Campaign Issue: Housing

Housing is (once again) the main issue in a Whistler election. The growth of the community has outstripped our supply, and it’s been exacerbated by the loss of suites in homes in existing neighbourhoods, due to the gentrification of those neighbourhoods. I bristle when I hear “council has done nothing on housing” when in fact, Council’s major achievements this term has been the delivery of 158 units of employee housing in Cheakamus Crossing and the approval of 35 units of employee housing at Nita Lake and Nordic Estates. Is it enough? No. But… Now that the Whistler Development Corp. is operating, I think we’ll be able to deliver much mor housing and deliver it quickly.

Building more new housing still won’t fix the problem, so here are some other solutions to increase our housing stock. 

Infill Housing

I support infill housing because it helps reverse the gentrification of our neighbourhoods, it would add more affordable housing to Whistler’s inventory, and add increased property tax revenue without increasing our development footprint, and it would keep more families in Whistler.

Changes to Zoning

We could also encourage redevelopment in existing neighbourhoods by allowing the rezoning of properties for higher density (think turning a duplex into a 12-bedroom unit) another idea would be to allow businesses to occupy (via rezoning and renovation) property in commercial or mixed-use zones.

Soaring house prices and rock bottom vacancy rates aren’t an inevitable consequence of success, just as their opposite aren’t an unsolvable riddle, all it takes is some policy changes and some action.

 

 

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Whistler Election FAQ’s

Where and When do I vote?

Advance Voting Day 1: October 5, 2022, at the Whistler Public Library.

Advance Voting Day 2: October 8, 2002, at the Whistler Public Library.  

General Voting Day: October 15, 2022, at Myrtle Philip School.

Mail Ballot Voting: mail ballot packages will include a Registration Form for Residents and Non-Residents Property Electors. 

Can I Vote by Mail?

Yes!

All electors are eligible to vote by mail ballot if you are either a resident or non-resident property elector.

Requesting a Mail Ballot Package

In order to obtain a mail ballot, you must submit an Application to Vote by Mail to the RMOW no later than 4 p.m. on October 12, 2022. Applications are available here and at the front desk at Municipal Hall during regular business hours.

Your application can be submitted in person at Municipal Hall during regular hours, by email to election@whistler.ca, or delivered by Canada Post to the following address: Chief Election Officer, Resort Municipality of Whistler, 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, V8E 05X.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler will start sending out mail ballot packages on September 29, 2022. To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer no later than 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2022.

 

Who is allowed to vote?
To vote as a resident or non resident property elector, you must meet all of the following qualifications:
-18 years or older on voting day,
-A Canadian citizen, a resident of B.C. for at least six months before registering, and not disqualified from voting under the Local Government Act or otherwise disqualified by law.
-As well, to vote as a resident you must have lived in Whistler for at least 30 days prior to registering; to vote as a property owner, you must be the registered owner of real property in Whistler for at least 30 days prior to registering, and if not the sole owner of the property, you must have the written consent of the majority of individuals registered as owners. You may only vote once regardless of how many properties you own in Whistler.

I own a Property in Whistler but I don’t live there, can I still vote?

YES. Non-resident electors must currently own property in Whistler.
To register as a non-resident elector you must meet the qualifications to vote and provide evidence of your identity and place of residence. You must provide two pieces of identification: one piece of identification must contain your identity and place of residence and at least one piece of identification must contain your signature. Examples of acceptable I.D. include a BC Driver’s License, automobile insurance, I.D. card, or BC Care Card.
If more than one person owns the property, only one owner may register and vote and that person must have the written consent of a majority of the other owners. You can only register in relation to one piece of property.
Click here to download the Non-Resident Property Elector Consent Form
You must also be prepared to sign a solemn declaration of your place of residence. If you do not comply with this requirement, you will not be registered to vote. Property owners whose property is registered in the name of a company are not qualified to vote.

How do I register to vote?

A person may register as a resident elector or a non-resident elector on general voting day or at any of the advance or special voting opportunities. To register as a resident elector you must meet the qualification to vote and provide evidence of your identity and place of residence. You must provide two pieces of identification: one piece of identification must contain your identity and place of residence and at least one piece of identification must contain your signature. Examples of acceptable I.D. include a BC Driver’s License, automobile insurance, I.D. card, or BC Care Card

Do I have to vote for six candidates?
NO, you can vote for as many as six but there is no minimum.

In the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) qualified voters will vote for 1 Mayor, 6 Councillors and 2 School Trustees (unless one or more of these positions are won by acclamation).

What do I need to bring to the polls?
You must provide two pieces of identification: one piece of identification must contain your identity and place of residence and at least one piece of identification must contain your signature. Examples of acceptable I.D. include a BC Driver’s License, automobile insurance, I.D. card, or BC Care Card.

Is my name on the current register of electors?
If you are not sure, you can find out by calling or visiting the Resort Municipality of Whistler Municipal Hall, 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, (604) 932-5535, or toll free at 1-866-932-5535 The office is open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays).

