Steve Orcherton
Website: steveorcherton.ca
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
Independent — not on a 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 in Victoria, and I am a life-long resident
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Semi-Retired
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
A life-long Victorian, serving Victoria as MLA, on numerous public and private boards, agencies and commissions including:
Governor, Camosun College, Board of Referees Employment Insurance Commission, United Way, Victoria Labour Council, Victoria’s Advisory Planning and Economic Development Commissions, Mayors Advisory Committee, CRD Round Table on the Environment, Employment Standards Review Commission, Child Find BC, Oak Bay Kiwanis Pavilion.
As MLA for Victoria, Provincial Capital Commission, Member Freedom of Information and Privacy, Public Accounts, Multi-Lateral Agreement on Investment, International Trade, and Energy Mines and Petroleum Committees, Parliamentary Secretary to Attorney General, Advanced Education, Social Development and Economic Security and Deputy Whip.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
My motivation: -intolerable frustration with the lack of good governance exhibited by the city council.
I am an independent candidate with extensive and varied governance experience, collaborative decision-making skills, and a life-long resident of Victoria. I build consensus and I have the capacity to listen to and consider all viewpoints.
It is time to restore the public’s trust in Victoria’s City Council, end the politics of division, end flavour of the day decision-making, consider decision consequences and manage down risks and stay within our lane of responsibility. I am running to be a part of that process and that future.
What are your top three issues?
All the challenges facing our city are top issues for me, supporting policing, fire, bylaw services, addressing criminality and bad behaviours, resident safety, fixing the traffic mess, homelessness, the housing crisis, densification, reconciliation, aging infrastructure, future pandemic responses, health care, climate change and…. These are all interconnected.
We have all seen that attempting to solve one issue without recognizing that interconnectivity has not achieved the desired intent, results, or goals.
We can only address these challenges by restoring good governance, reinstating truly meaningful public consultation, and restoring the public’s trust in councils’ decision making.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
I see a vibrant capital city that is a safe and healthy place for all residents, to live, work and recreate irrespective of their social or economic circumstances. A city that has been built with ongoing input of vibrant community associations. Where residents living within community associations boundaries are engaged in their neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods that cooperate and share values. A city where official community plans have been agreed to and form the base line for a more predictable future. A city that has adopted a comprehensive transportation strategy that allows people, and goods and services to move efficiently and a city that has managed climate change.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
A single councillor on council cannot bring “Big Ideas” to fruition alone.
Our city, like many others, has big challenges ahead. I am confident that we can find collective solutions and I believe that in most instances successful solutions will require senior government support. Our city will stand ready to assist but we can’t go it alone –the past city council put in place “Big Idea” initiatives and expended monies and we all can see sadly we have not achieved our desired goals. We must break this cycle.
So, if I had one “Big Idea” it would be a collective approach to challenges, creating relationships with regional, municipal governments, the province and federal government that would see senior governments step up to the plate.
