Angela Hope Waldick Candidate profile approved

"I believe affordability touches every part of my platform. Housing, transportation, food security, infrastructure, public safety, accessibility and responsible budgeting are all connected to the cost of living. I support managed growth that adds diverse housing options while ensuring new development contributes fairly to the infrastructure and services it requires. I also want us to focus on maintaining what we already have, because deferred infrastructure costs eventually become higher costs for taxpayers. My approach is to ask: Can we afford to build it, can we afford to maintain it, and will it make life more affordable and livable for Nanaimo residents? I believe we can grow Nanaimo while keeping affordability, sustainability and fiscal responsibility at the centre of every decision."

"I believe residents deserve to know where their tax dollars are going and what they are getting for them. My approach to the budget is Accountable, Sustainable and Transparent. Before increasing property taxes, I want council to look at efficiencies, service priorities, reserves, debt and the long-term cost of maintaining our infrastructure. I support responsible investment in the essentials: roads, water and sewer, transportation, public safety, accessibility and community services. I also believe we need to plan for the future instead of deferring necessary maintenance and leaving bigger bills for the next council. Tax increases should not be treated as the first or only solution. At the same time, I won't promise unrealistic tax cuts that simply push costs into the future. Residents should be able to easily see what we spend, why we spend it, what it costs to maintain it, and whether we're getting the results we paid for. For me, fiscal responsibility isn't just about spending less. It's about spending wisely, planning ahead and being able to show residents the value of every dollar."

"I believe the City has a concrete role in advocacy, partnerships, planning and removing municipal barriers to access, even though health-care delivery is primarily provincial. My own lived experience navigating the health-care system has shown me how important timely, accessible care is. Through the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, local taxpayers also contribute 40% of the capital costs of major health-care infrastructure, so we have a responsibility to advocate for the facilities our region needs, including expanded hospital capacity and a cardiac catheterization lab. Health-care infrastructure is also economic infrastructure. Strong facilities and services can help Nanaimo attract and retain health-care professionals, support research and related industries, and make our community more attractive to families and businesses. That can contribute to a stronger and more diverse local economy and, over time, a broader tax base. As a councillor, I would work with the RDN, Island Health, the Province and community partners to advocate for Nanaimo's needs while looking for opportunities to connect health, housing, transportation, education and economic development. Investing in the infrastructure our community needs can also help build the community and economy we want for the future."

"Pipes, roads, and systems that were built decades ago need attention before we keep adding load on top."

"My priority is a transportation system that works for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities. My own experience with vision loss has made me very aware of how transportation and accessibility affect independence. Getting to work, appointments, services and community activities shouldn't depend on having a vehicle or being able to navigate infrastructure that wasn't designed with accessibility in mind. For Nanaimo, I want to see better transit reliability and connections, including improvements to Routes, the downtown transit exchange and rapid transit along the Island Highway corridor. I also support maintaining our roads and bridges while improving sidewalks, crossings, cycling connections and projects such as the E&N Trail. Having worked in physically demanding jobs and raised a family, I understand that transportation is also about time, affordability and getting where you need to go reliably. A missed bus or an unsafe crossing isn't simply an inconvenience for everyone. I want better connections between neighbourhoods, VIU, the hospital, employment centres, downtown, the ferry terminals and surrounding communities, while working with regional partners on transportation planning. My goal is simple: a Nanaimo where your ability to get to work, school, health care or community isn't determined by your age, income, vehicle ownership or ability."

"We need homes people can actually afford — without overwhelming infrastructure or erasing neighbourhood character."

