How to read this page. Each row below is one policy area, with Ellen Frisch's mark for it on the right; the key underneath says what each mark means. Open a row for the questions behind that mark, what they answered, and why each answer scored as it did. The control above the list opens all of them at once. At the foot of the page you can print this scorecard or share it as an image.
General
What Ellen Frisch said
- Not graded GEN-01
If you could change one policy, bylaw, feature, or municipal asset (i.e, facility or infrastructure) in your municipality, what would it be and why?
Management of the Village Core.
1. Despite the ALC's approval of Metchosin's Village Core bylaw, the land remains in the ALC, and is still required to have a Non Farm use for any changes, costing time and money. It's administratively unnecessary and inefficient costing Metchosin taxpayers time and money.
2. The School arguably the heart of the Village core, has languished as a profit centre, consequently resulting in an annual net loss. We need to review best practices in recreation facility management with other Municipalities and SD 62 and implement it. The "in demand" space, arguably the profit centre should be available for a diverse group of users. Space should be leased for the best and highest use and all costs recovered. Review lease options for ball fields, classrooms and other vacant space.
3. Consider a refreshed, welcoming public 'space' at the front of the school by removing some of the blacktop heat sink, installing native plant beds, pathways, seating and exploration areas for children. Redesign the site for appropriate parking.
4. Septic Management: All Village Core business, except the Cafe and businesses in the School are hobbled by the severely limited septic availability. Consequently, commercial lots do not allow for kitchens or public services (since there is no washroom capability). The District has the power to address this as the largest neighboring private landowner and permit the private sector to reinvigorate the limited commercial space in the core. (Currently occupied as the corner store and the adjoining equipment storage yard.)
5. Encourage Metchosin business opportunities in the core, which embody rural values, provide service to citizens and visitors and promote Metchosin goods.
Business tax in Metchosin (71 properties) accounted for 3.86% of property tax, compared to less than 1% tax collected from 147 farm status residential properties and 7 light industrial properties combined. - Not graded GEN-02
Your municipality has received $10 million in new annual funding and must spend all of it. How would you allocate it across the following areas? Your answers must total $10 million.
Ellen Frisch's allocation of ten million dollars Housing $1,000,000 Transit $0 Walking Infrastructure $1,000,000 Rolling & Cycling Infrastructure $0 Roadway Infrastructure $0 Policing $500,000 Fire & Emergency Services $1,500,000 Parks & Recreation $2,000,000 Arts & Culture $1,000,000 Climate Action & Environment $1,500,000 Unhoused Resident Services $0 Community-Based Clinics $500,000 - Not graded GEN-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to communicate about your region, generally, feel free to share your thoughts here.
The $10,000,000 proposal is about 3x Metchosin's annual revenue collection ($3.1 in property tax) and is completely out of scope against the reality of the budget. In Metchosin's case the specific considerations would be:
1. Housing: Consider entering into a 3P for an Abbyfield style Seniors Housing project on an existing Metchosin residence, with limited financial exposure related to land ownership.
2. Transit: Metchosin has a limited transit connections and additional funding will not improve ridership or service. No $ has been put to this line item.
Healthcare access
What Ellen Frisch said
- Not graded HLT-01
What role should your municipality play in establishing new primary care clinics?
Why we ask this
Ungraded. Mainly curious about how you'd approach expanding healthcare access in your region.
Chose 1 of 4 options - Not graded HLT-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to healthcare in your municipality, feel free to share your thoughts below.
Metchosin has offered SIPCS a space for rent at the Metchosin School and has not offered support funds due to the limited tax revenue base. For example, the society is publicly seeking $180,000 for tenant improvements for the space. For context, this would require 100% of the property tax collected by all class 9 Recreation ($156,426) and all class 9 Farm ($13,606) properties in 2026, effectively 5.43% of all of Metchosin's revenue. Private citizens are undergoing an active fundraising drive to support construction of the clinic. Metchosin's dire financial situation and requirement for additional revenue, will force a deeper examination of whether it will be granted a property tax exemption.
Transit
C- 20% of this topic TRN-01 B
Which fare measures would you actively advocate for at the VRTC? Select all that apply.
Why this grade: Takes up cheaper fares for seniors, cheaper fares for people on income or disability assistance and a lower cost regional monthly pass from the measures on offer. Three of the four measures are taken up, leaving one group of riders outside the commitment.
How this question is graded
A count of ticks, because no option here is cheaper than the others in the way CLI-06's are. Four or more = A. Three = B. Two = C. One = C-. None = F. The rows graded before this rubric was written are not perfectly consistent with it at three and two ticks; they were left as typed and the majority letter was taken. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 3 of 6 options (up to 4 allowed) - 30% of this topic TRN-02 —
Do you support removing general on-street parking (excluding accessible parking spaces) from frequent transit corridors and main arterial streets in your municipality, and reallocating that space to bus lanes, loading zones, and walking and cycling infrastructure?
Why this grade: Records the question about removing general street parking from frequent transit corridors as not applying to this municipality. Answered as not applicable rather than declined, so the row carries no letter and sits outside the transit calculation. Note: Metchosin is no, nor ever will be, home to any FTN transit routes; this question does no apply to Metchosin.
How this question is graded
Yes, across the whole corridor = A. Yes, only during peak hours = B. Kind of, only when a specific project requires it = C. No = F. Peak hours only is a real, testable limit on a yes, so it takes the conditional-yes B. Only when a specific project requires it names no project and commits to nothing in advance, which is the case-by-case answer CLI-08 puts at C. A No is F because the question is about street space, which is infrastructure. Eight of the earlier rows put the case-by-case option at B and nineteen put it at C; the nineteen were followed. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 6 options - 30% of this topic TRN-03 —
Do you support rapid deployment of transit priority measures on frequent transit corridors, even where this requires removing on-street parking or a general-purpose traffic lane?
