Priorities for Area I
Bringing balance to decision-making for West Cowichan.
Good leadership means listening, using common sense, and actually working to protect our rural values.
“I’ll show up, do the work, and bring real solutions — because our community deserves leadership that makes life better, not more complicated.” Stephanie Harper
As a future Director, if entrusted with this role by my community, I will come to the table with ideas, solutions, and a clear sense of direction. I’m there to contribute, to ask the right questions, and to help shape better outcomes — not simply nod in agreement.
Regional government has a direct impact on people’s day-to-day lives. We may not be able to solve the world’s biggest problems, but we do have a responsibility to make life easier for our friends, families, and neighbours — not harder.
That’s why I’m already focused on practical solutions to today’s challenges — grounded in real-world experience, broader research, and what’s actually working in other communities. I also recognize this work isn’t simple. These are complex issues that require careful thought, hard work, and a commitment to getting it right.
The challenges we’re facing today didn’t happen overnight. Some are already being felt through recent planning decisions, while the longer-term impacts are still not fully understood.
We need grounded, thoughtful leadership — leadership that asks hard questions, takes the time to get it right, and focuses on outcomes that truly serve our communities.
Community Priorities – What I’m Hearing So Far
Protecting Community
Protecting our community from policies that don’t fit our reality.
Protecting our community from policies that don’t fit our reality.
- Repealing the current Modernized Official Community Plan and implementing a plan that represents AREA I Values
Strong Representation
I’ll do the work—listening, advocating, and delivering results for our community.
I’ll do the work—listening, advocating, and delivering results for our community.
- Genuine community consultation
Fiscal Responsibility
I won’t promise lower taxes—but I will promise to work hard to deliver better value and real results from every dollar.
Environmental Stewardship
We all rely on our environment in different ways.
- Reinstating the free store at Meade Creek Recycling Centre
- Raising the weir and supporting long-term water sustainability
Economic Strength
Our economy is the fuel source for our community—supporting jobs, small businesses, and the services people rely on.
A Better Way Forward
Supporting active transportation trails connections through Youbou, Meade Creek, Bald Mountain, Ts’uubaa-asatx, and Lake Cowichan
People across Area I are saying the same thing: they want to be heard—and they want decisions that reflect real rural life.
The way of life in Youbou and Meade Creek matters. It’s worth protecting. But families are also facing rising costs and uncertainty—we need practical solutions that work.
I’m stepping up to do the work and have your back—protecting our rural values while making balanced decisions that support our whole community.
Area I deserves leadership that listens, uses common sense, balances viewpoints, and has your back when it matters.
Philosophy
Local decisions affect everything—our land, housing, and local economy. All of it matters.
The challenge is balance. When things go too far one way, projects stall, costs rise, and people feel it.
I believe there’s A BETTER WAY—protect what makes AREA I special, while cutting unnecessary barriers and supporting housing, opportunity, and local business.
That means listening, using common sense, and asking the right questions. I’ll ask the right questions at the Board—and bring practical solutions back to our community.
I’ll do the work to bring that balance forward—and find solutions that actually work for the people who live here.
Why do I want to be a locally elected official?
I care deeply about Area I and the people who live here. I’m hearing the same thing across our communities—people don’t feel heard, and decisions don’t always reflect how we actually live.
I believe we can do better.
How will I contribute to my community as a locally elected official?
By listening, being accessible, and doing the work.
I’ll ask the right questions at the Board—and bring practical solutions back to our community.
My focus is simple: balanced decisions that support families, local workers, and small businesses, while protecting what makes this area special.
What are my objectives for holding office and do they reflect the needs of my community?
Restore trust. Improve transparency. Make decisions that reflect the people who live here.
That means protecting our rural way of life, supporting attainable housing, and strengthening our local economy—because it’s what allows us to support the services our community needs.
How will I work with my colleagues even if we have different points of view?
Respectfully—but with a purpose.
We won’t always agree, but I’ll show up prepared, ask the right questions, and work toward practical solutions that actually move things forward.
