Adrienne Richards is running for a council seat in North Cowichan.
Six council seats are being contested in the municipality in the elections on Oct. 15.
Richards said she moved to the Cowichan Valley 14 years ago to raise her children in a rural setting.
She said she spent 11 years working closely with small businesses in the region, which gave her great insight into what they loved, and what they struggled with doing business in the Valley.
“Many top issues can be addressed through seeking and implementing other municipal sources of income that do not depend on land taxes and fees as the main income for the municipality,” Richards said.
“There are models all over the world that source and create income for the municipalities through multiple business-like structures. In creating these alternate sources of income, that allows homeowners to not raise rents due to rising property taxes, allows small businesses to thrive, welcomes valley-friendly development, and allows the municipal government to tackle hard issues like the addicted homeless on our streets through not relying on provincial and federal funding that always come with strings attached.”
Richards said she loves the Cowichan Valley and would like to give her children a chance at a future here, that consists of housing, and a plethora of job opportunities.
“I am also worried about the future plans to cut vehicle ownership by 40 per cent, plans to remove heat sources besides heat pumps, create micro-dense communities, and spend an exorbitant amount on the 30-year plan, only to ‘hope’ it is paid for with carbon credits,” she said.
“I hope you come out and vote Oct. 5, 11, and 15 for a new way to look at governing, with an emphasis on less governing and red tape.”
While they say they are not officially a slate, Richards is sharing a website (northcowichan2022.ca) and other resources with fellow candidates Joseph Enslow and Chris Shaw.