Why this grade: Records the question about rapid deployment of transit priority on frequent corridors as not applying to this municipality. Answered as not applicable rather than declined, so the row is left blank and drops out of the transit calculation. Note: Metchosin is no, nor ever will be, home to any FTN transit routes; this question does no apply to Metchosin.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, but not at the cost of a general-purpose travel lane = C-. No = F. The question asks specifically about giving up a traffic lane, so a yes that rules the lane out withholds the one thing being asked for and cannot take the conditional-yes B. C- rather than F because the rest of the toolkit is still on the table. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 6 options - 10% of this topic TRN-04 C-
Do you support the creation of a regional transportation authority?
Why this grade: Would not establish a single regional body for transportation. This question asks who should decide rather than what should be built or funded, which keeps a no on the governance side of the scale.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = C-. A No is C- rather than F because this asks who should decide, not what should be built or funded, which puts it on the governance side of the CLI-03 split. Three earlier rows typed F and two typed C-; the governance rule was followed over the count. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 10% of this topic TRN-05 F
Do you support building new bus-only and bike-only connections through parks, golf courses or public land when doing so would substantially shorten transit and cycling trips?
Why this grade: Opposes new bus and bicycle links across parks, golf courses and public land whatever the time they would save. Declining rules out the links themselves rather than the way they would be built, and a new connection is infrastructure.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, if no mature trees are lost during construction = B. No = F. Losing no mature trees is a named and checkable condition, so it takes the conditional-yes B. A No is F because the question is about building a connection, which is infrastructure. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded TRN-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to transit in your region, feel free to share your thoughts below.
TRN5: It's critical that green spaces are not carved up with paved features. They visually, physically and environmentally destroy the very value of the thing they are transiting; from vegetation to groundwater. This should NEVER occur. Roads and bikelines require paving, storm water drainage, curbs, lighting and would effectively become 5 - 10m wide swaths of blacktop through a park or green space. To save 5 min?
Also, new accesses enable unwanted and unplanned uses, unsafe night conditions, campers, permanent squatters, social disruption, drug use. Increased policing costs.
If an RTA reduces costs, reduces bureaucracy, focuses on priorities, and recovers costs in a proportion of the citizens able to use the services, then yes. Otherwise, mandatory Metchosin contribution to a regional authority which provides negligible services and has the potential to morph into a perpetual "tax and spend" cycle is not supported.
Housing
F- HFL-01 3 / 8
What kinds of housing could your municipality use more of? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point per selected type to max of 8. Housing exists on a continuum and different types are appropriate for different households. All housing is needed and positively affects other types via vacancy chains
Ellen Frisch chose 3 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - HFL-02 0 / 8
Which of the following items do you support to minimize tenant displacement and maintain/grow the supply of affordable housing? Select up all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point per strategy to max of 8. To tackle tenant displacement local governments must take an all of the above approach to reduce the impacts associated with renovictions and evictions.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - HFL-03 0 / 6
Do you think your municipality should have target approval times for multifamily housing?
How this question is graded
6 points for 30/180 days, prorated for longer timelines. Housing delayed is housing denied. Long delays drive us costs for housing, increase the chance that they will be cancelled, and indicate a lack of clear published guidelines. A time limit on decisions prioritizes housing action and reforms.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - HFL-04 1 / 5
If there was a type of housing you wanted to see more of (e.g., affordable, non-market, family-sized, townhouses, etc.), what do you think are effective methods of getting more of it? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point for each option, but -1 for choosing mandated requirements (d). To increase the building of certain desireable types of housing (affordable, family sized, etc), cities need to pursue a broad approach of both removing barriers and targetted incentives. Mandated requirements (or inclusionary zoning) have a track record of acting like a tax and therefore reducing housing construction or increasing costs.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 8 options - HFL-05 0 / 3
Do you believe that the municipality should pre-zone to the uses, heights and densities outlined in the Official Community Plan, so that OCP-compliant projects can be built without rezoning or public hearing?
How this question is graded
3 points for yes, 0 for no. An OCP sets out the direction and vision for a municipality with broad input from the community and council. Matching zoning to long term consensus-based plans reduces scarcity and allows incentivizes OCP compliant housing to be built quickly.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - HFL-06 0 / 6
Beyond the three to four units Bill 44 already requires, what is the most housing you think should be legal to build by-right (i.e. without rezoning) in traditional single-family areas of your municipality?
How this question is graded
a) 0 points b) 1 points c) 2 points d) 5 points e) 6 points. With little room for new single family developments, housing abundance relies on density. People unable to afford a single family house should not be relegated to living only on busy arterials where high density is legal, but should have a diversity of housing options in every neighbourhood.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 6 options - HFL-07 0 / 3
A housing proposal has been reviewed by staff and they recommend approval. It requires rezoning because the existing zoning has not been updated. If it faces substantial neighbourhood opposition, how would you generally vote?
How this question is graded
3 points for a), 0 otherwise. Housing approval rules must be predictable and clear for those building housing, or it will lead to scarcity. If municipal planning staff have adequately considered objections to a project and still recommend approval it should be approved. If unanticipated issues are raised, policies should be clarified to ensure staff can work with applicants on future projects.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - HFL-08 0 / 2
Do you support eliminating minimum parking requirements for new developments or suites?
