NEW CANDIDATES ONLY
This page will only feature new candidates running for City Council in the 2022 election.
Members of the current council will be featured on their own Incumbent page.
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
COUNCILLOR CANDIDATES
PAUL CHAPMAN
Nanaimo has offered me so many opportunities and benefits. From seashore to mountaintop I love this place. We are facing the crises of our time: climate change, affordability and homelessness and the related health care and safety issues. I have the experience to be a positive voice on council. I value collaboration rather than confrontation and I would be honoured to be elected to serve our community.
Since returning from the east coast, I have lived in Nanaimo for 15 years. I share my life with my long term partner Judith and I’m blessed with a blended and extended family of three daughters, two son in-laws, three grandchildren and their furry companions. For 14 years I have worked in various roles with the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust and now serve as executive director. I participate on numerous committees, roundtables and on the Board of the Land Trust Alliance of BC.
To reset and reconnect, I enjoy hiking the local trails and occasional forays further afield.
PETER LEE
Hi Nanaimo. My name is Peter, and I believe that it is my time to give back.
I have been a Nanaimoite for 13 years. I am grateful to be a part of our wonderful community and live among our beautiful nature. I play saxophone in jazz combos, volunteer as a tutor for underprivileged youths, and participate in invasive plant pulls around the city.
Public safety is my top priority. Our city needs to regain the confidence to work, live, and play without fear. I will take the necessary measures to tackle crime, to reclaim our streets from violent and repeat offenders.
I believe in providing more affordable housing options to match people’s incomes, through encouraging high-density development and building more non-market housing for those experiencing homelessness.
I believe in sustainable development, encouraging new transit infrastructure and evaluating city policies through a sustainable lens.
I believe that collaboration is the key to good governance. By working for Nanaimo’s social and economic interests, we can unlock Nanaimo’s potential. I will work with non-profits to provide more integrated services for the most vulnerable.
JEFF ANNESLEY
I was born and raised Nanaimo and I have lived here my entire life.I live downtown and have to deal with the consequences of soft on crime policies. I’ve attended, or watched online, all of the city council meetings in the past year to learn the job and understanding the challenges our city faces.Here is where I want to stand out and give you actual ideas for immediate results. At the city level we don’t control how people are prosecuted. We can solve this, at least for Nanaimo.
1. Bring in the “Broken Windows” philosophy. This has been successfully especially in New York City. The idea is most every crime leads to an arrest. Clamping down on minor crimes leads up the ladder to reductions in more violent crimes, this has been proven with this strategy.
2. Introduce Bylaw allowing legal carry and use of non-lethal weapons for those with no or older non violent criminal records. The criminals carry pepper spray and use it. A store owner should be allowed to use a baseball bat for self defence against assault and theft from their stores.
All though our courts will simply release the criminal, the first idea is to clog the system. We need an Iron fist to stop crime, there is no other way.
I want to stop all expensive projects not necessary to the function of the city. No more purposefully built bike lanes, no more Metral Drives.
I want to see taxes stay flat and, I know it’s not sexy, but how about we pay off city debts. The city currently has $46 million in debt. That’s several million dollars in interest payments that’s thrown down for no return. We, as a government, should work with the money we are given, not raise taxes double digits year over year.
Lastly, we must stop city government growth. Reimagine Nanaimo, our new city plan, will lead to massive government intrusion in everyday life as it seeks to lower city ghg emissions by 50% by 2030
The level of growth in government has been enormous the past 4 years. That doesn’t simply mean we fire people. We need firemen, policewomen, garbage men, road repair workers etc. But are there redundancies and are we getting full value for what’s being spent.
Nanaimo is a wonderful place to live and we can make it better with lower crime rates, less taxation, and less government and a community where we prioritize the middle class with dream homes not single bedroom apartments. A place with little government red tape to opening a dream business.
Thanks,
Jeff Annesley
NICK GREER
Website: www.nick4nanaimo.ca
Email: nick@nick4nanaimo.ca
Nick is a downtown Nanaimo business owner, Solicitor, Chartered Mediator, Arbitrator, and former Chair of Destination-Nanaimo.
Nick runs the Collaborative Law and Mediation Centre in downtown Nanaimo.
While families are tightening their belts, the City of Nanaimo has failed to control expenditure and tax rates.
Nanaimo’s tax take increased by a massive $18M between 2018 and 2021 during the term of this Council, driving up property taxes.
And Councillors are not doing their part to reign in spending..... During the current term, some Councillor’s personal expense charges to the City have been significant, sometimes exceeding $10,000 in one year.
Nick will not claim any personal expenses when elected to Council.
With a strong track record in municipal government for cutting excessive spending, Nick will push the City to reduce waste, staffing and consultancy expenditure.
