Current occupation - Professional Mariner at Seaspan Marine.
Background- I grew up in Ladysmith where I attended school. My wife and I purchased our home here and are raising our daughter here.
I am 27 years old, the son of a commercial fisherman and a publisher.
Being the son of the local magazine (Take 5) owner I was introduced early to the many volunteer groups that help make Ladysmith the place we all love to live. I spent many evenings and weekends helping out around Town, with festivals such as Pumpkin Fest, Oyster Feast, Ladysmith’s Centennial Celebration, and many more. When I was 13, I joined our local Air Cadets Parallel 257 squadron and was an active member, selling poppies and Honor Guard duties during Remembrance Day. After graduating from Ladysmith Secondary School I started my carpentry apprenticeship with a local house builder but found my true calling working on tug boats on our beautiful coastline. I’m an active member in my union I.L.W.U 400. I have played rugby since I was 12 and I have even been lucky enough to represent Vancouver Island. Nowadays I spend much of my time enjoying Ladysmith’s parks and outdoors in and around our great community with my wife and daughter.
Why are you running for council?
Because I love this Town and I want to help shape its future. I feel this is an critical time in our Town’s growth with many developments including the waterfront taking place. We are in a pivotal time in our community. I represent the younger families who will be living with the choices we make today well into the future.
If elected, what will your priorities be for the term and how you will tackle them ? Affordable housing - Encourage multi-family housing. The higher density has a smaller footprint and allows for more green space. The savings in real estate for owners could mean more money to spend in their community. (More disposable income.)
Encourage sustainable wage businesses to set up shop here. - We could do this by becoming a more business friendly community by offering tax incentives and providing faster turnarounds for permits, etc. We could do a better job marketing our industrial parks and Ladysmith as a place to do business. We are centred in the heart of the island with airports, and deep sea ports in one of Canada’s Foreign Trade Zones. We could do a better job marketing our community to teh right kind of businesses that will respect our environment and provide liveable wage jobs for our young families, so our young people will stay here and not have to move elsewhere to make a living. Promote tourism by investing in marketing and promotion of not only the area but tourism packages. By investing in our Arts & Heritage Hub and supporting the volunteers that put on festivals and events in this town..
Protect and create Green Spaces and Parks. By conducting an inventory of green spaces, and trails we can identify what area’s are being used by the public for recreation and then determine if these Green Spaces should be put into park lands ensuring their protection for the future.
Connecting bus service. By working with BC Transit and CVRD, RDN, we could ensure bus service connecting Ladysmith to Nanaimo and Duncan. Nanaimo Airport needs bus service so do our seniors and students heading out to either Duncan or Nanaimo VIU campus. Bus service would also improve tourism.
What’s the best path forward for growth on the waterfront?
A cautious path where we don’t lose sight of what Ladysmith is. Where we don’t sell out the jewel of Ladysmith for a few dollars. Our path has to be slow and careful with a view to getting the best bang for our economy but not at the cost of our residents being shut out of our waterfront.