How this question is graded
1 point for yes, 2 points for yes with transportation demand management measures, 0 points for no. A single additional parking space can add tens of thousands to the cost of a home. However, a development without parking and without offsetting remedies can impact livability for the eventual occupants of a home.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 4 options - HFL-09 -1 / 6
Non-market housing often faces additional challenges getting approved. Which of the following measures do you support to improve the prospects for below-market housing construction? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point for each option, but -1 for choosing mandated requirements (d). Building homes is hard, building non-market homes is substantially harder. This has serious socio-economic consequences for certain members of society. With the exception of mandated requirements (or inclusionary zoning), which have a track record of acting like a tax and therefore a deterrent to new construction, a broad and flexible approach is needed to help non-market housing across the approval finish line.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 9 options (up to 7 allowed) - HFL-10 1 / 7
If elected, what do you hope to have accomplished on the housing file at the end of your first year, and end of your four-year term?
How this question is graded
To receive full marks, candidates receive a point up to 7 for referencing impactful housing ideas in their answer including but not limited to: a rental vacancy rate target, a quantitative target regarding annual homes built, pre-zoning commitments / OCP alignment, non-profit by right commitment, commitment to tenant production aligned with platform, commitment to regulate and enforce Airbnb rules, delegate more rezoning / variance decisions to staff, a continuation of policies that have been working, developing a pre-approved catalog of housing designs, loosening design guidelines or other restrictive regulations, minimizing tenant displacement, increasing the regional housing fund, enhancing partnerships with other levels of government, the private sector, co-ops, and non-profit housing developers, streamlining regulations, and shorten requirements.
Ellen Frisch's answerFull time residence in RVs and Tiny Homes has become rampant, and landowners are turning toward offering RV rental pads as an opportunity to supplement their own income. Often septic systems do not exist or are plumbed into the house system (a VIHA violation) and the environment, and neighbours subjected to the pollution, disruption of peaceful enjoyment suffer.
Affordable housing envisioned in these policies still remain out of reach and not "affordable". As long as landowners feel they can rent out RV spaces without bylaw enforcement there will be a continued flow to full time RV living just over the borders in Metchosin and Sooke.
The options provided in the question HFL 9 do not exist in Metchosin as the Provincial mandate for multi-unit housing does not apply. Consequently there is no zone for multifamily development in Metchosin.
Change the BC Building Code to provide direction for Tiny Homes on Wheels, allowing municipalities to make bylaws for their use. This Change to the BC Building Code has languished for over a year, and this is a key option for tenants and landowners to provide safe (non RV) housing and have the siting and waste management be regulated by bylaw.
Otherwise, Metchosin has already made significant headway on the issues, as they relate to 'bricks and mortar".
I worked on a community led Housing Initiatives Collaborative from 2024 to date with a primary focus on updating and modernizing Metchosin's Housing Bylaws, resulting in significant changes; Allowing Carriage Homes, enlarging detached secondary suites to 90m2, enlarging square footage of in-home secondary suites, and allowing the consideration of a multiunit Abbyfield Seniors housing. I would like too see an Abbeyfield model senior housing project come to fruition. I would
Climate
C- 8% of this topic CLI-01 F
Would you support ending fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship on property, media and events controlled by your municipality, to the extent the law allows? And would you advocate for the same at the Victoria Regional Transit Commission for BC Transit vehicles and shelters?
Why this grade: Gave no answer on ending fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship, and nothing in the written climate comments accounts for it. An unexplained pass is graded as a refusal.
How this question is graded
Two commitments in one question, so the menu answer alone cannot reach the top. The menu sets a base and a Yes on the follow-up about advocating at the Victoria Regional Transit Commission raises it one step. Yes, both advertising and sponsorship = B, and A with the follow-up. Yes, advertising only or Yes, sponsorship only = C, and B with the follow-up. No = F, because ending the advertising is something the municipality controls outright. A follow-up written as free text rather than ticked is a judgement about the candidate and is graded by hand. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 6 options - 8% of this topic CLI-02 C-
The Capital Regional District declared a climate emergency in 2019. How should your municipality treat climate action in its next four-year plan?
Why this grade: Would act on climate where money permits. That is a preference rather than a plan.
How this question is graded
The overriding priority, other decisions should be tested against it = A. One of the top three priorities, with a dedicated budget = B. One priority among many, addressed where affordable = C-. Not a municipal priority = F. The ladder skips C on purpose: a dedicated budget is the line between a priority and a sentiment, so addressing climate only where affordable drops two steps rather than one. Handing the file to another order of government is F. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-03 F
Will you pledge to never take meetings from fossil fuel company lobbyists?
Why this grade: Gave no answer on whether the meetings would be refused, and nothing written elsewhere on climate explains the silence. An unexplained pass on a question about access is graded as a no.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = C-. The No is C- rather than F because of the split the grading settled on: a plain No is C- where the question is about governance or conduct and F where it is about infrastructure, land use or funding. This one asks a candidate to give up a channel of access to themselves, which is conduct. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-04 F
Climate-related damage and adaptation costs increasingly fall on municipal budgets. Would you vote to have your municipality join other BC local governments in legal action to recover a share of those costs from major fossil fuel producers?
Why this grade: Would not vote to join the legal action. Ruling out recovery leaves the cost of climate damage with local property taxpayers.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, if municipal costs are capped = B, because a conditional yes is B wherever one appears and a cap on municipal exposure lands there. No = F, because the question is about spending to recover costs, which is the funding side of the split CLI-03 sits on the other side of. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-05 A
Will you support a zoning bylaw amendment that prohibits the approval of any new or expanded commercial gas stations within municipal boundaries?
