Policy Priorities
Looking ahead with confidence
My hope isn't simply that Oliver manages the challenges ahead. I want us to approach the future with confidence. I want young people to see opportunities here. I want families to feel supported. I want seniors to feel secure. I want businesses and community organizations to know that their work matters. I want residents to feel proud of their neighbourhoods and connected to one another.
One thing I'm looking forward to is something I'm calling Make Oliver Beautiful, a community-driven beautification effort for homes, storefronts and hidden gems around town. It's not a campaign promise; it's the kind of practical, low-cost, self-funded project a council can simply get done, and I look forward to bringing it forward once I'm at the table.
Most of all, I want people to believe that Oliver's best days are not behind us. We can protect what we love about our community while making room for new people, new opportunities and new ideas. We can be financially responsible without being afraid to invest in our future. We can acknowledge the challenges we face without allowing those challenges to define us.
Oliver is my home. It's where I've raised my family, built relationships, worked, volunteered and served. I love this community, and I believe in what we can accomplish together, with experienced leadership, rooted in Oliver and connected beyond it.
A community people can afford to call home
Affordability has to be part of every decision we make.
That means more housing choices for people at different stages of life. Young people should be able to imagine a future here. Families should be able to find suitable homes. Workers should be able to live in the community where they work. Seniors should be able to remain close to their friends, families and support systems.
Bill 44 already requires Oliver to allow more density on most residential lots, and council has updated our zoning to match. The real work now is turning that legal permission into homes people can actually build and afford.
That means a few concrete things. First, a published service-level commitment on permit turnaround times for residential projects, since every extra month in the permitting queue is a carrying cost that gets passed on to future buyers and renters. Second, targeted fee waivers on development cost charges and permit fees specifically for purpose-built rental construction and secondary suite registration, narrow enough that it doesn't touch general new construction or anyone's tax rate, but real enough to matter to a renter or a young family. Third, a revitalization tax exemption for new purpose-built rental, forgiving the growth in property tax on those units for a set term, which grows our tax base over time without raising anyone's current bill.
I also want to explore using Town-owned land more strategically: ground leases, not sales, on surplus municipal land, keeping long-term public control while giving non-profit and workforce housing partners a lower-cost path to build. And with agriculture and wine as the backbone of our local economy, I want the Town at the table on workforce housing partnerships for seasonal and permanent farm labour, a real gap in Oliver right now, and one that connects housing policy directly to keeping our local economy running.
Municipal government can't solve the housing crisis or the rising cost of living on its own, but we can examine our policies, approve appropriate development, encourage a wider variety of housing, pursue partnerships and advocate for greater support from other levels of government. And with every increase in taxes, fees or utility costs, I want us to keep asking a basic question: can the people we serve afford this?
Thoughtful growth that benefits the community
Oliver will continue to grow and change. Our responsibility is to manage that growth thoughtfully.
Growth should strengthen our community, support local businesses, and contribute fairly to the infrastructure and services it requires. It shouldn't simply leave existing residents paying the bill. I want Oliver to welcome new people, new ideas and new investment while protecting what residents value about living here. We can be ambitious about our future without trying to become somewhere else.
Good planning means looking beyond the next development application or budget year. It means asking what our community will need in ten, twenty and thirty years, and beginning that work now.
Reliable infrastructure and responsible decision-making
Oliver is facing more than $100 million in infrastructure upgrades over the next decade, water, sewer, irrigation, and roads among them, and I'd rather be upfront about that number than pretend it isn't coming.
Closing that gap responsibly means three things. First, finishing the asset management program we've started, so we're prioritizing projects by actual risk and lifespan instead of reacting crisis to crisis. Second, rebuilding our reserves so major projects don't force emergency borrowing that costs residents more down the road. Third, pursuing every grant and funding tool available, and making sure we're collecting what we're already owed through grant-in-lieu and franchise fee reviews, before asking residents to cover more of it through property taxes alone.
My work with UBCM gives Oliver an actual seat at the table when that provincial funding and policy gets decided, not just a hope that someone else speaks up for us. And whatever the mix ends up being, I want the next council to be upfront about the trade-offs: which projects are funded, which are still years out, and why, rather than residents finding out after the fact.
A stronger local economy
A healthy community needs a diverse and resilient local economy.
I want Oliver to be a place where existing businesses can succeed, entrepreneurs feel supported, and new investment is welcomed when it fits our community. We should continue building on the strengths of our agricultural, tourism, wine, construction, service, arts and cultural sectors, while remaining open to new opportunities. That includes making sure our hotel tax dollars are working hard for us, directed toward destination marketing that pays for itself, funded by visitors rather than residents.
Economic development is also about creating a community where people want to live. Housing, healthcare, recreation, arts, culture, safe public spaces and a sense of belonging all help employers attract and retain workers. Our downtown and commercial areas should feel active, cared for and connected to the rest of the community. The Town can't create every business or fill every storefront, but it can be a constructive partner rather than an obstacle, including publishing clear service-level commitments so residents and business owners know how long a permit review should actually take.
Healthcare close to home
Access to healthcare is one of the greatest concerns facing Oliver and other rural communities.
I'm proud of the regional work that's been done on physician recruitment, but communities shouldn't be forced to compete against one another for the same limited number of doctors and healthcare professionals. We need to continue working together while pressing the Province to address the larger shortage. As Mayor, I'll continue advocating for reliable local healthcare, emergency services, and the supports needed to allow people to remain healthy and independent in their own community.
A community where people belong
I want Oliver to be a town where people feel seen, respected and welcome. That includes children and young people, working families, seniors, newcomers, people with disabilities, Indigenous residents, and people who have sometimes felt excluded from community life.
Our public spaces, facilities, programs and decision-making processes should be accessible. We should support opportunities for recreation, arts, culture, volunteering and community connection. These aren't extras. They're part of what makes a place feel like home.
I also want the Town to continue building respectful relationships with the Osoyoos Indian Band, whose lands and history are inseparable from this place. That work begins with listening, learning, and approaching those relationships with humility and care.
A council that works as one team
People may not agree with every decision their council makes, but they should understand how and why those decisions were made.
I want Town Hall to be accessible, transparent and respectful. Residents should feel comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns and bringing forward ideas. Oliver already has a code of conduct in place, and the Province is now moving toward a standardized one across BC municipalities, so that piece is well in hand. My focus is making sure every councillor is properly equipped to do the job well from day one: full attendance at the Local Government Leadership Academy for every new councillor, a working understanding of Robert's Rules of Order so meetings run fairly and every voice carries equal weight, and regular one-on-one check-ins between the Mayor and each councillor so no one is finding things out after the fact.
At the table, that means holding staff accountable without turning meetings into "gotcha" moments. Council and staff are on the same team, working toward the same goals for this community, and I want that respect to be visible in how we conduct ourselves publicly.
Leadership doesn't mean having all the answers. It means creating an environment where different perspectives can be heard, difficult conversations can happen respectfully, and the best interests of the community remain at the centre of the decision. I believe a Mayor should help council work as a team, build strong relationships with staff and community organizations, and make sure Oliver's voice is heard beyond our municipal boundaries. A Mayor should be willing to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions and advocate firmly, without losing the ability to collaborate.