Comox Valley candidates on supportive housing, second-stage housing and warming centres

Leading up to the 2026 municipal election in the Comox Valley, The Discourse surveyed readers to learn what they wanted to know from candidates running for council and mayor.

The top issues that readers said are on their mind are: environment, reconciliation and housing.

Based on your feedback, we sent five reader questions to candidates for Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland and asked them to respond with a maximum of three sentences. Many readers also wanted to know more about candidate track records and values, not just talking points, with some folks submitting questions to help indicate how much candidates actually know about their municipal roles and responsibilities.

Responses are listed with mayoral candidates first, followed by council candidates, each in alphabetical order by last name, and have been lightly edited for length, clarity and fact-checking.

Q. How would you support adding supportive housing beds, second stage housing and warming centres in the Valley?

City of Courtenay

Trish McPhail (Mayor)

Trish McPhail did not respond by the deadline.

“Leverage city-owned land, supportive/non-market housing partnerships, and shelter capacity to address people who use substances and mental health challenges humanely and effectively” (Trish McPhail campaign website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Manno Theos (Mayor)

Manno Theos did not respond by the deadline.

“Advocate the Provincial government to add more Mental health psychiatric beds and preventive services and Accessible addiction recovery and detox beds. Offer incentives for healing and regaining meaning and purpose in life.” (Comox Valley Record mayoral candidate Q&A, Oct. 3)

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Bob Wells (Mayor), incumbent

I ran in 2015 with a priority on non market housing in Courtenay.  At the CVRD I worked to get the Homelessness Support Service created and funded which has helped local organizations like Dawn to Dawn, Habitat for Humanity and Transition Society create more non market housing.  Since becoming mayor several non-market housing projects have been completed including the Connect Warming Centre, Junction, Braidwood, Darry’s Place, Mission Ridge and the Lodge. 

Editor’s Note: Wells was first elected to Courtenay council in the November 2014 municipal election, not 2015. The new supportive housing and shelter at 925/933 Braidwood Rd. began construction in July 2026 and is expected to open in 2028, according to the province.

Phil Adams

Phil Adams did not respond by the deadline.

“… support practical solutions to homelessness and public disorder” (Comox Valley Record, Sept. 8)

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Vasil Beaton

I support expanding supportive housing, second-stage housing and warming centres because people need somewhere safe to go, and our community needs practical solutions but I also believe these services need to be properly planned, funded and supported. The City should work with the Province, BC Housing, Island Health, non-profit organizations, First Nations and other partners to identify appropriate locations and secure sustainable funding. Supportive housing also needs the services that go with it—mental-health and addiction supports, health services, case management and pathways toward greater independence.

Guan-Carlo (Benny) Benvenuti

Guan-Carlo (Benny) Benvenuti did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Rosanna Chamberlin

Rosanna Chamberlin did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Dick Clancy

Dick Clancy did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

John Dacombe

I will vote to remove the Downtown Revitalization Tax Exemption from for-profit developments, so that it only applies to non-market housing – including supportive and second-stage housing – because every tax exemption means a higher tax burden for other taxpayers, and with the current program Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) are eligible.

The City also needs stronger advocacy to higher levels of government for improved provincial mental health, addiction, and housing supports, including treatment beds right here in the CV – but with effective management and strong enforcement of rules.

Erik Eriksson

Erik Eriksson did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

David Frisch, incumbent

David Frisch did not respond by the deadline.

“David has supported community outreach, like the warming centre, and chairs the Junction Community Advisory Committee.” (David Frisch campaign website, Sept. 21, 2022)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Evan Jolicoeur, incumbent

After a long battle with the province to secure housing – Braidwood is opening – a 72 bed supportive housing independent living with supports, 70 (+30) purpose built shelter with medical clinic, cafeteria and program spaces. Our role now is to support mitigating impacts in surrounding neighbourhoods while fighting for what we still don’t have – medical detox, treatment and more second stage & complex care housing.

Editor’s Note The Braidwood Road project will have 70 supportive housing units and a 73-bed shelter, with room for up to 30 more people in extreme weather.

Jessie Lightburn

Jessie Lightburn did not respond by the deadline.

“I will champion compassionate, proven models — including exploring supported sober-housing approaches used elsewhere in BC — so that people get the help they need and our neighbourhoods stay safe and vibrant.” (Jessie Lightburn campaign strategy page)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Jin Lin

Jin Lin did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Kelly Matthews

Kelly Matthews did not respond by the deadline.