Why this grade: Would vote for the bylaw amendment. New and expanded gas stations would stop being approvable, which is the concrete step asked for.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. A land use question, so a No is F rather than C-. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-06 C-
Extreme heat, wildfire smoke and wildfire risk all affect people living in existing homes. What would you have your municipality do to protect them? Select all you support.
Why this grade: A public information campaign and nothing more. Telling people about the risk does not help anyone who cannot afford to cool their home.
How this question is graded
Up to five measures may be ticked. Four or more ticks including at least two of the three the municipality has to pay for (subsidized home assessments, grants or financing for retrofits, designated centres with guaranteed opening hours) = A. Three or more ticks = B. Two = C. One = C-. None of the above = F. The funding floor is there because a straight count of ticks would let a candidate reach the top on the two cheapest options, a vegetation bylaw and an information campaign, while committing no money to anyone actually living in an overheating home. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 7 options (up to 5 allowed) - 8% of this topic CLI-07 A
Are you supportive of phasing out fossil fuel powered tools such as leaf blowers (following the lead of Oak Bay and other municipalities across the country)?
Why this grade: Yes to a phase out of gas powered equipment. The commitment is to the rule, not to encouragement.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. A regulatory phase-out, graded on the same footing as CLI-05. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-08 A
Large data centres can add substantial electricity and water demand. Under what conditions, if any, would you support a new data centre in your municipality?
Why this grade: Would not permit any new data centre. That removes the electricity and water demand from the table rather than trying to manage it.
How this question is graded
Oppose all new data centres = A. Support only with waste-heat recovery and no net increase in potable water use = B. Support only under conditions set case by case = C. Support without special conditions = F. The two conditional options are separated by whether the condition binds. Waste-heat recovery and no net potable water increase is a testable commitment, so it takes the conditional-yes B. Conditions set case by case name nothing and commit to nothing, so it takes the C that a depends-case-by-case answer gets everywhere else. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-09 A
What are the primary climate risk(s) facing your community, and what actions would you take to support adaptation and resilience in your community?
Why this grade: Clearly identifies several risks and provides actionable strategies to mitigate them at the local level.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names a climate risk specific to the municipality and specific actions against it, usually tied to data or a programme already running. B = one half only, a risk with no action or actions with no risk named, or backing an existing plan without either. C = general support with nothing local in it, a list of risks and nothing else, or the work handed to the region. C- = a risk gestured at and nothing more. F = an answer that is not about climate.
Ellen Frisch's answer1. Rising sea levels are impacting beaches and erosion at key high bank bluff areas and municipal infrastructure accessing multiple beach points, damaged from high water.
Action: Reintroduce coastal beach native plants. Introduce armouring where necessary around infrastructure bases (e.g. at the base of staircases). Raise awareness about steep bank safety (for affected property owners).
2. Atmospheric rivers and water volumes overwhelming roadside ditches, and key watercourses where upstream development (e.g. Centre Mountain) has reduced the soil moisture retention capacity and vegetation has been been removed, sending greater volumes into nearby stream systems and potentially causing property and infrastructure damage.
Action: Create an integrated service plan between existing Operational and Emergency Response plans with the general "Climate Adaptation" Plan. Begin thinking of them for efficiency and ensure different Operational groups are communicating their respective priorities for potentially the same 'zone' so gain efficiency and save $.
3. Loss of forest cover due to drought, disease and pathogens that prosper under the changing weather condition; the gradual loss of Western Cedar (water table) region, Douglas Firs (disease), fungal issues with Garry Oaks.
Action: Raise awareness and work with MEASC and other groups to 'future proof' our lands and forests with species expected to be the most resilient in the next 50 years. Highlight the importance of dealing with invasive species to make way for native plants and preserve biodiversity. Make arrangement with local native plant business to provide tree plugs for group planting events.
4. Wildlife Impacts: Later denning seasons for bears making them more prevalent and hungry later into the winter months. Spread of invasive wildlife such as the European Wall Lizard which has become prolific and impacting other small wildlife.
Action: Raise awareness; Bear Aware programs. - 8% of this topic CLI-10 B
Ensuring ecosystem connectivity is an important adaptation strategy for climate change. How do you plan to maintain or increase ecosystem features across the urban landscape?
Why this grade: Identifies ecosystem connectivity as a current strength of the community, but doesn't provide specifics about evaluating land development proposals.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = says what connectivity is and why it matters, with local examples, usually tied to data, a programme already running or the official community plan. B = practical examples with no local detail, or no link back to connectivity. C = general support with no project named, or an answer broad enough to fit any question. C- = agrees with the idea and offers nothing to do about it, or answers about something tangential. F is not used.
Ellen Frisch's answerMetchosin has no urban landscape. As I write this our community bears has roamed freely in its weekly circle visiting orchards and through our property. Metchosin has pledged to protect lands which come into its jurisdiction as Park, such as the recently acquired Buffer Lands associated with the Centre Mountain development.
Should other land development proposals come forward an evaluation of the ecosystem and land features and opportunities for protection of wildlife corridors (for example) along with potential trails (current policy) would need to be developed. Not every green space needs a trail. - 8% of this topic CLI-11 A
Do you see development as an opportunity to increase resilience to climate-related events, and if so, how?
Why this grade: Outlines a clear vision and strategy for supporting resilience through development.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = yes, with how and why, naming strategies or a local policy that ties development to resilience. B = yes with relevant examples but no account of how they build resilience or how they get built. C = general support and nothing past what the building code already requires. C- = a bare yes, or support that doubts it is possible. F = does not accept that development can make a community more resilient.
