Part 2 – All-candidates Q&A for Boundary-Similkameen

As part of our BC Election 2024 coverage the Times Chronicle has featured two sets of all-candidates Q&A featuring the four candidates running for the MLA seat representing riding of Boundary-Similkameen. Candidates that responded are listed in alphabetical order (surname) and each candidate’s answer for each question is limited to a maximum of 170 words.

Part 1 covering questions on Healthcare, the Toxic Drug Crisis and Crime appeared in the print edition and online on Thursday, Oct. 10. This is Part 2 with questions on Housing, Water and Generational Fairness. Of the four candidates one Independent candidate did not respond prior to the deadline.

 

4. Housing 

Much like health care the ongoing housing crisis has a long trail of precursors. The recently enacted Bill 44 requires municipalities (greater than 5,000 people) to update Bylaws to enable denser housing. This is already producing results in Oliver for instance, but has created frustration at lack of control over developers and generally carries with it concerns of further stressing limited infrastructure.

How can it be improved to make it more effective and if it is not deemed fit for purpose what solution can replace it to achieve the same goals of creating more housing and more affordable housing?

 

Kevin Eastwood, BC Green Party

All levels of government need to collaborate in good faith to overcome the housing crisis. BC Greens propose building more non-market housing by contracting local businesses first. Furthermore, access to free transit can alleviate strain on roads and parking. 

Additional measures like vacancy control, low income rent assistance, and rebates to accommodate disabilities and aging in place help address more housing needs than supply alone. 

Tackling corporatization of rental properties is a necessary component of housing policy to ensure that the housing which is built benefits resident renters and owners rather than distant investors. My ears are open, let’s share what’s working and fix what isn’t together.

 

 

Roly Russell, BC NDP

Housing feels out of reach for many, and I’ve been taking action to change that, along with our caucus. The free market has created a clash between two values: housing as a home and housing as an investment. Personally, I believe we need to protect and support people who want a home and apply somewhat different rules for those treating housing purely as an investment. Homes matter.

The Housing Supply Act empowers local governments to deliver denser developments in communities over 5,000 residents, streamlining housing projects and avoiding unnecessary public hearings when already aligned with Official Community Plans. It reduces red tape without forcing development, helping unlock more doors.

We’ve seen results in places like Oliver and Osoyoos, where provincial investments delivered affordable housing for families and seniors. As more housing is built, infrastructure must keep pace—roads, sewers, and water systems also need provincial support.

By strengthening partnerships between local governments and BC, we ensure housing development is sustainable and community-appropriate, delivering real solutions while respecting local priorities.

 

Donegal Wilson, Conservative Party of BC

Bill 44 is a step toward increasing housing density in municipalities, but its one-size-fits-all approach often leads to frustration for local governments and developers. The Provincial Government’s overreach into municipal control needs to stop. We must work with local governments to find solutions together.  

The Conservative Party of BC’s “Get BC Building” plan offers a better approach, focusing on streamlined approval processes and accountability. We will cut red tape to fast-track housing approvals, ensuring homes are built in months, not years. Infrastructure improvements must also align with housing projects to avoid overwhelming existing systems. 

By empowering local governments with greater flexibility and holding developers accountable to community needs, we can build housing that meets demand while preserving the unique character of our towns.

 

5. Water

Osoyoos is not alone in its water woes with water issues being a critical problem for a large number of municipalities across the province saddling them with the extraordinarily high cost of building new treatment plants.

What would a targeted strategy of assistance look like to you and do municipalities need some additional form of compliance oversight to ensure critical infrastructure investment is not ignored/deferred?

 

Kevin Eastwood, BC Green Party

Provincial funding needs to be spent with transparency and accountability. Assisting other levels of government is appropriate in overcoming unusual circumstances to promote consistent level of infrastructure and services across BC. 

Approaching UBCM to ask what variability of costs for infrastructure is OK for municipalities and when provincial government needs to step in is where I would start.

Greens believe in funding infrastructure to adapt to climate change and I feel that there is room for collaboration on municipal water with a shared aim of improving water quality while promoting conservation of this vital resource.

