1. Who are you?
My name is Sarah Fowler and I have been involved in Tahsis council since 2018 when I took on the role of Deputy Mayor. Prior to my becoming a elected citizen, I worked as a lifeguard at the Recreation centre pool, amongst other things, community safety is critical.
My main goal in running for Mayor is prioritizing fiscal prudence and attracting investment to make Tahsis sustainable in the long term. I am always willing to listen to what your thoughts are for our village, my campaign 
email is Fowler4mayor@gmail.com
email is Fowler4mayor@gmail.com but you can call or text if you prefer.
let's chat 250 202 8416
2. 60% of the Tahsis population is over age 55. How should this demographic affect how the village is run?
During my first term on council I was privileged to chair the age-friendly action committee, which provided feedback on how to action the reports linked below.
TAHSIS AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN - Village of Tahsis https://share.google/
Village-of-Tahsis-Age-
Tahsis-Transportation-Report-
It was through this comittee work that I learned about the phrase NORC, which stands for Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. Is it safe to say that Vancouver Island, in general, would be a host to many pockets of elders? I would say infrastructure improvements are sorely needed regionally, but all across Canada wait lists for long term care are too long.
The demographic information effects how the village is run in a variety of ways. Primarily, I must ask a question corresponding to the stats in the first sentence. How can we continue to offer services if 60% of the towns population qualifies for property tax deferment? By this math 240 properties in a town with a total of 400 folios are eligible, however I am uncertain about what the numbers of people subscribed to the below prgram were for the 2026 annual budget.
Property tax deferment program - Province of British Columbia https://share.google/
Finance is the most impactful policy choice made at budget season, every year by village council members. There are multiple trade offs to service level and so many demands on limited resources. As someone who originally campaigned on caregiver respite in 2014 and did advocacy provincially for the increasing need to have care homes in remote and rural places like ours so folks can age in place with their friends. I must also say that the seniors society is one of the most active group and provides many enriching activities for the community.
3. What can be done to enforce the village bylaws?
Bylaw enforcement is done with a partnership of the regional district of Strathcona. These rules exist for a number of reasons, including building that are unsightly/unclean and under fire safety regulations designed to ensure access and egress routes during emergencies. However, it is a complaint based system, which requires completing a property maintenance bylaw complaint form from the village office.
Locally bylaws can be updated to suit the character of our village residents but the process for notices and orders are outlined by the Local Government Act. This Act, in my opinion is also long overdue for an update, and I have been a regional advocate for legislative reform.
April-11-and-12-Regional-
That said, I think an approach that focuses on celebrating best practices is most effective in our village. What I have witnessed here is neighbours helping each other and often working together to bring properties into compliance.
A Bylaw Notice in British Columbia is an administrative ticket issued for minor local infractions—such as parking, zoning, or animal control violations—under the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.
[1] (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/
How the Process Works
Issuance: A bylaw officer gives you a notice outlining the infraction and the monetary penalty (capped at $500).
Timeframe: You typically have 14 days to pay or dispute the notice from the date it is issued.
Screening: If you dispute it, a screening officer reviews the case. They can cancel the ticket, offer a compliance agreement (which may reduce the fine), or uphold the penalty.
Adjudication: If unresolved, the dispute goes to an independent, local adjudicator rather than a traditional provincial court. If you lose at adjudication, you must pay the fine plus an additional $25 adjudication fee. [1] (https://www.
Penalties: Ignoring the notice means the full penalty becomes immediately due and can be sent to collections as a Provincial Court judgment.
[1] (https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/
4. How can you improve communication between the council and public?
I am committed to open and productive communication with members of the public, being a resident first and formost myself. Improving dialogue, often means creating safe spaces for various opinions to be expressed, but I believe that respect, is always a two-way street that requires courtesy, compromise and compassion.
Council meetings are generally the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, with the notable exceptions of December, June, July and August which only have one
Regular meeting scheduled. There are other times with more details like Comittee of the Whole, specifically the budget series that must happen before May.
The best way to be informed is to be present and speak openly about your concerns at one of the 2 public input times during every regularly scheduled meeting. If its your preference you can always submit correspondence, petitions or organize a delegation. People are also welcome to attend virtually, if that works best for them. I highly recommend residents subscribe to the alertable app, as many towns use this tool to disseminate information quickly.
Alertable - Emergency Alerts https://share.google/
When I joined the UBCM as small community representative in 2020, I started a pandemic project, that wanted to be public education initiative. I was learning a lot about the different mechanics, resources and responsibilities of local government. It still has a new episode, every Friday, but my favorites are when I interviewed local residents like Louis and Anne, who both by coincidence, were part of the chain of office that is Tahsis Municipal Council. If you have the time, feel free to give their episodes a listen from the archive by clicking on the links below.
As you can probably tell, by the many links to other resources in my answers to the tahsis living blog prepared questions I find it helps to find out more information before coming to an important decision. I have adopted the mantra of "open mind, not an empty one;" as politics in general seems to frown upon changing one's mind, on any given option. However, if you know you made the best choice, with the information you had at the time, when presented with new data doesn't it deserve a re-think?
Thanks for taking the time to make the most informed choices possible for the mayoral position of Tahsis council 2026-2030. I hope to earn your vote of trust and endeavor towards dedication to our long standing community.
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