Ellen Frisch's answerDevelopment should:
1. Consider clustering homes to allow for greater retention of green space and reduction of hard surfaces (creating more storm water run off in high water events and more heat sink in the summer).
2. Take into account wildfire potential (reduce it based on type of structure, fire resistance features, location) Require landscape to manage for potential of fire, reduced water availability and management of large storm fall events.
3. Landscape design should focus on native plantings/Xeriscaping; No longer utilize boulevard and mass traditional lawn plantings requiring watering, mowing etc. Incorporate the use of shade trees in public spaces and at key locations in proximity of homes where shade will mitigate heat transfer to the home.
4. Consider integration of groundwater management in-situ through swales and active re-infiltration rather than piped away in all instances.
5. Raise awareness around modern home construction methodologies and use of siting and windows to manage heat exposure, generate passive heat during desired seasons and principles allowing natural air exchange and cooling, reducing costs/energy associated with heating and cooling and dealing more effectively with heat affects - 8% of this topic CLI-12 A
The UBCM passed several resolutions saying municipalities should be able to have climate action lens and climate considerations in development and housing mandates. Do you support blue-green infrastructure upgrades as a requirement of developments for climate readiness?
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. Graded by RUSH from 2026-09-01; the mapping is recorded so the remaining rows match the ones already typed. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded CLI-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to climate concerns with respect to your municipality or the region as a whole, feel free to share your thoughts below.
Metchosin has very few building starts, very few opportunities for change other than through its own practices and encouraging community members to get informed and make adaptations to their homes and transportation. Metchosin relies heavily on its forests being considered carbon sequestration for the greater region.
Arts
B- 6.67% of this topic ART-01 3 / 3
Do you consider arts and culture to be a core part of your municipality's economic development strategy?
Why this score: Clearly identifies arts and culture as central to Metchosin's identity and proposes concrete municipal action around the Metchosin School and Village Core, but does not directly establish an economic-development strategy.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 4 optionsFollow-up: Metchosin does not have an economic development strategy. However, Arts and Culture is a CORE part of what Metchosin is as evidenced by the prominent location of our Metchosin Arts and Culture Centre in the heart of our village core and the many services and artists who offer services from within the facility.
The City currently offers no-cost lease to the MAACA tenant and a grant in lieu for property tax. However, there are opportunities to expand the services offered by the creative use of additional space sought by specialty artisans.
The Municipality needs to:
1. Promptly, effectively and actively engage with interested parties to explore tenancy options that are mutually beneficial and preserve the long-term value of the Metchosin School.
2.. Establish appropriate facility management processes which provide certainty of service for tenants and security.
3. Work collaboratively to further enhance the Village Core with the School at its centre. - 16.67% of this topic ART-02 2 / 3
If elected, what specific action will you commit to in your first year to strengthen your municipality's arts and cultural sector, and what measurable outcome should residents expect by the end of your four-year term?
Why this score: Identifies increased lease opportunities and support for travelling shows, but the first-year commitment is conditional and no measurable four-year outcome is specified.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch's answerShould this become a portfolio for which I'm responsible; increase lease opportunities for regionally unique and innovative tenants. Support more travelling shows. - 13.33% of this topic ART-03 3 / 3
Cultural strategies are often adopted and then not implemented. Would you support a cultural space implementation framework with defined tools, timelines and public reporting? Select up to three components you would prioritize. Select your top three options.
Why this score: Supports measurable implementation targets, timelines, public reporting and a municipal cultural-space strategy, providing a strong implementation framework.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 3 of 11 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-04 3 / 3
Arts organizations and event producers identify permitting, zoning and regulatory requirements as barriers to cultural activity. What would you commit to? Select all that apply.
Why this score: Supports service standards, published criteria, a dedicated permitting review, simplified event requirements and interdepartmental coordination, constituting a comprehensive regulatory improvement approach.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 5 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - 16.67% of this topic ART-05 3 / 3
If preserving and securing long-term cultural space requires additional municipal support, which approaches would you support? Select up to five.
Why this score: Supports long-term municipal leases, leveraging municipal funding, a dedicated cultural-infrastructure levy and directing development contributions toward cultural infrastructure.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 4 of 16 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-06 3 / 3
Municipal budgets require difficult choices. Would you support maintaining arts and culture investment alongside other core municipal services?
Why this score: Explicitly supports maintaining or growing arts and culture investment alongside other core municipal services.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-07 3 / 3
When a major development project affects an existing cultural space, what should your municipality prioritize?
Why this score: Supports preserving existing cultural space where feasible, providing a meaningful protection commitment but without requiring replacement or equivalent community benefit.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 16.67% of this topic ART-08 2 / 3
Would you support municipal incentives to encourage private property owners and developers to provide affordable community & cultural space for nonprofits? Select all that apply.
Why this score: Supports fee reductions and requiring or incentivizing cultural space in major developments, providing some meaningful-moderate policy mechanisms.
How this question is graded
Ellen Frisch chose 2 of 7 options (up to 5 allowed)
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded ART-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to the arts in your municipality or the region as a whole, feel free to share your thoughts below.
Metchosin has a dedicated Arts and Culture facility which provides discounted rates for non-profits. There is only one property and the issue is exclusively with the requirement to deal with the ALC for a Non Farm Use permit despite it being in the Village Core. Many of the options above are already happening (e.g. redirect resources to cover costs for arts and cultural centre).