 

 

 

Roly Russell, BC NDP

Water infrastructure upkeep and replacement is a difficult issue for communities across the country, including Osoyoos, where aging systems and rising costs are straining local budgets to a breaking point. Many communities built infrastructure 60 years ago, and those repair bills are coming due. Provincial support is essential in helping municipalities deliver clean water. For example, the BC’s investment in Osoyoos’ water system recently reduced the tax burden for local residents by $9 million–that’s investment that matters.

Municipalities would benefit from standardized optional tools for assessing infrastructure and planning, with funding and technical support from the province—while respecting local priorities. Our Growing Communities Fund was created to fund local governments to lead on projects they know their places need. Balancing local autonomy with provincial support ensures critical systems stay strong. My goal as MLA is to continue working to improve community-led decision-making, while the BC government helps clear the runway and fuel the jet for the essential projects communities need. I hope to have your support to keep this going.

 

Donegal Wilson, Conservative Party of BC

I’ve heard concerns about water across the riding. Water quality and security are critical for all regional districts and municipalities, where infrastructure struggles to meet growing demands. The Conservative Party of BC is committed to implementing a $1 billion annual provincial funding program for local governments over the next decade, with an additional federal matching component. This funding

will support the construction and upgrading of water treatment plants and the expansion of water storage systems throughout the province. By working closely with local governments, we will ensure that critical infrastructure projects are prioritized and not deferred. This commitment will provide the resources needed to secure long-term water sustainability and address the unique challenges facing our communities.

 

 

 

 

6. Generational Fairness

With vast sums of public money going to support a large aging cohort of the Canadian population the younger generations find themselves struggling to achieve even a modest fraction of that economic success including home ownership. 

As generational fairness is a component of economic viability and our future success as a community/province how will your party help these younger generations overcome the immediate hurdles as well as enable their path to success in the longer term?

 

Kevin Eastwood, BC Green Party

Greens see a need for increased support to young people through programs such as free transit and formation of youth corps jobs tackling climate change as well as job training for construction and other industries. 

We need support to launch careers without burdensome debt, and we need to control costs to make savings possible for everyone.

We owe every generation a path to security and high quality of living, and we need to acknowledge and problem-solve where over-extraction of resources has benefited one generation at the cost of generations to come. Let’s collaborate and iterate rather than double down on past mistakes.

 

 

 

Roly Russell, BC NDP

Generational fairness is vital for a strong economy. I came to this work from a place of fostering communities.  We have demonstrated that supporting people drives economic vibrancy—our GDP growth outpaces much of Canada, and our debt-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest, all while our middle-income tax rate is the lowest in the country. #BetterForEveryone. This is because we’ve prioritized investments in housing, education, and healthcare instead of cutting services, which mainly benefits the wealthy.

Your vote on Saturday will shape the future we leave for our children. I believe in climate science. I am working to deliver better education in rural areas (e.g. NVIT’s mobile welding program).  I’ve helped build opportunities for community-led economic development across BC. I support the BC Housing Investment Fund (improving access for housing) and BC Access Grant (free upgrading) to creating opportunities for future generations.  These investments are at risk.

We must continue investing in people to ensure BC remains a place where everyone can thrive, now and in the future.

 

Donegal Wilson, Conservative Party of BC

Young British Columbians are struggling to achieve economic success, facing challenges like high housing costs and limited job opportunities. 

The Conservative Party of BC will address the root causes of affordability issues through tax relief, cutting red tape, and ensuring housing is accessible for first-time homebuyers. Our “Rustad Rebate” will provide immediate financial relief by exempting up to $3,000 per month of rent or mortgage interest from provincial taxes. 

In the long term, we’ll support job creation by focusing on small businesses, reducing government overreach, and promoting industries like resource development, which offer well-paying, stable jobs for the next generation.

 

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Sean Taylor, Independent

This candidate for the MLA seat of Boundary-Similkameen did not submit their responses prior to the deadline.