Alan Macdonald
Website: www.alanmacdonaldforcouncil.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanmacdonaldforcouncil
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanMacdonaldfc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanmacdonaldforcouncil/?hl=en
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No
Do you live in the municipality where you are running, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to that community?
Yes, 8 years and have worked in Nanaimo for the better part of 30 years.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
For the last ten years I have been the Associate Executive Director with Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services. I own my own business providing leadership coaching to executives. I am a seasoned public servant having managed operations, learning and development and supervised front-line human service employees.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
As an executive in corporate and government relations for twenty years, I’ve achieved social and community development goals in housing, infrastructure, mental health, social services, community policing, and economic development. I have secured financial and legislative commitments from the Provincial and Federal governments. As an active community leader and volunteer, I am a hockey coach, the president and founder of Salish Storm Hockey Association, a “KidSport” Director and the president of the Central Island Sports Council.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
Nanaimo is one of the country’s fastest-growing communities. It is imperative City Council has experienced leaders with the ability to build coalitions with community partners and senior levels of government.
Strengthening our local economy means working with First Nations and focusing on the service sector – local people in tourism, hospitality, retail, blue collar, and health-care front-line workers — the heart of our economy. Retaining the foundations of our business community is a priority. Targeting future growth to create economic opportunities to attract entrepreneurs and investors to expand Nanaimo’s tax base is my major goal.
What are your top three issues?
Safe Streets. Securing addiction services, integrative mental health initiatives, supportive housing, programs to prevent homelessness, enhancing neighbourhood safety, and targeted policing on growing crime occurrences are imperative.
Housing. Affordable housing for all citizens including seniors. To succeed in housing for a sustainable community we need to ensure timely processing for building permits, and accept gentle densification, mixed housing, and other progressive housing alternatives.
Economic Prosperity & Livability. There’s enormous economic potential in education, health care, government, and service sectors. Additionally, planning for expansion of our hospital and investment in our parks, waterfront walkways, and recreational amenities are critical.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
Naniamo will be a community that has the necessary health and recreational amenities such as a tertiary care hospital and healthcare campus, waterfront walkway, sports & wellness amenities, and a robust social safety net to care for the most vulnerable. Nanaimo will be the centre of trade and commerce for Vancouver Island as a willing partner with First Nations, industry, the Port Authority and others levels of government. Residents and tourists visiting Nanaimo will experience an environment that is attractive, safe and secure. Nanaimo will have efficient zoning and permitting processes and increased affordable mixed housing alternatives such as row housing, townhouses and gentle densification reducing the costs of housing and preventing homelessness – especially for seniors.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
Nanaimo residents and businesses will enjoy the benefits and opportunities arising from partnerships with the private sector to develop the required amenities and services to become a provincial hub for sport, cultural, entertainment and recreational tourism. Nanaimo would achieve this by seeing the development of cultural tourism facilities and services, especially in partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation, built to enhance attraction to the community as a sports and recreation destination.