Rolling & cycling
C- 15% of this topic ROL-01 F
Will you commit to funding and completing at least one 'missing link' in your municipality's Active Transportation Plan during your four-year term? If yes, which one would you prioritize?
Why this grade: Will not commit to funding and completing a missing link during the term. The answers elsewhere describe an annual reassessment with no standing project list, yet roadside trail work is funded each year and no part of it is committed to here.
How this question is graded
Yes + Project surfaced = A; Yes + No specific project in mind, or vague project = B; Combination of No and/or a lack of project ideas = C-F, depending on severity.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 4 options - 15% of this topic ROL-02 F
Will you commit (or continue to commit) to physical protection (not paint alone) as the standard for all new and upgraded cycling infrastructure on busy streets in your municipality?
Why this grade: Rejects physical protection as the standard for new and upgraded cycling infrastructure on busy streets. The reasoning given elsewhere is that narrow rural roads with deep ditches make lanes impractical, which is an argument about where to build rather than a reason to drop the standard where building does happen.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, except where physically impossible = B. No = F. Except where physically impossible is a condition that can be checked against a street, so it takes the conditional-yes B, and that is where the 19 rows graded before this rubric existed put it. A No is F because the question sets a construction standard, which is infrastructure. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 15% of this topic ROL-03 C
Will you oppose efforts (current and future) to remove, narrow or downgrade existing protected bike lanes and other all-ages-and-abilities (AAA) cycling infrastructure in your municipality during your term?
Why this grade: Marks the question not applicable rather than committing to oppose removal, narrowing or downgrading of protected cycling infrastructure. Metchosin has little such infrastructure today, but the commitment is about how a council would vote and could have been given either way.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Depends, case-by-case = C. No = F. Depends case by case names no test and commits to nothing, which is the C it gets on CLI-08 and TRN-02; 13 of the 14 rows graded before this rubric existed agree. A No is F because the question is about keeping built infrastructure in place. An answer of N/A is a claim that the question does not apply to that municipality, which is a judgement about a candidate and is passed in by hand, like an excused decline. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic ROL-04 C
What is the most important active transportation project in the municipality that you will be focused on progressing? Please provide your reasoning.
Why this grade: Points to roadside trails built where the cost fits the year's budget, delivered partly by volunteers, with walking and cycling safety near schools as the standing priority. The answer states there is no project list and no dedicated resources, so there is nothing here that progress could be measured against.
How this question is graded
A = Candidate is able to identify a project in their community and speak to its importance. B & C = Candidate has a general idea of something that can be improved but it isn't high on their priority list. F = Candidate does not think any improvements can/should be made.
Ellen Frisch's answerRoadside trails in appropriate locations, where the construction cost is within the allocated budget for that year are a priority. There is not a single list of pending projects at this time as they are revisited annually and assessed by priority. Construction is split between staff time/consulting budget and volunteer construction. There is not a significant set of resources dedicated to this, except to promote roadside walking safety. In a rural community there is a strong support to not have bike lanes, since the roads are narrow, they are bounded by deep ditches, there are far fewer bikes compared to urban areas. Opinion is with a single budget source, residents would prefer that potholes be repaired and traffic calming measures be installed. Focusing on rolling/walking safely in proximity of schools to promote walking/cycling to school has been a priority. - 35% of this topic ROL-05 A
If you have previously served in local government, what did you do to advance walking, rolling, cycling or transit? If you have not, what in your record outside of council shows the same commitment?
Why this grade: Volunteered on the parks and trails committee to build the roadside trail linking the neighbourhood to the village core, and supplied the timber for the bridge over Latonia Creek. Walking and rolling infrastructure actually built, alongside continued work on widening trails and keeping them clear of parking.
How this question is graded
Free text, graded by a person on what the record shows about advancing walking, rolling, cycling or transit. A = delivered work, meaning budgets moved, plans adopted, infrastructure built, or a sustained organisational role with results behind it. B = substantial relevant advocacy or a directly relevant role, with less account of what it produced. C = a record from a different office, or advocacy confined to one location or issue, or no previous term with nothing offered in its place. C- = personal experience or unrelated work with no advocacy behind it. F = nothing relevant offered, or a record that closed the question rather than advancing it. The bands come from the 79 rows graded before 2026-09-20. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch's answerI volunteered with our Parks and Trails committee to help build the roadside trail connecting our neighbourhood with the Village Core and we contributed the timber utilized to construct the bridge over Latonia Creek for Metchosin Parks and Trails Committee.
I support roadside trail safety, widening the gravel trails effectively and protecting them from public parking during high traffic events.
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded ROL-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to the rolling and cycling in your municipality or the region as a whole, feel free to share your thoughts below.
When I lived in Saanich 30 years ago, I cycled regularly to work downtown. Im familiar with the navigating traffic and transitions on/off the Goose. Since we moved to Metchosin local cycling stopped for speed and narrow road conditions. Gordie Lunn bike park in Langford is a very popular mountain bike park for Metchosites as a 'drive to and cycle' location.
Walking
C-- 10% of this topic WLK-01 C-
Municipalities, the CRD and the Province have all adopted targets to shift trips away from driving. Do you support meeting your municipality's adopted mode-shift targets, and would you vote for the necessary street-space and budgetary changes?
Why this grade: Does not support multimodal planning or TDM.
How this question is graded
A = yes, even if it means removing driving lanes. C = yes, but not when it takes road space from drivers. F = no. Two steps between the two yeses because the adopted targets cannot be met without reallocating street space. Unsure and Decline to answer are both C- on this tab.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic WLK-02 B
Which pedestrian safety problem in your municipality concerns you most, and what is the one change you would commit to in your first term to make walking safer and more attractive than driving for short trips?
