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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.