“Let’s get City expenditure, taxation and cost of living back under control. To do my part, I will not claim any personal expenses when I’m on Council - but I will also work tirelessly to find efficiency, cut waste, and reduce taxation across Council.” -- Nick Greer
Nick has a vision for a vibrant, exciting, and safe downtown Nanaimo. Prior to moving to Nanaimo, Nick was a City Councillor in Australia and co-led the successful renewal of the neglected city centre of Blackwood, Australia. While on Council there, Nick championed the Blackwood Activity Centre and renewal project, being the first Councillor to move for and obtain plans for the new city hub on its final determined site. Nick is looking to replicate this successful revitalization in Nanaimo's downtown.
“I will work to transform downtown Nanaimo into an exciting place to take visitors, and a safe place to bring our kids” -- Nick Greer
Hello Nanaimo I'm Paul Manly, and I'm running for Nanaimo City Council. I’m the third generation of my family to live in the Nanaimo area. I'm the Executive Director of the Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter, a former member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, filmmaker, local business owner and community advocate.
There is work that needs to be done for our community. I’m stepping up because I have skills, I have experience, and I want to make a difference.
The challenges we are facing demand action. We have an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. Community safety is a big concern. The pandemic and the flooding last year showed us how supply chain disruptions make us vulnerable to shortages of food and goods. The action we take on these issues has to come from a deep understanding of the problems. I want to use my knowledge of these issues to serve the community and put forward solutions that have been demonstrated to work. It is possible to improve affordability, safety and community resilience with the right policies in place.
We live in a very special part of the world. If we are going to maintain the quality of life that attracts people to the city then we need to manage growth. If we want workers to stay here, if we want our children to raise their families here then we need to ensure affordability. If we want to strengthen our local economy, we need to create the conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises to thrive here.
The current council set a positive and progressive course but we need to follow through with action. I have a strong track record of working collaboratively with community stakeholders. I worked across party lines to get things done in parliament and I’ll bring the same cooperative approach to my work on city council. It’s essential that as elected officials we listen to residents, be responsive, and work hard to meet the needs of the community, because there is a lot of need right now.
Website:
www.paulmanly.caFacebook:
https://www.facebook.com/VoteforPaulManlyInstagram: @paulmanly
Contact:
ElectPaulManly@gmail.com
GARY KORPAN
Good Governance and Public Safety are Essential
Gary Korpan seeking election as City Councillor
Listed as Korpan, Gary Richard the 13th name on an alphabetical ballot.
Fellow Nanaimo citizens, I am Gary Korpan respectfully asking for your vote as City Councillor on October 15, 2022 or at the Advance polls October 5th and 12th at Beban Park, 2300 Bowen Road.
Nanaimo has been my home since 1967 and I truly believe that my responsibility is to serve our city in return for all the opportunities it has given me. I wish to help in our unending goal of making Nanaimo an even better, healthier, and safe place to work and live.
I am offering my extensive training, knowledge, and experience in municipal government as a candidate for the new City Council. My institutional memory of City operations will alert Council to issues newcomers may not be aware of. I know who to contact to solve citizen questions and problems quickly.
Qualifications as a candidate for City Council.
- a degree in political science;
- a degree in law with emphasis in constitutional law;
- post graduate courses in municipal government;
- 20 plus yearsrunning a law practice;
- 9 years Nanaimo City Councillor;
- 15 years as Nanaimo Mayor (1993-2008);
- 20 years on the Regional District.
I have wide community knowledge ranging from City operations and budgeting, economic to environmental to social issues as well as experience in dealing with emergencies. My employment as an Auxiliary Police officer with Victoria City Police under the Law Student Police Program gives me added insight into policing and social needs. My appointment to the BC Premier's Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions gave me detailed knowledge of the homeless crisis.
Public Safety commitments:
"Citizens, especially seniors, fear parts of our City, particularly Downtown."
We all deserve to feel safe throughout Nanaimo.
I commit to ensuring City Council acts decisively on Public Safety.
Another high priority, if you elect me, will be good governance. Good decisions are based on following the fundamental Golden Rule principle of: "Treat others like you would like to be treated."
Decision-making should be on the merits, for the greater community good...not, as currently, favouritism to special interests.
Citizen tax payers expect and demand fiscal responsibility. I especially hate wasteful spending. We should know exactly who wastes your tax money and who acts to ensure you get good value.
According to audited financial statements available online, the City of Nanaimo spent $181 million of your money this last year, 2021. That is a 9% increase from $166 million in 2020. Large budgets often contain unnecessary, wasteful spending that only benefit special interest groups.
I have substantial experience advocating for Nanaimo with the senior levels of government.
