Jacqueline Gillis
Gillis, who moved to the Coast three years ago from Calgary, told Coast Reporter when she announced her candidacy that she’s “running because she believes our community is at risk as a place for working people to succeed.”
She listed housing, water, waste management and improving the job prospects for younger families and professionals as top concerns. On housing, Gillis favours “gentle density.”
On the water issue, Gillis said recently on Facebook, “Go into Chapman and deepen the channel, install water meters, tap alternate local sources, and build a reservoir. We need to do all four, as concurrently as possible.”
Facebook: Jacqueline Gillis - Candidate for District of Sechelt council
Darren Inkster
(Incumbent, has served as a councillor since 2014. Previously served as mayor from 2008-11 and councillor from 1999 to 2008)
“I’ll be continuing to bring ethical, accountable governance to the table,” Inkster said.
He told Coast Reporter that housing and homelessness are issues he wants to highlight. “I think we should be housing more of our citizens, we should be looking at housing more people coming in and we should be looking more clearly at workforce housing.”
He said other issues of note include the environment, diversifying the local economy and water storage.
“We’re going to have to talk to the community going forward about what we’re going to do and how we’re going to pay for it,” he said.
Janice Kuester
Kuester, 45, has lived in Sechelt since 1996 and is currently the general manager at Sechelt-based Custom Flooring.
“We need to capitalize on opportunities that support responsible growth, economic development and improvement of our vitally important infrastructure, including of course, water,” Kuester said in the introductory post to her campaign Facebook page.
She also lists affordable housing as a priority.
Kuester said recently on her campaign Facebook page that Sechelt needs to use its two votes at the SCRD board to send a message that “we need to act and act quickly on a clear solution for water.”
Facebook: Janice Kuester for Sechelt Council 2018
Tom Lamb
(Sat on council previously, from 2011-14)
Lamb, 64, told Coast Reporter he decided to run again to share his experience as a life-long Coast resident and business person. “I believe I have a wealth of knowledge that can be beneficial to this community.”
He also said he’s “disappointed” in the current council, citing turnover in senior management and slow development approvals.
On water and affordable housing, Lamb said he wants to see the SCRD board agree on a long-term water strategy quickly after the election and that Sechelt needs to understand more about the types of housing people need and then work with stakeholders and developers.
Tony Lobb
(Tomorrow’s Sechelt)
Lobb, 56, is one of two candidates running under the Tomorrow’s Sechelt banner.
He has lived in Sechelt for seven years and co-owns Noah’s Water.
“I speak to many people throughout my day and the consensus is, people are ready for a change,” he said in his campaign announcement. “I share the same views as a lot of the folks in Sechelt. We want a resolution to our water crisis, affordable housing so that our kids have somewhere to live, and a more vibrant Sechelt.”
Lobb also said, “The stalemate needs to end. I want to be a voice for the people of Sechelt and work towards achieving Sechelt’s great potential.”
Web: www.tomorrows-sechelt.com/candidates/tony-lobb
Facebook: Tony Lobb - Candidate for Sechelt council
Alice Lutes
(Incumbent, has been on council since 2008)
“I truly love doing what I’m doing,” Lutes told Coast Reporter. “And I don’t feel that the work’s complete. It never will be – it’s ongoing – but I enjoy it and I feel like I make a difference.”
Lutes has championed a living wage policy for companies that do business with the district as one of the ways to tackle affordability.
Lutes also supports building a reservoir. “It is my belief that the water is there, we just need to collect it. A reservoir is an effective way of dealing with our supply needs,” she said in answer to a Sunshine Coast Conservation Association questionnaire on environmental issues.
Matt McLean
McLean, 27, was born and raised in Sechelt, and told Coast Reporter that he wants to rebuild trust in local government decision making.
His platform emphasizes walkable neighbourhoods, housing, community engagement and dealing with water supply through a reservoir, metering, the Chapman Lake project and alternate sources.
McLean also said council needs to change its image with investors. “I hear from so many people, both developers and other investors in business, that don’t want to come to Sechelt because of the lack of respect that the District of Sechelt gives investors in our community, and we need to fix that.”
Facebook: Elect Matt McLean - District of Sechelt council
Lennea Perpet
Perpet, 53, told Coast Reporter that she didn’t aspire to be a politician, but she now sees it as a way to “go forward and make a difference.”
“I can sit back and hope for change or I can use the knowledge and experience I’ve gained meeting the people in the community.”
Perpet’s experience includes working with the Lions Housing Society, and she said she can bring a knowledge of navigating a major project with BC Housing to the council table.
Perpet said water and affordable housing are key issues for her and she wants to focus some of her campaign on being a voice for “the most vulnerable in our community.”
Facebook: Lennea Perpet for councillor in Sechelt
Brenda Rowe
Rowe is a registered nurse and community volunteer, which she told Coast Reporter give her the skills and passion necessary to be an effective councillor.
Rowe, 56, lists community engagement, infrastructure, sustainability, growing the economy and affordable housing as key issues.
At her campaign launch she also highlighted solving the water crisis.
“The solution needs to be just that – a solution. One that increases our supply for the long term,” she said on her campaign Facebook page. “Conservation, of course, is vital as well but I think our borrowing ability should be focused on increasing our supply.”
Facebook: Brenda Rowe for Sechelt council
Eric Scott
Scott, 46, moved to Sechelt in 2013 and works as vice president of flight operations and safety for Harbour Air.
Scott has served on economic development committees and aviation trade association boards.
“This is where I feel my abilities would be helpful on council. I manage projects, analyze issues and make decisions. I am not afraid to push back where it is needed,” Scott said in the release announcing his candidacy.
Scott lists water, solid waste management, sustainable development, “access and affordability of housing for every demographic,” and improving employment opportunities among his key issues.
Facebook: Eric Scott for Sechelt council 2018
Mike Shanks
(Incumbent, first elected in 1986, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1996, sat on council from 2002-08 and from 2011 to present)
Shanks is the longest serving member of Sechelt council
“I still feel that I have the energy and the interest to serve the needs of our growing community and the challenges that presents,” Shanks said when he announced he would be running again.
He told Coast Reporter he wants to see a downtown revitalization program and a rewriting of the zoning bylaws that will allow for more long-term rental units in the form of laneway or carriage houses.
Shanks also agrees that dealing with the water supply is vital, and “the underlying urgency is increasing capacity” with a new reservoir as top priority.
Alton Toth
(Tomorrow’s Sechelt)
Toth, one of the two candidates running under Tomorrow’s Sechelt, was born and raised in Sechelt and co-owns a downtown business.
He said he wants Sechelt to be “a place where I can afford to grow old, but that my daughter still has the opportunities available for her to succeed” and that Sechelt “needs to get creative about affordable housing.”
Toth also wants to see immediate work on a permanent solution to water shortages and “enhanced recycling and organics programs, and additional measures to divert materials” to cope with dwindling capacity at the regional landfill.
Web: www.tomorrows-sechelt.com/candidates/alton-toth
Facebook: Alton Toth for Sechelt Council
Doug Wright
(Incumbent, has been on council since 2014)
“There are some issues that I believe, both at the District of Sechelt and the regional district, that I would like to see through to their completion,” Wright said when asked by Coast Reporter why he wanted to run again.
Wright also said he feels he’s kept his 2014 election promise to see that taxpayer money was spent wisely and effectively.
Wright said careful management of growth and infrastructure are big concerns facing the incoming council.
He also said Sechelt needs to make a new reservoir the top priority at the SCRD, along with dealing with the future of the landfill.
