Two-term Oak Bay councillor Kevin Murdoch will challenge Mayor Nils Jensen in the October municipal election.
Murdoch, 48, who has been on the losing side of several 4-3 split council votes this term, said it’s time to address some of the “big questions that have been not addressed,” such as financing municipal infrastructure and mapping out a housing plan.
Asked if he sees development as a major issue in the community, Murdoch said: “It is and it shouldn’t be.”
“Development right now is coming through without guidelines,” he said, adding that community consensus has to be reached on where development and density will be allowed.
“I honestly believe that the community is absolutely ready to have the conversation. Most people are very reasonable and understand that we can absorb more people into our community,” he said.
“But people get very upset when it’s suddenly thrust upon them out of nowhere and their single-family house is now an application for an apartment building, without anything guiding that, outside of the very vague wording of the OCP [Official Community Plan].”
Murdoch, whose grandfather George Murdoch was an Oak Bay reeve, said that like his grandfather, he decided to run for mayor after being encouraged to do so by community leaders.
He hopes his early announcement will encourage other community members to run for council.
