British Columbians head to the polls on or before Saturday, October 19 for the 2024 Provincial Election.
Vancouver has 12 Electoral Districts, and in each area, locals will cast ballots to determine the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) who will represent their constituencies in the legislature.
To help voters learn more about their options in each of Vancouver's 12 Electoral Districts, V.I.A. sent every candidate an identical questionnaire featuring a series of yes or no questions. Each candidate had the option to provide brief written responses to three of the questions.
Candidates were given a deadline to return the questionnaires to V.I.A.; any responses received after the deadline are not/will not be included. We have noted which candidates did not respond.
V.I.A. is presenting the responses as provided, making edits only when necessary for typographical and grammatical errors.
Meet the candidates for Vancouver-West End
Spencer Chandra Herbert (NDP)
- Occupation: Member of Legislative Assembly / Deputy Speaker
- Where do you live? Vancouver
Top priorities for Vancouver (50 words)
The BC NDP's top priorities for Vancouver are: addressing the housing crisis by building affordable homes, expanding mental health and addiction services, ensuring community safety, investing in public healthcare, fighting climate change and improving public transit. We are committed to creating a more livable, sustainable, and inclusive province for all.
Past achievement(s) (100 words)
First elected in 2008, and re-elected four times since, Spencer Chandra Herbert has deep roots in Vancouver’s vibrant West End community. As an MLA, Spencer has stood up for renters facing illegal evictions, worked to reduce homelessness by founding Vancouver’s Rent Bank and led the successful fight to explicitly protect transgender people in BC’s Human Rights Code. Most recently he served as Deputy Speaker of the Legislature.
Spencer knows how special the West End community is and considers it an honour to work for West Enders and Coal Harbour residents every day to fight for the issues that matter.
Do you support a provincial carbon tax?
For many years, British Columbians agreed that the carbon tax was a useful tool in fighting climate change. Unfortunately, a series of decisions in Ottawa politicized it - and at the same time, people are being squeezed by global inflation and high interest rates.
If Ottawa removes the federal requirement for a carbon tax, we will remove the carbon tax on British Columbians - while ensuring that big polluters pay their fair share.
John Rustad has called climate science a “lie” and says “we should not be trying to fight climate change.”
The fight against climate change is far bigger than any single tax. David Eby and the BC NDP believe climate change is a real, present threat and won’t stop taking action.
Do you believe in mandatory (involuntary) care for people with a severe substance-use disorder?
There are people struggling with extremely severe mental health and addictions issues, coupled with brain injuries who need stronger interventions than we have right now. Many of these people are a risk to themselves, and a risk to others.
David Eby is taking action - launching new dignified secure care to keep people who need this care safe, and keep communities safe. We’re creating new secure care facilities across the province, secure care units in correctional facilities, and more mental health beds in hospitals.
We’re also going to change the laws to provide clarity and ensure that people, including youth, can receive care when they’re unable to seek it themselves.
Should the market be allowed to determine rents?
Many renters are struggling right now, and we’re taking action to support them. David Eby and the BC NDP are proud to have brought in a $400 renters rebate and capped rent increases to inflation, saving a renting family $1,100 per year. We're also preserving existing affordable rental buildings. David Eby’s Housing Action Plan will also create 300,000 more middle-income homes, including affordable rentals.
John Rustad would rip up our Plan. He would eliminate the rent increase cap and drive rents even higher. We can't afford to let John Rustad cancel David Eby's Housing Action Plan. Let's keep taking action on housing and build a future where everyone can afford to live here.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
- Do you support Bill 44/47 to increase density in residential areas and near rapid transit? YES
- Are you committed to keeping SOGI policies in the B.C.’s education system? YES
- Do you support Truth and Reconciliation with B.C.’s Indigenous population? YES
- Do you support lower taxes for B.C. businesses? YES
- Should the provincial government do more to protect businesses from vandalism and other crimes? YES
- Do you support privatization of health care in B.C.? NO
- Should health-care workers who lost their jobs for not being vaccinated be compensated? NO
- Do you support safe supply of drugs for people with a severe substance-use disorder? NO RESPONSE
- Should we have more supportive housing in Vancouver? YES
- Do you think the province should lobby the federal government for bail reform? YES
- Should the province be building more subsidized housing to combat the housing crisis? YES
- Do you think climate change is human-caused? YES
Carl Turnbull (Independent)
- Occupation: Stand up comic / Bus operator
- Where do you live? Vancouver, B.C.
Top priorities for Vancouver (50 words):
Rent Reform, Fast Forward Housing, Open Crown Land and expand and with the drug/ homeless situation, Tough Love not Enablement.
Past achievements (100 words):
Being a comedian. Lots of Hell gigs and eating the co*k to hone my act.
Do you think the province should lobby the federal government for bail reform?
Absolutely. It's silly to act as if this is some complicated equation in a Nolan film we have to figure out. If you lock up the repeat offenders, which most crimes are committed by the same individuals. You will see the crime rate plummet, it won't eliminate crime completely, nothing ever will, it does lead to a safer city.