Together, Nanaimo has a great future.
Gary Korpan, candidate for Nanaimo City Council. Vote KORPAN, Gary Richard X
As Mick Jagger would sing “Please allow me to introduce myself…” Going back to my humble origins raised in a farming family, we relocated from Saskatchewan to Nelson in 1970 just in time for kindergarten. I completed my public school in Nelson and returned to Saskatchewan, where we continued to farm, to enroll in university majoring in Psychology. I then completed a business certificate before launching into the world of technology.
For just shy of three decades I worked in the telecommunications industry, most of which performing research, business analysis, forecasting, planning, and network management. I was a technical lead for the design and delivery of Enhanced 911 service to the province of Saskatchewan. A member of domestic and international trouble management teams, I have been heavily involved in planning for service failures, risk mitigation, and recovery efforts. In 2022 I upgraded my training in incident management through the Justice Institute of BC.
In parallel to my work in the tech sector, I have provided personal consulting in the healing and wellness field. For nearly four decades, I have been an active volunteer with a series of community-based service organizations as board member, event chair, and volunteer at large, often working with marginalized, vulnerable, and at-risk children, youth, and families.
Blending my interests in environmental stewardship, human justice, and community building with proven leadership and business expertise, I believe my composite skills and experience would be an asset at the City Council table. I am results-oriented, committed to evidence-based decision making, and do not back down from a challenge. The coming four years may test our mettle on many fronts. I am up to the task. I will work every day to earn your trust beyond October 15.
My platform is organized around four priority areas including
1. Homelessness and the intersections of mental health and wellness, addictions, violence, and public safety
2. The Climate Emergency, the need for risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, and a comprehensive food security strategy
3. Economic prosperity by providing leadership, sound business judgement, innovative problem solving, and effective planning, and
4. Honoring and celebrating Culture and Diversity.
The more detailed version of my platform and related conversations, posts, and links to reference documents can be found on my Facebook Group “Shirley Lambrecht for Nanaimo City Council 2022.” I can also be found on Twitter at @ShirleyLambrec4. I will look forward to connecting with you there!
Viraat BK Thammanna
With Bachelors of commerce and post Bachelors in Business Operation Management, I have been a successful Corporate Executive Management professional, Significantly contributed for the growth of companies for 14 years. Later joined Canadian Forces with passion to serve my country.
Nanaimo being one of the top 5 fastest growing city in Canada and gateway to Vancouver Island, I see great potential. New city council require leadership skills with zeal, energy and willingness to help council to work hard and smart for efficient & effective local governance.
I work hard to give back at full capacity, using my knowledge and abilities for the positive transformation of our community and beyond. I am looking forward to serving the city full-time as a city councilor without conflicts of interests, and no personal business ownership. My existing financial stability will allow me to give all energy and devotion to shared goals of the community.
I believe that we need to work on bringing the left and right wing political views together. We need unity and inclusiveness at the grassroots for turning ideologies into action to the benefit of all Nanaimoites. I am dedicated and willing to work full time for bringing positive difference to our beautiful city with my Soldiers spirit and passion to serve. Let’s be the change before we see the change. We are required to catch up with the fast paced growth of our city (Nanaimo is one of the top 5 fastest growing cities in Canada), so that we avoid facing bottlenecks in years to come. Nanaimo has been evolving. Our city is no longer the same old mining town that it used to be. Let’s put our efforts together to bring about a well balanced, positive difference in our city in a timely manner. I believe that we can only achieve this through a unified collaboration with all people in all aspects of life. I hope to gain your trust and in turn… gain your encouragement for a better tomorrow by working hard today for Nanaimo, all its citizens, its community and its visitors.
Working with Provincial Mental Health to solve addiction issues, mental illness and make our city safe again.
Unifying all levels of government to work for affordable housing, Co-op housing and measures to prevent homelessness
Pursuing Health Dept. to resolve shortage of Family Doctors.
Collaborating with seniors in our communities for their comfort and quality of life.
Identifying child and youth needs, providing opportunity for growth.
Supporting local farmers for food security and sustainability.
Balanced strategies for infrastructure, environmental, economical developments and support local businesses.
Including everyone in community discussion and planning.
Fostering awareness for safe and secured neighborhoods.
Enhancing consciousness of mental and physical health among the diverse population in Nanaimo.
Add housing for special needs to the point of affordable housing.
Constant focus on public safety and safe communities. Responsible spending with a well-balanced budget.
Work towards Reliability Accountability, Transparency, and Efficiency in local Governance.
Exploring ways to encourage social activities in downtown, local talent, music, arts and culture for spreading the good vibes around.
Collaborate for the wellness of Snuneymuxw first nations.
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