"I believe we need a compassionate, practical approach. People experiencing homelessness, mental-health challenges and substance use are not a homogenous group, and there is no single solution. The City cannot provide every health or addiction service; treatment primarily falls under provincial and health-authority responsibilities. Its role is to use municipal tools, advocate for the services Nanaimo needs, and coordinate responses with BC Housing, Island Health, First Nations, community organizations and other governments. Nanaimo's 2024 Point-in-Time Count identified 621 people experiencing homelessness, nearly 70% of them unsheltered. Among those surveyed, 74% reported substance-use issues and 66% reported mental-health challenges. These figures show why housing, health, addiction and public safety must be addressed together. I support a housing continuum that includes prevention, emergency shelter, supportive and transitional housing, complex-care options, recovery-oriented housing and permanent affordable housing. Different people need different levels of support, and programs should be evaluated by whether they help people become safer, healthier and more securely housed. The City should publish an annual homelessness and housing outcomes dashboard, developed with service providers and people with lived experience. It should report the number of people housed through municipal or partner programs; housing retention after 6 and 12 months; shelter and supportive-housing capacity; repeat shelter use; average response times for outreach and encampment concerns; and connections to health, treatment or income supports. Programs should set annual targets and be adjusted when data shows they are not working. I support evidence-based harm reduction alongside accessible treatment and recovery options. Harm reduction keeps people alive and reduces harm while creating opportunities to connect with treatment, healthcare, housing and recovery. The City should work with Island Health and community partners to expand coordinated outreach, naloxone access, referrals and transportation to treatment, while advocating for measurable targets such as faster referral follow-up and increased access to detox, treatment and recovery beds. For encampments and public spaces, responses should balance compassion, safety, dignity and the rights of the broader community. The City should maintain a current inventory of shelter, supportive-housing and storage options; assign a lead coordinator for each response; and provide written notice, outreach and transportation before closures wherever safety permits. Responses should include sanitation, garbage removal, sharps disposal, fire-risk reduction and follow-up connections to housing and services. We should track alternatives offered and accepted, destinations, housing retention and returns to unsheltered homelessness. Simply moving people does not solve homelessness. Nanaimo already has important resources, including Community Safety Officers, the Nanaimo Acute Response Table, the Health and Housing Action Plan and provincial programs. I would strengthen coordination, measure outcomes and advocate for the provincial and federal investment needed to close gaps. The City should hold quarterly coordination meetings with BC Housing, Island Health, First Nations and frontline organizations, publish progress reports, and identify service gaps with timelines and responsible partners. Prevention is also essential: keeping people housed is often less disruptive and costly than responding after chronic homelessness develops. I support affordable and diverse housing, eviction prevention, youth and seniors' housing, and partnerships addressing housing instability. Subject to annual council approval, a municipal prevention fund could support rent-bank assistance, eviction-prevention services, landlord-tenant mediation and rapid support for people leaving hospitals, corrections, foster care or unsafe housing. Outcomes should include households assisted, the percentage remaining housed after 6 and 12 months, and evictions or shelter entries prevented. My approach is simple: housing, health, safety and dignity all matter. We need clear responsibilities, public reporting and measurable results."

"Goal: Help local businesses grow and make Nanaimo a place where investment and entrepreneurship can thrive. Reduce red tape for small businesses. Support downtown revitalization. Attract investment through predictable regulation. Partner with post-secondary institutions on workforce development. Balanced-budget approach: Use existing economic development tools strategically and measure results. Bottom line: The best economic development strategy is a city that works: safe, clean, and easy to do business in."

"Safer streets mean preventing problems where we can, while making sure there's a clear and effective response when something does happen."

"Downtown Nanaimo I want to see downtown Nanaimo become a place people choose to spend time in, not simply pass through. The “More for Downtown” conversations are important because downtown isn't just a collection of businesses. It is a neighbourhood, employment centre, cultural district, transportation hub, waterfront gateway and one of Nanaimo's most important economic assets. The City has already identified downtown and the waterfront as strategic priorities, and I think the next step is making sure those investments create a downtown that works for the people who live, work and visit there. My priorities would be: 1. Make downtown clean, safe and welcoming. Public safety and cleanliness are foundational. I support continuing coordinated Community Safety Officer, bylaw, outreach, cleaning and enforcement efforts, while measuring whether those investments are actually improving people's experience. Safety has to include businesses, residents, visitors, vulnerable people and people working downtown. Nanaimo's existing Downtown Safety Action Plan already recognizes the connection between public safety and revitalization. 2. Put local businesses at the centre of revitalization. Empty storefronts don't just represent lost rent. They reduce foot traffic, activity and confidence in an area. I want the City working with downtown businesses, property owners and the BIA to identify barriers to occupancy, support small businesses and entrepreneurs, and make it easier to activate vacant spaces with pop-ups, markets, galleries, studios and other appropriate uses. I also want us to be careful about spending public money without measuring the outcome. Revitalization should have a scoreboard. We should track vacancies, business openings and closures, pedestrian activity, event attendance, cleanliness and public-safety indicators so Council can see what is working. 3. Bring more life to the streets and waterfront. Nanaimo has an extraordinary waterfront. We should connect Commercial Street, the Old City Quarter, Maffeo Sutton Park, the waterfront walkway and surrounding neighbourhoods into a destination people can comfortably explore on foot, by bike, transit and mobility devices. That means better wayfinding, lighting, seating, accessibility, trees and public spaces, alongside programming that brings people downtown throughout the year. Nanaimo's Design Commercial work already envisioned a greener, connected, safe and equitable downtown, and I would continue that work while being disciplined about costs and implementation. 4. Support downtown housing and a genuine mixed-use neighbourhood. A downtown shouldn't empty out when the offices close. More people living downtown can support restaurants, shops, events and transit while making the area feel active at more times of day. I support appropriate residential growth and mixed-use development, including affordable and purpose-built rental housing, while ensuring that infrastructure, accessibility, parking, transportation and public amenities keep pace. 5. Treat culture and events as economic infrastructure. Arts, festivals, music, markets, restaurants and public art aren't just “nice extras.” They give people reasons to visit and return. I want to see more opportunities for local artists, businesses, cultural organizations and event producers to activate downtown spaces, particularly during evenings and the shoulder seasons. 6. Fix the experience of getting around. My background in sustainable city planning and my own experience navigating Nanaimo with accessibility challenges have made me particularly aware that a beautiful streetscape isn't useful if people can't safely get through it. Downtown needs connected sidewalks, accessible crossings, safer cycling connections, reliable transit, appropriate parking management and better connections between the waterfront, Commercial Street, neighbourhoods and the transit hub. Transportation should help people arrive downtown, not create another barrier to spending time there. Finally, I want downtown revitalization to be accountable and financially sustainable. We have a lot of competing infrastructure needs across Nanaimo. I don't want to promise a shiny downtown while ignoring the pipes, roads, sidewalks and public assets underneath it. My vision is a downtown that is clean, safe, accessible, economically active, culturally alive and connected to the waterfront, with more people living, working, shopping and enjoying themselves there. Downtown should feel like the heart of Nanaimo because people are actually using it as one."

