elected, including new Mayor Ryan Windsor, as well as two former councillors in Christopher Graham and Bob Thompson. The only wild card on this council is 22-year-old Niall Platiel who comes in with the strongest support. A status quo council, from the look of it.
North Saanich voters, for their part, reverted back three years and elected a council that could be described as the polar opposite of the crew of the last term. Four of the five Team North Saanich candidates, who held the majority from 2011 to 2014, did not get elected. There’s only one amongst a field of three newcomers and two incumbents, including Mayor Alice Finall.
This new council is already being seen by some as champions of North Saanich’s current official community plan — meaning a priority on slower growth than under the last council. Most of the new councillors have said they support renewing the OCP, but with a potential majority, it will be interesting to see if they follow though.
The election may be over, now the real work begins. Will all of the candidates live up to their election promises? Time will tell.
