1.Who are you?
I'm Allison Stiglitz. I've called Tahsis home for almost 25 years. Some of you first met me across the counter at Tahsis Building Supply, where I spent over 15 years working with Tony, Judy, Gord & others helping newcomers plan and coordinate their house renovations, which was often their first introduction to this community. My kids went K to 12 through this school system. I was an active member of the Parent Advisory Committee and the go-to parent for field trip chaperoning and fundraising the whole way through. For 5 to 10 years, I coordinated and assisted with the Knights of Columbus food hampers, and when that program ended, I helped start the Nourishing Nootka Sound Neighbourhood Necessities Society to keep that support going with 2 other reliable community members. I've been a paramedic with BC Emergency Health Services here for almost 19 years, and I've served as your School Board Trustee in SD84 for the past eight years.
I speak from the heart, not from a script. My heart has been invested in this community on every level for 25 years. Whatever your role is in this community, I've had your back, as a paramedic, as a trustee, as a volunteer and as a friend. That doesn't change if I'm sitting at the council table.
People have asked me for years when I'd run for mayor. My answer was always the same: when my children & family didn't need me as much. My children are adults now, and they take care of me as much as I take care of them, alongside one of the most supportive husbands imaginable. My work schedule is four days on, four days off, and only two of those are working day shift, so my schedule can be free for meetings and my community. I have the time; I've always tried my best to make the time.
Now I have a schedule that works!
2. 60% of the population is over 55. How should this affect how the village is run?
When 60% of our population is over 55, the village must actively build community connection and engagement for that group, not just accommodate them. I want to work directly with the Senior's centre, ask them how the village can support them better, and show up to their activities to hear their concerns myself.
We also need strong leadership in emergency preparedness and management. That means seriously thinking through who in our community may need extra assistance during any type of emergency. As a paramedic, I know exactly what it looks like when that planning isn't in place, and exactly what it should look like when it is. That's not optional for a village with our demographics.
Living on a fixed income is hard at any age, but it hits especially hard when the village needs to cover infrastructure costs and property tax increases. I want council to be upfront and thoughtful about that impact every time a cost decision comes forward, and I want our community engaged early in those conversations too, before decisions are finalized, so we can shape them together rather than revisit them afterward.
Part of the answer is growing revenue so it doesn't all fall on residents' property taxes. We are sitting on an incredible, scenic region with real potential for respectful tourism, done in a way that fits our community rather than overwhelms it. That kind of tourism can bring a real financial boost to Tahsis and ease the pressure on people living here on a fixed income.
Road conditions matter enormously to this demographic too. We drive over an hour on gravel roads that are not always maintained to a minimum standard. That's technically the province's responsibility, not the village's, but I will make it mine. We look forward to building a strong communication system with the Ministry of Transportation, whether that's daily calls when needed or weekly check-ins otherwise, until we see real, consistent change. I've seen firsthand in the back of the ambulance exactly what those roads mean when someone needs to get out fast, and I've been advocating on this for years already.
That said, there's an old saying I love sharing with people outside Tahsis: it takes a village to raise a family. Seniors will always be a priority here, right alongside every younger generation, because we take care of each other. That means balanced support for every age group and real opportunity for young parents to be present for their kids at home. A healthy young generation matters to our seniors just as much as our seniors matter to them.
3. What can be done to enforce village bylaws?
Right now, our bylaw enforcement comes through the Strathcona Regional District officer, who covers many communities and can only make it into Tahsis a handful of times a year. A village our size deserves more consistent presence than that.
I want to push for a position shared specifically between Gold River and Tahsis, someone who actually lives in one of our two communities and knows both, rather than being spread across the entire regional district. That's a realistic, sustainable model for towns our size. It means someone is here, invested, and able to follow through, not just passing through once a season.
To know whether that's achievable without placing a heavy burden on taxpayers, I need to be at the council table to dig into the real numbers and work out a plan that makes financial sense for Tahsis. I want enforcement that's consistent and local because that's what makes it meaningful for residents, and I want it done responsibly. It would be nice to have early resolutions to issues before they escalate.
4. How can you improve communication between council and the public?
I want to bring back monthly coffees with the mayor. Those mattered. People got heard, and council learned what was worrying folks before it became a crisis. I also want to build healthier working relationships between council, local businesses, individuals, and the provincial and regional agencies we depend on. A village our size doesn't run on property taxes, it runs on grants and partnerships, and that only works if the relationships behind it are solid.
Representation matters to me too: everyone in this community should feel like council sees them, not just the loudest voices in the room. I want Tahsis to be known for steady, professional leadership that gets things done, and I want to build that reputation starting now. That also means bringing our community into conversations early, before decisions are finalized, so we're working through ideas together upfront. When everyone is at the table from the start, we spend less time revisiting and debating decisions after the fact, and more time moving forward.
I'll say this plainly: for 20 years, showing up for this community has meant being present in people's hardest moments, at two in the morning, sitting at a kitchen table with someone who just needs to talk, and during everyday life here in Tahsis. That kind of presence matters because it's what keeps people safe and cared for when nobody else is watching. Most of it goes unseen, and that's how it should be. Small villages when they're healthy and happy, operate exactly this way, and it's beautiful to see. Tahsis already has incredible volunteers worth celebrating, and I want to make sure they have the support they deserve. That's exactly the kind of leadership I want to bring to council.
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