Erin Giesbrecht
Facebook: Erin Giesbrecht
Twitter: @Erin70514755
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?
I live in North Saanich, I have lived here for 6 years.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I have worked with the provincial government for over two years. Currently I am a Strategic Human Resources Coordinator for the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
The past six years living in North Saanich has given me plenty of time to get to know many of the people within North Saanich and the surrounding area. My experience within the community has taught me a lot and I have learned exactly what I envision a community should look like. I see that the people who live here love their community and want to be involved and I would like to bring my voice to the council to help solidify a voice and decisions for North Saanich.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am running in this election to bring an unbiased voice to the council, to better serve and represent the people of North Saanich. I want the council to be a diversely represented group that can work together to make decisions. My motivation is to bring structure to the council meetings so that decisions can be reached regarding the OCP and directing the council back to its core values and operating philosophy.
What are your top three issues?
Top three issues, the OCP , aging in place and environmental impact (protect and enhance rural, agricultural, heritage, marine and environmental resources.) There isn’t a one size fits all solution for the state of the OCP, but as a council member I would help reach decisions that align with the residents of North Saanich.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
The current OCP states, ‘Recognizing that communities are dynamic in nature, the underlying principle of the Plan is to ensure that if changes happen within the District, they respect both man-made and natural attributes and be sustainable.’ This is a phrase I would like to keep as a key principle within North Saanich for the next 25 years.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
My plan for the community is to increase community involvement in every aspect. Holding more accessible community gatherings and information sessions where people can learn about the decisions being made in their municipality. It would be beneficial to the people of North Saanich if we could come together and have a safe environment where collaborative conversations could happen.
