Vancouver Island mayors share ambitions for 2023

Ask any mayor on Vancouver Island about what they would like to see in 2023 and they’ll generally tell you the same thing.

"More housing and more affordable housing," said Marianne Alto, the Mayor of Victoria, in an interview with CTV News at the end of 2022.

The housing crisis is hard to ignore. Too few homes are being built and what is out there has become too expensive for many. Meanwhile, rents continue to climb due to low inventory.

In Victoria, there are other issues that the mayor would like to tackle in the upcoming year.

"To accelerate now our planning for dealing with what is inevitably permanent extreme weather conditions," said Alto.

That includes developing a better plan when it comes to how the city responds to extreme weather events.

That could include added municipal resources or possible infrastructure projects – such as offering shade during extreme heat events and shelter during snow events.

"What that looks like, I don’t know, and obviously we would be looking for a variety of architectural designs and advice," said Alto.

The mayor would also like to see planning move forward on three major projects in the city: The Ship Point Project, Crystal Pool and a new public library.

She hopes each of the projects will be completed over the upcoming four-year term.

SAANICH, B.C.

Meanwhile, housing is top of the list in Saanich as well.

"My resolution would be to work with affordable housing providers, BC Housing, other non-profits, to create more affordable housing in Saanich," said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock on Friday.

The mayor of that municipality is thinking outside the box.

"Ideally, I think we can open-up Saanich-owned properties in order to create affordable housing in Saanich," he said.

Historically, that has not happened in Saanich, says Murdock.

"We haven’t used Saanich-held properties in the past so that would definitely be a shift in policy and direction," he said.

Saanich, B.C. is shown.Road safety is another major goal for Murdock in 2023. That includes sidewalks where there aren’t any, protected bike lanes and crosswalk expansions and improvements.

"For me that’s a high priority," said Murdock. "Making sure everyone can get around in our community safely."

NANAIMO, B.C.

In the Mid-Island, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says he's focused on a number of major projects that have been kicked around for years.

"I’m optimistic that this is the year that we’ll start to see some real progress," he said.

"Those projects include a new Nanaimo operations centre, the expansion of the police station – of course the waterfront walkway that has been long talked about – and the redevelopment of the downtown, including 1 Port Drive," he said.

Nanaimo is one of the five fastest growing municipal areas in the country. The mayor says it is time to move those projects forward.

A welcome sign in Nanaimo, B.C., is pictured. (CTV News)

COURTENAY, B.C.

In Courtenay, Mayor Bob Wells says there are "a ton" of projects the municipality wants to complete.

"Lots of infrastructure projects, things to do with housing and unhoused folks, and all those kinds of things that I think are fairly similar across our region and really the nation," he said.

In the Mid-Island community, housing and housing affordability are once again top-of-mind.

There is one project that has been sitting on the books for a couple of decades now that Wells wants to see become a reality once and if federal and provincial grants are approved for it.

"[The project] is our Sixth Street pedestrian bridge," said Wells. "It will be a [mixed-use bridge] that will basically connect east and west Courtenay, bringing some vibrancy to our downtown."

He added that the bridge would create a safer route for cyclists.

"Really, if you’re riding your bikes across the existing bridges that we have that were built quite a few decades ago – they were never designed for cyclists in mind for sure," said Wells.

One theme that underscored each mayor's message on Friday was that they believe 2023 could be a transformative year for their municipality.