Why this grade: Names roadside walking on narrow high speed stretches with blind corners, and explains why quick fixes are hard where roads are bounded by ditches, fences and rock. The commitment is to review the existing priority list and the budget before deciding, rather than to a change.
How this question is graded
Free text, graded by a person against the two things the question asks for: a named local problem, and one change committed to in a first term. A = both, with the change specific enough to be delivered and usually tied to funding, a named corridor or an existing plan. B = the problem is named and the response is concrete but soft, narrow, or a review rather than a change. C = a problem is named and nothing is committed to, or the framing of the question is declined. C- = no local problem is settled on, or the answer is a general gesture. F = nothing responsive is offered. The bands come from the 31 rows graded before 2026-09-20 and were applied to the remaining 51 on that date. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch's answerRoadside walking trails on one side of the road, in narrow, high speed locations where a person must walk "with" the traffic and there are blind corners. Metchosin's roads are bounded by ditches, agricultural fences, and rock escarpments making 'quick fixes' difficult and expensive, which Metchosin does not have adequate budget for. I will review the existing list of priorities, which is not a public document, determine the proposed budget, timing and rationale and make a decision from there. I am proposing that the process of reviewing budgets and planning for all capital projects be understood as a whole and priorities may be identified. - 10% of this topic WLK-03 F
Sidewalk construction and maintenance is chronically underfunded across the region. Would you vote to increase the share of your municipality's transportation capital budget dedicated to pedestrian infrastructure?
Why this grade: Would not increase capital spending on pedestrian infrastructure. The question is about funding, where a refusal carries the full weight of a failing grade.
How this question is graded
Yes, a substantial increase, meaning more than double what is currently spent = A. Yes, a modest increase, meaning more but less than double = B, because that is a real commitment with a ceiling on it. No, the current amount is sufficient = F, because the question is about money for infrastructure, which is the funding side of the split. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic WLK-04 F
Do you support expanding pedestrian-priority and car-free streets in your municipality's downtown, main street or village centre?
Why this grade: Answered not applicable rather than taking a position on pedestrian priority and car free streets. Metchosin has a village centre at the crossroads, with the municipal hall, the school and the store, so the question does apply.
How this question is graded
Yes, and I would pursue a permanent expansion or implementation = A. Yes, but only temporary, seasonal or pilot closures = B, because it is a yes with a stated limit on it. No = F, because the question is about street space, which is infrastructure. An answer of N/A is not on this list: it is a claim that the municipality has no downtown, main street or village centre, which is a judgement about a candidate and is passed in by hand. It has been left blank where that is true of the municipality and graded F everywhere the question plainly does apply. Unsure was typed C on two rows before 2026-09-13 and those rows were reset to blank on 2026-09-20, so the question now follows the shared policy. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 6 options - 20% of this topic WLK-05 C
How will you work with parent groups, school staff, and municipal staff to assure that children’s safety is prioritized over convenience and flow of motor traffic?
Why this grade: You say children's access is a priority in the trails planning process and note that one of the two schools has had new paving and a bike lane upgrade in the last two years. Past work at one school is not a commitment for the coming term, and the answer does not describe meeting parents or school staff to learn what still worries them.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names parents, school staff and municipal staff and attaches something concrete: an audit, measures, funding, timelines, or work delivered. B = one half only, consultation without measures or measures without consultation. C = points at an existing programme as enough. C- = vague, deflects, or denies the problem. Blank only where Walk On cannot judge local conditions. F is not used.
Ellen Frisch's answerYes, school children access is a priority in the trails planning process. Metchosin has two schools and Hans Helgeson Elementary already has had new paving and a bike lane upgrade in the last two years. - 20% of this topic WLK-06 C-
What will you do, in a 4 year term, to identify, prioritize and set time-lines to assure that pedestrian infrastructure is improved to meet the needs of the older and disabled members of your community?
Why this grade: You describe the village core as blacktop, well kept and recently marked with a new crosswalk, and conclude that Metchosin has no other pedestrian infrastructure the question applies to. A community without sidewalks still has older and disabled residents walking its roadsides, and deciding the question does not apply forecloses the identifying, prioritizing and scheduling it asks for.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names what to fix and the order it gets fixed in: an audit, named priorities, consultation with older and disabled residents, a timeline inside the term. B = real improvements with no process behind them, or continuing existing work. C = states the need and defers it, or one fix with no plan. C- = a problem with no action, or an answer about something else. Blank only where Walk On cannot judge local conditions. F is not used.
Ellen Frisch's answerMetchosin has no paved sidewalks. The Village Core is the primary location of active senior / disabled person walking. The Village Core is blacktop, well maintained, strong road painting. The most active "walking" path may be crossing Happy Valley Road between the Arts Centre and the commercial services (coffee shop, bakery and restaurant). A new crosswalk was painted in this vicinity in 2025. Generally there is no other pedestrian infrastructure in Metchosin that aligns with this question.
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded WLK-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to walking or pedestrian activity in your municipality, feel free to share your thoughts below.
Most pedestrians walk for recreation or for short visits to a Park a Trail or the Village Core. Trails used are road side gravel, and rely on periodic maintenance for clearing and gravel deposit. Mostly volunteers maintain trails through the Parks and Trails Committee and there is a dedicated budget for contracted equipment work and gravel delivery, so services are very limited, but are satisfactory given our rural location.
Governance
C- 17% of this topic GOV-01 C
Do you support expanding shared or regional delivery of municipal services in the Capital Region?
