Marie-Térèse Little
Website: mt4mayor.org
Facebook: Councillor Marie Terese
Twitter: @MT4Council
Instagram: Councillorterese
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
Running as an independent, no slate
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, I live on Ash Mountain in the District of Metchosin.
Resident for the past 17 years since spring 2005
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Scientist (1996-2022) Principal Consultant and Founder of 4th Dimension Biomedical Research Communications (2008-2022; www.4Dbrc.com) – small business owner.
Councillor, District of Metchosin, 2018-2022
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience. (80-100 words)
District of Metchosin Councillor 2018-2022 Portfolio
• Parks Committee (Chair)
• Council Liaison to Select Committees:
- Agricultural Advisory Select Committee (AASC)
- Parks and Trails Advisory Select Committee (PTASC)
• Council Liaison to Community and Regional Groups & Committees:
- Volunteer groups using District Land
-Metchosin Day Committee
• Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI)
• CRD Regional Housing Trust Fund (Commissioner)
• Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee (Chair)
• Acting Mayor (in rotation: Councillors MacKinnon and Epp)
Community Volunteer
• Volunteer - Metchosin 4H & Metchosin Firehall Auxiliary
• Executive Member Metchosin Preschool
• Board Member - Westmont Montessori- Strategic Planning
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am running for the Mayor of Metchosin because I am passionate about the future and direction of rural metchosin. Rapid development is at our borders. Together as a community, we need to work towards a Rural Metchosin Preservation Plan to ensure a viable future for Metchosin, its residents, farming, a protected environment, and doing our part towards mitigating the impacts of climate change. All of the above, needs to be done within the constraints of our fiscal capabilities and capacities. We need to make sound financial decisions for a prosperous rural future.
Now is a time for a Change.
What are your top three issues?
Accountable Governance
Rural Metchosin Preservation Plan
Sustainable Agriculture
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
A viable agriculture community including thriving farmers and other community members, with a village core that entices visitors from Vancouver Island. As a rural farming district, I envision supporting a community of farmers using productive sustainable farming practices which has a Farmers’ Hub at its core to support farmers. This Farmers’ coop/ hub would be a place to gather farming knowledge, farming expertise and an exchange and sale of local food to work towards local food and seed security. I envision a protected Metchosin (water, land and Salish Sea) that will be the destination for the Greater Victoria area to access local sustainable food and undisturbed, protected greenspaces. This could provide the community with revenue sources to help support the community’s financial viability.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
Strategic Planning: The community of Metchosin needs to work towards an overall strategic plan for a sustainable, prosperous future for Metchosin. We need to identify our collective vision and goals, a framework to achieve those goals, and a mechanism to quantify if those goals have been reached. We need strategic plans for: the District of Metchosin Council, Agriculture, Transportation, Village Core, Finances, Land use, buildings and zoning, Greenspaces, Bylaw enforcement and Climate change plan.
