A third mayoral candidate has come forward in Saanich.
Rob Wickson, the longtime president of the Gorge Tillicum Community Association, will challenge Coun. Fred Haynes and incumbent Mayor Richard Atwell for the chair role of Saanich council in the Oct. 20 general election.
Wickson is no stranger to council. He attends council sessions regularly and ran, unsuccessfully, three times so far in 2008, 2011 and in the byelection of 2017.
B次元官网网址淚 asked a lot of people this year what they think in terms of leadership in Saanich, and the majority of people say they donB次元官网网址檛 like it and theyB次元官网网址檙e not happy with it,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淲e need people to work together to get the job done instead of playing politics.
B次元官网网址淪aanich needs a mayor who is independent and confident. We donB次元官网网址檛 have that at the moment.B次元官网网址�
Wickson hopes the late start to the campaign can quickly gain momentum.
For 34 years, Wickson has worked as a partner in Discovery Economic Consulting with business partner, Victoria Coun. Geoff Young. The company acts as an expert witness for cases that go before the B.C. Supreme Court, providing lawyers with economic advice .
B次元官网网址淚f someoneB次元官网网址檚 hurt in a car crash, weB次元官网网址檒l measure the difference if there career changes, and provide the methodology to make that decision,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淭hat means sitting down and putting together the policy required to do the research analysis.B次元官网网址�
Wickson said council should be the same.
B次元官网网址淵ou start with conversations you want to have, get some success, and then move on to more complex things such as the EDPA,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been promised it will be replaced. I would expect new council to address that, but not first item on the agenda.B次元官网网址�
WicksonB次元官网网址檚 resume is long in Saanich involvement. He started the Gorge Canada Day Picnic that now draws 10,000 people on Canada Day.
He is a past president of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the BC Chamber of Commerce, was president of GTCA from 2008 until 2018, was part of the Moving Saanich Forward active transportation committee from 2017 to 2018 and is a member of the Douglas/Uptown Corridor study advisory committee. He was also president of Bike to Work Week Victoria from 2005 to 2015, and is a director with the Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society.
B次元官网网址淵ou need someone at the head of the chair that can work with a variety of people,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淭hat relationship with the CAO has to be built on a solid foundation without animosity, fear or suspicion.B次元官网网址�
WicksonB次元官网网址檚 platform includes a plan to shortening land-use approval times in Saanich and to help lower housing costs and make Saanich the go-to municipality for new businesses. He also believes in keeping the tax burden low for homeowners through a comprehensive business plan to increase municipal revenues without relying on increasing property taxes.
B次元官网网址淪aanich is the largest municipality on Vancouver Island and itB次元官网网址檚 our time to be seen as a leader B次元官网网址� for our ideas, for our solutions, and for our opportunities,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淎s mayor I promise to bring the collaboration and leadership to council that will make sure we are charting a brighter future for everyone in the community.B次元官网网址�
