How will Comox Valley local candidates balance growth and environment?

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.

For our Comox Valley respondents, the top issues that readers said are on their mind were environment, reconciliation and housing.

Based on your feedback, we sent five reader questions to candidates for Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland and asked for them to respond with a maximum of three sentences. There were so many insightful questions and comments made in the survey and we tried to pick ones that were specific to the community and top issues of interest.

We also had to cut some questions to keep things concise. 

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.

Below are responses to a reader question about balancing infrastructure needs with environmental protection.

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.

As a reminder, Cumberland and Comox mayors are acclaimed but we still asked candidates for responses.

Reader question: How do you plan to balance the region’s growing infrastructure, transportation and housing needs with environmental protection?

City of Courtenay

Trish McPhail (Mayor)

Trish McPhail did not respond by the deadline.

“Collaborate with the right people, practice fiscal restraint, communicate with the community throughout projects, protect green space, build green space into development plans, protect our watersheds, increase our green canopy” (Comox Valley Record mayoral candidate Q&A, Oct. 3)

“Infrastructure before or alongside growth, transparent capital planning, disciplined spending, and predictable taxation.” (Trish McPhail campaign website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Manno Theos (Mayor)

Manno Theos did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Bob Wells (Mayor), incumbent

I plan to continue to champion densification which utilizes existing water and sewer infrastructure which is cheaper than the urban sprawl we had before. After decades of zero per cent vacancy rates, our city finally has a vacancy rate over four per cent, but with expansions planned at CFB Comox on top of anticipated growth, we need to work with developers to make sure they keep building the housing we require. I will advocate for more frequent trips for transit and create feedback loops to ensure riders can help shape the future of transit.

Editor’s note: The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation lists the vacancy rate in Courtenay as 3.6 per cent as of October 2025.

Phil Adams

Phil Adams did not respond by the deadline.

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Vasil Beaton

I believe we need responsible growth — building the housing, roads, sidewalks, water systems and transportation infrastructure people need while protecting the natural assets that make the Comox Valley such a special place to live.

That means better planning before development happens, protecting important waterways and sensitive areas, improving transportation options and making sure infrastructure capacity keeps up with growth.

I don’t believe residents should have to choose between affordable housing and environmental responsibility. Good planning should allow us to achieve both.

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

A healthy local environment is fundamental to everything else, and includes increasing local food production, conservation and restoration of our salmon streams and rivers, restricting suburban and exurban sprawl and far wiser use of water. Effective mitigation of 6-PPDQ must be mandatory in all road building and development, including mandatory ongoing maintenance of 6-PPDQ mitigation infrastructure and a ban on the use of turf made from recycled tires. The existing Regional Growth Strategy must be retained, with municipal boundaries not extended, universal volumetric water metering must be instituted and water policy must be redesigned to incentivize pollinator-friendly and food gardens.

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.

“My vision is to build a vibrant and progressive Courtenay that will prosper with growth and preserve the beauty that we all love. Through Downtown densification” (David Frisch campaign website, Sept. 25)

“Our community resilience is intrinsically connected to the maintenance of our infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, buildings), services (fire, police, city staff), community groups, businesses, and the environment” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Evan Jolicoeur, incumbent

Courtenay’s OCP is clear — growth needs to be considered alongside the environment and the amenities that make this place a beautiful, liveable place to call home. We need to advance the objectives in the OCP, including resourcing the chapter on climate and the environment, as we have been deeply focused on roads and housing.

Jessie Lightburn

Jessie Lightburn did not respond by the deadline.

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.

“Natural Asset Management: Restore local watersheds, expand our urban tree canopy, and reduce energy demand.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

“I know we can build a strong economy while protecting our environment.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 30)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Thomas McDevitt

Thomas McDevitt did not respond by the deadline.

“McDevitt supports upgrading aging infrastructure before it fails, improving downtown access and parking, protecting Courtenay’s long-term water security and preparing for hotter, drier summers and increased wildfire risk.” (Comox Valley Record, Sept. 28)

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 plan to:

• Maintain the integrity of the Official Community Plan, which includes provisions to address climate change and protect our natural spaces while managing growth within our boundaries;
• Assure that all major developments include environmental protection, including for streams and wetlands, tree retention and care for fish and wildlife; and utilizes natural infrastructure, such as bioswales, rain gardens and naturalized shorelines rather than people-made “hard” infrastructure;
• Support gentle infill/densification at the city/rural boundaries; and continue the work that has commenced on updating our Tree Bylaw and Urban Forest Strategy.

Kitty Pitt

Kitty Pitt did not respond by the deadline.

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.

See their Facebook page.

Town of Comox

Nicole Minions (Mayor, acclaimed)

Nicole Minions did not respond by the deadline.

“More intention and care for the environment and the type of landscape we are leaving for the generations to come” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 29)

“Her priorities as mayor include fostering sustainable growth, enhancing livability and ensuring that Comox remains a vibrant, inclusive community for generations to come.” (Nicole Minions website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Steve Blacklock, incumbent

Steve Blacklock did not respond by the deadline.

“Continue to incrementally improve the town’s infrastructure using best practices, with particular attention to the need to build resiliencies for the expected future impacts of global climate change.” (Steve Blacklock campaign website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Lisa Bourgeois

Lisa Bourgeois did not respond by the deadline.

“I want growth, housing and infrastructure planned carefully while protecting the character and natural environment that make Comox special.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 29)

“We don’t have to choose between protecting what we love and preparing for what’s next. We can do both, thoughtfully.” (Lisa Bourgeois campaign website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Vivian Chislett

Vivian Chislett did not respond by the deadline.

“I advocate for balanced growth that encourages the housing types our current residents need, supports our vibrant local economy, and respects what we love about Comox,” (Decafnation, Oct. 1)

See their candidate listing on CivicInfo BC.

Ken Grant, incumbent

Ken Grant did not respond by the deadline.

“I’m committed to protecting what makes Comox special – maintaining our infrastructure, preserving our natural spaces and managing growth responsibly.” (Ken Grant campaign website)

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

It is no secret that Coun. Meilleur and I have served as the two most passionate environment defenders on council, including supporting the work of two local citizens and biologists to save a wetland in Comox from being destroyed.

I was a major supporter of our town’s new tree canopy study and urban forest management plan, to ensure that we had a framework for environmental protection, as we anticipate more growth and housing in Comox.

At the same time, we should look for opportunities to protect natural areas, such as the recent addition of the 2.6 hectare Newson Family Nature Park, which is a huge win for Comox residents and their ability to stay connected to nature.

Neil Ladell

In recent years, through Bill 44, the province has taken away some key authorities that local governments used to have to protect trees and ecosystems under development. If elected, I’ll advocate for Comox council to collaborate with like-minded municipalities in calling for these powers to be brought back to the local level.

I believe that for Comox to be resilient it needs to adapt and grow in a way that respects the connection between social, economic and environmental sustainability, including, but not limited to, moving forward with development that respects the integrity of local ecosystems and meets environmental standards, parks that conserve and reintroduce native and climate resilient plants, invasive species management and preparedness for change.

Jenn Meilleur, incumbent

Good planning brings these things together by focusing much of our growth within already developed areas, providing more housing and transportation choices while protecting rural lands and high-value ecosystems. I want us to treat nature as infrastructure, recognizing that forests, mature trees, wetlands, creeks, shorelines and healthy soils reduce flooding and heat, hold water during drought and provide habitat. We also need to identify and protect important ecosystems early, understand the long-term infrastructure costs of growth and ensure new development contributes fairly to the infrastructure it requires.

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.

“Climate resiliency and environmental stewardship – Council needs to be alive to the fact that the climate has changed, is continuing to do so at an alarming rate, and that there are very real risks facing us.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Sept. 29)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Village of Cumberland

Vickey Brown (Mayor, acclaimed)

Density allows for more greenspace but let’s also be cognisant of the carrying capacity of our wild places and the impact of tourism.

Zanoni Agnew

Zanoni Agnew did not respond by the deadline.

“My two academic and professional pursuits have made me conscious of the delicate balance between a thriving community, and preserving our local environments.” (Decafnation candidate questionnaire, Oct. 1)

See their Facebook page.

Ellian Bell

Ellian Bell did not respond by the deadline.

“I also hope to support incentives to help manage our demands on village infrastructure and the critical water resources in a changing climate.” (Ellian Bell campaign website)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Neil Borecky, incumbent

I think Cumberland’s inclusion in the Comox Valley Regional Parks and Trails Service is one of the most effective ways to foster effective and connected environmental protections. Connecting housing to greenspace and active transportation networks is critical to this success. I’m also a strong advocate of  working with other community groups including our own Cumberland Community Forest Society and the broader Comox Valley Conservation Partnership

Kevin Snaden

I’d rather see Cumberland grow within its existing urban containment boundary than keep expanding outward, but we’ve learned that “build up, not out” doesn’t mean the infrastructure is free. Much of our water, sewer, stormwater and electrical infrastructure was built for a smaller village and now needs major upgrades, while we also need to protect our urban tree canopy, streams and the smaller green spaces people use every day. Housing is important, but growth has to match the capacity of the infrastructure and services that support it, because approving more homes without planning for those costs eventually catches up with taxpayers.

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.

“Should we have endless suburban sprawl? Sprawl is expensive to maintain and single family housing prices are out of reach for many. Should we simply stop development?” (Troy Therrien campaign website, Sept. 28)

Read their platform on their campaign website.

Nick Ward, incumbent

I’ll continue to strongly support actions and projects that maintain and enhance the natural assets that sustain us all. In Cumberland, we have many examples including our introduction of an Urban Containment Boundary to limit sprawl, and I’m very conscious that land use decisions we make have a 50 plus year impact and must strive for sustainability.