"Protecting green spaces, adapting to climate change, and maintaining parks as public health infrastructure."

"Every dollar Council spends belongs to us, Nanaimo residents. Spending it wisely isn't optional — it's the job. Residents deserve to know what Council is doing, why, and how decisions affect them — including the uncomfortable numbers."

"Accessibility is personal for me. After losing much of my vision and becoming physically disabled, I experience our streets, sidewalks, transportation and public spaces differently than I once did. It has shown me how quickly something that looks fine on paper can become a real barrier to participating in community life. That experience has strengthened my belief that accessibility should be built into every part of Nanaimo's planning, not added afterward. It connects directly to my platform priorities: infrastructure, transportation, housing, downtown revitalization, parks, public safety, climate resilience and responsible spending. Accessible sidewalks and crossings, reliable transportation, usable public facilities, accessible housing and clear City information all contribute to a more connected and independent community. My concrete commitment would be to establish an Accessibility Action Plan with measurable annual targets, including a prioritized inventory of accessibility barriers on City streets and facilities, timelines for addressing them, and public reporting on progress. Major City projects should include an accessibility review at the design stage, with people who have lived experience involved before decisions are finalized. I also want people with disabilities, seniors, youth, Indigenous communities and other residents who experience barriers to have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. For me, equity isn't about treating everyone identically. It's about removing unnecessary barriers so more people can participate fully in Nanaimo. My guiding question is simple: Can people actually use what we're building?"

"Local government should collaborate, not operate in silos. I would build strong working relationships with Snuneymuxw First Nation and other Indigenous governments, the Regional District, neighbouring municipalities, and provincial and federal governments to identify shared priorities, clarify responsibilities and pursue joint funding. When priorities cross jurisdictions, we should bring the right partners to the table early, coordinate applications for funding, share information and measure results together. The goal is simple: fewer jurisdictional excuses and more collaborative solutions for Nanaimo."

"I am committed to building on the relationships already established between the City, Snuneymuxw First Nation and other Indigenous governments. That means respectful government-to-government collaboration, open communication and involving Indigenous governments early when priorities overlap. As a Council member, I would support regular government-to-government meetings, early engagement on major projects and shared priorities, and transparent follow-up on commitments made between governments. Where priorities overlap, I would also look for opportunities to coordinate funding applications, infrastructure planning, environmental stewardship and economic-development initiatives. We may have different roles and responsibilities, but we can work together toward shared goals: healthy communities, strong infrastructure, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship and a better future for everyone. Collaboration should be ongoing, respectful and built on trust, with commitments followed through rather than simply discussed."

"My priorities would include healthcare infrastructure and services, housing and homelessness, transportation and infrastructure funding, public safety, mental-health and addictions services, and climate resilience. I would build strong relationships with our provincial and federal representatives, bring clear local data and community priorities to the table, and pursue joint funding opportunities wherever possible. For me, advocacy isn't about partisan politics. It's about making sure Nanaimo gets its fair share of the services, infrastructure and investment our growing community needs."

"K-12 education is primarily a provincial and School District responsibility, so I would not promise municipal solutions to issues outside Council's jurisdiction. The City's role is to collaborate with the school district on school-site planning, safe routes, sidewalks, transportation, accessibility and community infrastructure, while advocating to the Province when additional investment is needed. My priority is making sure Nanaimo's growth is planned alongside school capacity, so children can get to school safely and our communities have the infrastructure they need to support families."

"Childcare is primarily a provincial responsibility, so I don't think the City should promise free childcare. Families already receive provincial benefits and subsidies, and the City's role is different. The City can make a practical difference by planning for childcare spaces as Nanaimo grows, identifying opportunities for childcare in new developments and City-owned facilities, supporting appropriate zoning and approvals, and partnering with providers and senior governments where opportunities arise. I would also support protecting and expanding parks, playgrounds, recreation, libraries, safe routes to school and community spaces that families rely on. My priority is to use the City's tools to help create more accessible childcare spaces and family-friendly neighbourhoods, while advocating to the Province for the funding and operating support needed to make those spaces affordable."