Do you support the provincial carbon tax?
NO. The carbon tax at the federal and provincial level is the most punitive government policy ever. Our country, our province, is vast, there are large distances between cities and towns to deliver goods. To tax the gas is punishing the middle and lower-income individuals/families, lowering their lifestyle in order to fund a bloated government that believes you the people should have less. HAS TO GO.
Do you support bill 44/47 to increase density?
Yes, near rapid transit. Most rapid transit is already near very busy intersections and streets.
No, in residential areas. High density leads to higher land values. Higher land values continue to push housing out of reach for regular folks. I might be wrong, I assume most people bought their homes in areas they felt were quiet and to be away from the mass of people. Only to have the government suggest jamming more human and vehicle congestion into their neighbourhoods. That's why I tell potential voters I'm for "Open Crown Land and Expand." 94 per cent of the land in B.C. is owned by the government, open it, we have the space to build homes, real homes, not tiny boxes in ugly plain concrete buildings. Our city doesn't have to turn into New York or Hong Kong. I'll take quiet tree-lined Urban sprawl all day.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
Did not provide responses
Eoin O'Dwyer (Green)
- Occupation: Web Developer
- Where do you live? The West End
Top priorities for Vancouver (50 words)
Getting more affordable non-market rental housing built, and creating real action on the climate crisis.
Past achievements (100 words)
Did not provide a response
Do you support Bill 44/47 to increase density in residential areas and near rapid transit?
Yes. We need to increase density in our cities to solve the housing crisis and to create greener communities. However, we also need better protections and support for renters who may be displaced by redevelopments. We also need to focus on investing in non-market housing (co-ops and nonprofits) instead of primarily relying on the private market to create new homes.
Do you support lower taxes for B.C. businesses?
The BC Greens will reform the corporate tax structure to encourage the growth of local businesses and make larger companies pay their fair share.
Should the market be allowed to determine rents?
The market has its place, but we need vacancy and rent control to keep existing units affordable so people can stay in their homes and to discourage renovictions.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
- Do you support a provincial carbon tax? Yes
- Are you committed to keeping SOGI policies in the B.C.’s education system? Yes
- Do you support Truth and Reconciliation with B.C.’s Indigenous population? Yes
- Do you support privatization of health care in B.C.? No
- Should health-care workers who lost their jobs for not being vaccinated be compensated? No
- Do you support safe supply of drugs for people with a severe substance-use disorder? Yes
- Should we have more supportive housing in Vancouver? Yes
- Do you believe in mandatory (involuntary) care for people with a severe substance-use disorder? No
- Should the province be building more subsidized housing to combat the housing crisis? Yes
- Do you think climate change is human-caused? Yes
Jon Ellacot (Conservative)
- Occupation: Construction Manager
- Where do you live? Burnaby
Top priorities for Vancouver (50 words)
Tax relief, housing affordability, safer streets, more effective healthcare and streamlining inefficient government by reducing public expenditures.
Past achievement(s) (100 words)
"Jon Ellacott is a Vancouver-local Construction Manager and small business owner. Throughout his life he has had the honour and opportunity to spend time working for British Columbians; constructing much needed social, industrial and commercial infrastructure. This path has led Jon to become an advocate for development and construction reform - looking to serve our great province with effective affordable housing solutions while cutting red tape and streamlining regulatory creep."
Do you support Bill 44/47 to increase density in residential areas and near rapid transit?
Increasing zoning density is absolutely necessary to cultivate the strategic supply increase of affordable housing units to market. However, the NDP's application of this is flawed and these bills should be repealed and replaced with more effective legislation.
Do you support privatization of health care in B.C.?
The format in which this question is worded seems to ignore that the Conservative Healthcare proposal is a hybrid public/private single payer system. Privatization wouldn't be universal - the conservative proposal is universal and a hybrid.
Do you think climate change is human-caused?
I would call this question a massive oversimplification. Does climate change exist? Yes. Do the carbon emissions produced due to human industry contribute to climate change? Yes. Is climate change human-caused? I'm no climate scientist, but the Milankovitch cycles may suggest otherwise. It is worth noting for good measure that I am a vehement proponent of carbon capture technology as a way of innovating ourselves out of any potentially humanity-exacerbated climate duress.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
- Do you support a provincial carbon tax? No.
- Are you committed to keeping SOGI policies in the B.C.’s education system? No.
- Do you support Truth and Reconciliation with B.C.’s Indigenous population? Yes.
- Do you support lower taxes for B.C. businesses? Yes.
- Should the provincial government do more to protect businesses from vandalism and other crimes? Yes.
- Should health-care workers who lost their jobs for not being vaccinated be compensated? Yes.
- Do you support safe supply of drugs for people with a severe substance-use disorder? No.
- Should we have more supportive housing in Vancouver? Yes.
- Do you think the province should lobby the federal government for bail reform? No.
- Do you believe in mandatory (involuntary) care for people with a severe substance-use disorder? Yes.
- Should the province be building more subsidized housing to combat the housing crisis? Yes.
- Should the market be allowed to determine rents? Yes.
