Housing and public safety among top concerns in Victoria mayoral candidates debate

Victorians lined up outside city hall on Wednesday to cast an advance vote for the next leader of the city.

Across the street, those vying to be the next mayor squared off in a live debate hosted by Victoria radio station CFAX 1070.

Five of the eight candidates took part in the debate: Marianne Alto, Stephen Andrew, Brendan Marshall, Lyall Atkinson and Rafael Fuentes.

Also in the race for mayor, but not at the debate, are David Arthur Johnston, Rod Graham and Michelle Wiboltt.

Alto and Andrew, both current city councillors, are widely considered the frontrunners.

"You have a network, you have all important name recognition, so I think – with all due respect to the six other candidates running – this is really a two person race," said David Black, a professor at Royal Roads University who focuses on social and political communication.

For those who were trading barbs at the debate Wednesday, there were similarities in what they considered to be the most pressing issues for the city.

Public safety, affordable housing and accessible healthcare were among the most talked about issues.

When it comes to housing, the most divisive issue has been the missing middle initiative that would allow multiplexes to replace single-family homes across the city without zoning changes.

It's an issue so controversial that it was kicked down the road by the current council for the next one to decide.

The topic is one that the two mayoral frontrunners are divided on.

"In its current form is immature policy, and any policy that divides our community in half is bad policy," said Andrew.

The other current councillor running for mayor disagreed.

"I felt it was ready to go, obviously the majority of council did not," said Alto.

While the first ballots were cast Wednesday for municipal elections across the province, we won't know who will be Victoria's next mayor until after the general voting day on Oct. 15.