Statement by council candidate Josh Lambert

1. What made you decide to run in this election? Several members of the outgoing council have suggested that I should run for council during the time I’ve lived in Tahsis, as have neighbours and several of my fellow candidates. I decided to run for council because I have invested my life into Tahsis with our project up at Tahsis Farm, and committing my future to Tahsis like this means I care deeply about the decisions that will shape the village’s future. I’m running for council because I want to do everything I can to ensure that the village remains stable, and sees an appropriate amount of growth in terms of economic prosperity and year-round population. 2.What part of your background (experience, education, skills etc.) would make you a good person in this office?   I grew up in Sooke, another Vancouver Island fishing and logging town with a similar story to Tahsis. I have a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Victoria, with a double major in anthropology and environmental studies. I also have a diploma in the humanities and a diploma in intercultural education and training. Doing thorough, complete research into a problem before deciding on the best all-round solution is my approach to life. University gave me formal training in terms of research skills and communication, and taught me to work well on complex research projects in groups of 4-6, which sounds a lot like council. My degree also instilled in me a healthy respect for our colonial past and present important for contributing positively to the progress made by the outgoing council on building a relationship of mutual respect with the Mowachaht Muchalaht and other First Nations around us. From 2014-2016 I built a successful business in a rural oceanfront community that provided a destination and draw for tourism. My dad and a family friend and I bought an old disused restaurant building and renovated it into an oceanfront pizzeria and gallery. One take-home insight from this experience was that people want a reason take a long drive to a beautiful place - we created that from a derelict building, a great pizza recipe, and a bit of love. Whether it’s increasing tourism, or inspiring young families to move to Tahsis and build our community, bringing new people in year-round to a place that’s a little far out is a challenge I’ve explored before. Since moving to Tahsis I’ve started working in the forestry industry, thanks to my wonderful partner Carla who convinced me to try tree planting. This has been a great opportunity to be a part of the industry that Tahsis was built on. I’d like to find ways to make sure Tahsis benefits from the logging that’s still going on around us, and ensure industry is paying its fair share to maintain and improve our roads and infrastructure. I consider myself to be a good listener, an objective thinker, and an empathetic and inclusive person who considers the needs and perspectives of others. 3. What is the most important issue facing Tahsis and what will you do to address it? The most important issue I see facing Tahsis is population. Tahsis has a lot of buildings and homes that sit empty, either all winter or year round. If our community is going to thrive and grow, we need to encourage more year-round residents, particularly young people and families. More year-round residents means more businesses, better health services, and more possibilities. I believe Tahsis is well positioned to attract the growing demographic of people who are able to work remotely, who seek an affordable lifestyle and good work-life balance. I think it’s important to work toward creating new jobs here in town, but I think that the low-hanging fruit in terms of economic development is to simply continue making the town more attractive to new residents who bring their own source of income with them. My priorities for making Tahsis more accessible to new residents will be to increase available rental housing, clean up derelict properties, improve access to fresh food and encourage local food production, and find ways to continue to improve the road into town and ensure good road conditions as often as possible. To increase rental housing, I will look into options for taxing empty homes, but also ways to reward and encourage owners who choose to make their property available for rent. I believe in positive reinforcement. I see derelict properties in two categories: Tahsis residents who aren’t able to maintain their homes, and non-resident owners leaving their properties empty. For residents particularly, I would like to explore positive solutions - how can the village and the community help and encourage people to repair and maintain their homes? I’m willing to show up with tools. For empty commercial properties providing an eyesore instead of a service, tax increases or fines might be appropriate, but positive incentives should also be explored. Ensuring that public trails are properly maintained is a third priority in this area. I’d like to imagine that Tahsis could be the village that feeds itself. At Tahsis Farm, our food goals are to be as self sufficient as possible, and I’d like the same thing for Tahsis. Food security is increasingly important to younger generations, and Tahsis’s slight isolation means a captive market for anyone producing food here in town. Aside from Tahsis Farm there have been several proposals put forward for small farming projects, and I would look for every reasonable way the Village can support those if I am on council. Finding ways to make Village-owned lands available for use or sale for prospective farmers or gardeners is a part of this. Regarding the road, our village sees a fair amount of industrial traffic that comes from outside, passes through, and leaves again. On council I will explore ways to ensure that industry pays its fair share for our infrastructure, so that Tahsis citizens are not subsidizing logging companies based outside of town. Perhaps Village roads should not be free for outside industrial traffic. I believe strongly that communities are built and grown by word of mouth and personal connection. Bringing more young people looking to start their lives into our village, even just to visit or work for a summer, spreads awareness of this place we love and inspires people who want to come be a part of it with us. Employers like Westview Marina and Nootka Reforestation have been a big part of this, and it’s one of the goals of our project up at Tahsis Farm. On council I’ll look into innovative ways the village can contribute to this, through opening up accommodation options, opportunities for artists and gardeners, supporting local music events, improving access to surf breaks and trails, internships, educational partnerships, and other ideas. 4. Any additional comments you would like to make? When I first came to Tahsis it felt like a place full of possibilities. The outgoing council had a part in enabling that feeling, and my greatest fear with a changing council is that Tahsis could no longer be open to possibilities, or that the new leadership might drastically change course in some way. If I’m elected, I promise to work toward positive, stable growth and progress, but also to do my best to make Tahsis a place where things are possible.