Sarah Riddell
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. I have lived in Greater Victoria since 2003 and in Central Saanich since 2016.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I am a provincial public servant. I have Masters degrees in Public Administration and Health Administration. Over the past 15 years I have held roles in policy analysis, program administration and performance audit (similar to program evaluation). Currently, I am a Director at the Ministry of Health.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
This is my first time running for office.
I volunteer regularly to protect our unique environment, support local farmers and artisan producers, and foster an active, healthy community.
I am a spouse (Evan) and mom of two (Alicia, 4 and Clayton, 1.5). We are an energetic family with roots in our local dance, soccer, swimming, running and trail communities.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
Local government plays a tremendous role in our daily lives and overall health. It shapes our communities, provides the services we need to keep our households running, and works with other governments, organizations, and citizens to tackle society’s toughest challenges including the climate and housing crises.
In the early days of the pandemic, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I could make a bigger contribution to this complicated world. I made the decision to run because local government matters. Together, I know we can make a difference in our community and beyond.
What are your top three issues?
Diverse housing options. We need homes for all different kinds of people in our community, from young people, to families, to people on fixed incomes, to people who want to age in place.
Active transportation and road safety. We have a comprehensive Active Transportation Plan that will improve safety and increase non-motorized travel. We need to collaborate with other levels of government, community organizations, etc. to implement it faster.
Health and community services. We are not meeting the needs of our residents. I support using district tools to attract and retain critical health and community services.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
Central Saanich is a multi-generational community where parks and trails are plentiful and the roads are safe for all users. Diverse housing and health and community services support our growing, aging, and changing population. Farms and the environment flourish alongside our business community.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
Let’s build it together.
Our community is growing, aging, and changing, but our services and infrastructure are not keeping up. I am excited about taking a grassroots approach to address some of these needs. Let’s dream it up together – an innovative healthcare centre, a new spray park, a neighbourhood connector trail, a sidewalk by a school - and collaborate with the district, other levels of government, community organizations and private individuals to build it together.