“Housing & Homelessness: Pursue creative, long-term housing solutions that support all residents while easing the operational and safety burdens on downtown business owners.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Thomas McDevitt

Thomas McDevitt did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Dave Mellin

Dave Mellin did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Wendy Morin, incumbent

I will continue to support (with grants, project approvals and funds from our Affordable Housing Fund) our social housing providers such as the Transition Society, Dawn to Dawn, Habitat, Wachiay and the Comox Valley Affordable Housing Society; assure the organizational structure is in place to continue providing winter shelter spaces, as per the shelter provided by the City in recent years support the Braidwood Project (supportive housing and purpose-built shelter) and maintain the City’s lobbying efforts with provincial government Ministries responsible for Health and Housing to create more supportive housing, and in particular, recovery-based/sober living units and units for low-income seniors.

Kitty Pitt

Kitty Pitt did not respond by the deadline.

“I disagreed with council’s use of the Alternative Approval Process to reallocate the Braidwood property to a homeless shelter without a full public vote. To be clear, this isn’t opposition to addressing homelessness, it’s about process.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Davina Singh

Davina Singh did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Kam Singhania

Kam Singhania did not respond by the deadline.

See their Facebook page.

Darin Tufts

Darin Tufts did not respond by the deadline.“Mental health & homelessness created a serious impact on our down town core. Creating a positive Avenue for people who wish to be better for themselves and our community.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

See their Facebook page.

Town of Comox

Nicole Minions (Mayor, acclaimed)

Nicole Minions did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Steve Blacklock, incumbent

Steve Blacklock did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Lisa Bourgeois

Lisa Bourgeois did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Vivian Chislett

Vivian Chislett did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Ken Grant, incumbent

Ken Grant did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Chris Haslett, incumbent

Chris Haslett did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Jonathan Kerr, incumbent

I would propose that the Town of Comox join the regional homelessness support service because we can do more together regionally than we can by ourselves. Individuals in our community affected by precarious housing situations deserve their Council to stand up for them and contribute to the solution. I would also look for ways to support local non-profits, such as the Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness Society and the Comox Valley Transition Society, who are already doing amazing work in our community.

Neil Ladell

These are complex issues that I believe require Comox Council to pool resources and be a collaborator with local governments across the region and the non-profit societies that are the experts on these issues. Opening warming centres (and cooling centres in heat waves) should be planned and approved well in advance, so that folks who need to access them aren’t waiting around in dangerous weather for a Council decision. I would also advocate for increased federal and provincial funding to support for local services.

Jenn Meilleur, incumbent

Comox Council has supported regional solutions, including an $80,000 contribution toward the emergency shelter in Courtenay, funding for the Comox Valley Transition Society, and working with Comox Valley Emergency Management to provide warming centres in Comox when needed. I would continue building strong regional partnerships and advocating to other levels of government for supportive housing and the health, mental health and social services that need to go with it. We also need to focus on prevention by building strong, connected communities with robust housing options for people at all stages of life so more people can remain securely housed and connected to the supports around them.

Ruby Sidhu

Ruby Sidhu did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Maureen Swift, incumbent

Maureen Swift did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Jessica Wegg

Jessica Wegg did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Village of Cumberland

Vickey Brown (Mayor, acclaimed)

Supporting the CVRD Homelessness Service, allow warming centres in the Village and collaborative advocacy for funding for supportive housing and second stage housing.

Zanoni Agnew

Zanoni Agnew did not respond by the deadline.

See their Facebook page.

Ellian Bell

Ellian Bell did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Neil Borecky, incumbent

Apply pressure on senior levels of government to solve what isn’t just a local issue but a national one at this point in time. I believe Cumberland should offer a well-run emergency warming shelter when conditions merit it and support regional ones. We have a diversity of residents, including seniors, who benefit from this service.

Kevin Snaden

We need more supportive housing and second stage housing in the Comox Valley, but it should be located close to the health, mental-health and social services people need if we actually want them to succeed. Cumberland can help where it makes sense, including using facilities for warming centres during extreme weather, but the larger supportive-housing system needs significant provincial and federal involvement, and much of it will naturally be centred where those services already exist. Supportive housing also needs proper staffing, clear expectations and accountability for serious disorder, while second stage housing for people escaping violence is a separate and badly needed service.

Sean Sullivan, incumbent

Sean Sullivan did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Troy Therrien, incumbent

Troy Therrien did not respond by the deadline.

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Nick Ward, incumbent

No-one should be homeless – it is a tragic indictment of our society and I’ll advocate for federal and provincial governments to do what is necessary and right . Only higher levels of government have the resources to address this issue at a meaningful scale. At the municipal level we can identify and support what is relevant within each community, with an inevitable focus on Courtenay for the most challenging needs of shelter and supportive housing with wrap-around services.