How this question is graded
Yes/Partly = A, Unsure = C, No = F.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 17% of this topic GOV-02 —
Do you support creating a regional service that designs, builds and maintains local municipal infrastructure shared across Capital Region municipalities?
Why this grade: Has not decided whether a regional service should design, build and maintain shared local infrastructure. An unsure states no position, so the row is left out of the grade.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, only if full cost recovery is guaranteed for my municipality = B. No = C-. Full cost recovery is a named, checkable condition on a yes, so it takes the conditional-yes B. A No is C- rather than F because the question is about how services are organised and who runs them, which is the governance side of the split CLI-03 sits on the other side of. Unsure was typed C on three rows before 2026-09-13 and those rows were reset to blank on 2026-09-20, so the question now follows the shared policy. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 5 options - 17% of this topic GOV-03 B
If elected, what three steps would you take to put your region or municipality on a firmer financial footing?
How this question is graded
“Real financial resilience comes from increasing the productivity of land that's already served by infrastructure: letting neighborhoods incrementally thicken, encouraging redevelopment where roads and pipes already exist, building more value per acre instead of more acres that need public maintenance.” The Strong Towns approach thinks about revenue vs liabilities and the cost of replacing infrastructure as a key driver of municipal financial success. Next-increment intensification or better allows improved use of pipes, roads, and wires, increasing the economic base for the city while lowering vacancies (examples, strongtowns.org , archive.strongtowns.org ). No credit was given for/against for either a) sharing costs with neighbouring governments or b) asking for money from higher levels of government, both of which may have additional merit beyond the boundaries of the muncipality. A-level (excellent) answer: 1. a comment about density being linked to financial wellbeing (revenue side), 2. a comment about efficient use of that revenue (expenses side), 3. thinking about infrastructure liabilities and how to pay for them given the intergenerational problems. B-level (good) answer considers some of these principles, but likely doesn't consider both revenue and expenses. C-level (mixed) - may have other ideas about arbitrary efficiencies and doesn't provide a mechanism for doing the work they propose (e.g. "fill up the reserve fund" -- with what money?). F - working in the opposite direction of resilience (e.g. arbitrary property tax increase caps), or doesn't answer the question (e.g. "my municipality is on firm financial footing").
Ellen Frisch's answer1. Develop a consolidated financial management plan across all portfolios managing assets; including maintenance and renewal planning.
2. Integrate a unified Operational Budget with specific deliverables tied to each operational portfolio (Parks, Public Works, Administration, Planning, Fire/Emergency), with results delivered annually on actions planned/completed, not completed, money shifted, cost over runs and rationale.
3. Complete a full best-practices analysis of recreational facility management with other municipalities and SD 62 to identify effective and efficient means of booking, charging and managing Metchosin's School Asset; both the interior spaces and outdoor field/yard.
4. Evaluate all expenses; and outline grant or cost recovery options in each Portfolio. - 17% of this topic GOV-04 F
Do you commit to eliminating mandatory parking minimums for all land uses in your municipality by 2030?
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No/Decline = F. Parking minimums are pseudoscience that should be eliminated from city codes everywhere, and have been eliminated in Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Ottawa, and others across North America without any negative consequences (archive.strongtowns.org )
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 17% of this topic REC-01 A
Do you support ensuring that local First Nations are represented in transit governance, such as on the Victoria Regional Transit Commission and the CRD Transportation Commission?
Why this grade: Yes to First Nations representation on the transit commission and the regional district. No condition is attached.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. No = C-, on the same reasoning as GOV-02 and TRN-04: the question is about who sits at the table, not about what gets built or funded. No candidate has answered No, so that letter is a rule rather than a record of how anyone was graded. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 3 options - 17% of this topic REC-02 B
Concerning our municipal government’s First Nations’ reconciliation and consultation practices, I support:
Why this grade: Moderate support for reconciliation
How this question is graded
A = significantly more consultation practices. B = somewhat more. C = the current amount is enough. Written answers take the same ladder: A commits to partnership with local First Nations, B wants better consultation without committing to a change, C questions whether more is wanted. Nothing here has been graded C- or F.
Ellen Frisch chose 1 of 7 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded GOV-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to governance, shared services, and municipal infrastructure, feel free to share your thoughts below.
1. CRD Shared Services: Metchosin's slow population growth to just over 5000 has been outpaced by neighbouring communities with double digit increases. Metchosin's regional service needs/infrastructure has not changed. Additional contributions resulting from growth in neighbouring communities can not be supported by Metchosin's limited tax base. Metchosin's tax revenue is derived from about 92% residential property tax payers, of which 6.43% are ALR with farm status and pay only .43% of Metchosin's tax. The tax base can not increase payments to 'shared' services, unless it is tied directly to proportional population and further recalculated with housing starts in neighbouring communities.
2. Mandatory Parking: Metchosin is a car dependent rural community. While Metchosin is a popular cycling destination and there is some cycle commuting, a vehicle is still mandatory. The question generally does not apply since avast majority of Metchosin's properties are larger than 1 ac. - Not graded REC-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to First Nation transit governance or consultation practices, feel free to share your thoughts below.
I support reconciliation initiatives and meaningful consultation with indigenous communities to understand their transit needs. The Scianew Nation, a neighbour of Metchosin should be directly engaged to learn if there are any unique needs associated with their own community service provision and planning. We must recognize that Indigenous Governments are responsible for a many more governance functions for their members, than municipalities are, so direct, early and thorough consultation with the opportunity to inform the planning is important.
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