Sandy Janzen
Webpage: VoteSandyJ.ca
Twitter: @VoteSandyJ
Instagram: @VoteSandyJ
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
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 in Victoria, for approximately 1.5 yrs.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
For the past seven years I have been an entrepreneur, most recently working for a Laywer providing assistance. Previously, I owned a Cafe in Germany called Canada House.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
My most recent community experience was an initiative I proposed with the German Red Cross called Community Project to create communities aimed at bringing together young adults dealing with depression affected by loneliness and isolation. Previously, I worked as a Settlement Counselor for immigrants, a fundraising Coordinator for Unicef, Volunteer Coordinator for The Salvation Army and Advocate for persons with disabilities with Goodwill Industries. While living in the Strathcona Coop I was an active member and head of various committees.
Back in my college days I volunteered for the UN Association in Canada and acted as Treasury for our local chapter and Youth Representative.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am running for City Council to fulfill a lifelong goal to be a public servant. To reinstill the meaning of good governance, which is to serve the public that has elected me to represent their views and concerns.
I firmly believe I will best represent the interests of my constituents. I am diligent, measured and grounded always striving to find the most harmonious and balanced solutions.
There is a largely unrepresented cohort of voters, mainly young, disenfranchised renters who deserve to have a voice on council. I’m uniquely equipped through my vast dichotomy of life experiences and skill sets to be their voice.
What are your top three issues?
1. Tackling Affordable Housing in a meaningful way through substantive policies such as my proposal to petition the Province to extend the current rental cap of 2 % per year not only on tenancy but on the unit itself.
2. Homelessness, addressing our homeless population with compassion working in conjunction with an ACT team to offer transitional housing while assessing needs and desire for rehabilitation vs affordable housing needs.
3. Mental Health (with a focus on depressed youth) is the underpinning of so many of our societal ails. Until tangible, doable, realistic policies are implemented to address the growing epidemic of Depression, all other subsequent social problems will continue to increase.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
Vision for my community in 25 years: A community that has adopted a housing first approach recognizing a home as a human right and not a Commodity.
A community that treats its citizens with dignity where no one suffers from homelessness.
A community where young people have regained there hope, no longer despairing that they will never own their own home.
A thriving, environmentally protected community with beautifully preserved parks and green spaces with lushness abound. Modern edges interspersed in the form of classical rowhouses.
A community known for putting mental health at the forefront, brimming with healthy, happy residents.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
My one ” Big” idea for the city is: I don’t have a big splashy idea..more of a conceptual dream to foster a city that rivals Scandinavian cities in the Happiness index. A city that is world renowned for combating depression and anxiety, providing affordable housing to all it’s citizens in need with a flourishing, local business economy.
My big Dream is for Victoria to be a joyful place to live, for all it’s inhabitants!