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Myths About Municipal Council and Some Frequently Asked Questions

Originally published in the Whistler Question November 9th 2017

 

When my boys were little, they would always groan when we went to the grocery store, “how long is this going to take?” they would whine, “do you have to talk to every single person you see?”. I would respond with “Well boys, you know people like to talk.”-“No dad… YOU like to talk!” they would correct.

So, here dear taxpayer, is a compilation of frequently asked questions I’ve fielded over the years.

Term Limits: There are no term limits for Council or the Mayor in Whistler, or any other municipality, in fact there are no term limits for any elected office in Canada. Constitutional scholars and decisions by the Supreme Court suggest that term limits would be a violation of section three of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The most famous example would be “Hurricane” Hazel McCallion who served as mayor of Mississauga Ontario for 36 years, her record was bested last year by Gord Krantz of Milton Ontario. It turns out that Canadians like experience in their politicians.

You can’t run for both Mayor and Council… Think about it. What if you won both seats? You either go for it all, or not. Strangely though, at least in British Columbia you can run for Mayor or council of multiple municipalities! Anyone remember Jag Bandari? In 2008, he ran for Mayor of Whistler and for a council seat in Surry (he lost both). You also, don’t have to live in the town you run in, sounds crazy but it actually works, a great example would be Pemberton’s former Mayor Jordan Sturdy—he lives in the SLRD, not Pemberton.

Financial things the RMOW can and can’t do: The RMOW (or any Municipality) can’t lend or give money to businesses, can’t run a deficit, and can’t charge a sales tax.
Municipalities only have two basic sources of revenue, property taxes and user fees. The RMOW already has a third source-the hotel tax. When the resort was incorporated, the province endowed us with our own act (The Resort Municipality of Whistler Act) which allows the RMOW to collect development charges, and Tourism Whistler to levy assessments on members who reside on resort lands. It really showed a lot of foresight by the Province to permit these tools to control development and enhance tourism.

The most frequently asked questions and the ones that community members have the least understanding of-surround housing. First, and let me be emphatic—the RMOW does not build housing— the RMOW does not use your tax dollars to build someone else a house. The next time I hear someone say “just take the money from the soccer fields and build housing” I’m going to scream! Here’s how employee housing gets built: a land owner has, let’s say a 10 acre plot, but it’s only zoned for a single family house, said land owner thinks “gee I could make some more money by subdividing this lot and building more houses”. When he takes this idea to council, council will say great, we’ll rezone the property but we’ll need you to build some employee housing units on the site as well. It really is that simple, and there is no cost to the taxpayer—unless you count the staff and council time to handle the rezoning application—but hey that’s their job. I’ll save all the multitude of other ways to build housing, for another column, till then dear taxpayer, if you have any other questions about politics and how it really works, next time you see me in the produce aisle… ask away!

Ralph Forsyth is an entrepreneur and ski instructor, he served as a Whistler Councillor from 2005 to 2011, He’s never been accused of being the smartest guy in the room or the calm voice of reason.

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Should we Scrap the District Energy System?

My favorite economist, Milton Friedman, used a handy little quadrant to explain four ways to spend money: One, your money on yourself- you spend to gain the highest value. Two, spending your money on someone else – say a gift, you still look for value but remember, it’s the thought that counts. Third, spending someone else’s money on yourself; value is going to be a lot less important. Lastly, spending someone else’s money on someone else – no concern about price or value. This fourth way, dear reader, is the way the government spends your money.

That’s why taxpayers are often left out in the cold. A perfect example of this is the District Energy System.

Let me first say mea culpa. I was on the Council that approved the District Energy System and I was on the Whistler 2020 Development Corporation Board that developed Cheakamus Crossing, which by the way was the most talented group ever put together to work on a project in Whistler. You can’t blame that group for the problems with the DES. You can blame the Council that approved it, but ultimately it’s the council of the day that is responsible for it now.

Here’s how councils make these decisions: they blow a lot of hot air and make statements like “were going to be the greenest town on earth!” This is music to the ears of a seemingly endless parade of environmental consultants that tell you about this amazing technology that is going to save you tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save millions of dollars. It’ll cost you a fortune up front but that’s okay, you’ll have huge savings later. This gives councilors a warm and fuzzy feeling and they can brag about their green credentials, so they approve it. The list is long of underperforming extremely expensive technology that’s supposed to save you money down the road… but, it’s a dead end! These schemes rarely, if ever, provide the cost savings that are promised.

The aftermath of these decisions leads to the sunk cost fallacy; the idea that people are likely to continue with a project if they have already invested a lot of money, time, or effort in it, even when continuing is not the best option. Chillingly I believe this is the case with the DES. The residents of Cheakamus Crossing never asked for the greenest, fanciest, most complex heating system in the world. I think they just want to turn the heat up or down depending on whether they’re hot or cold. It’s time to call an electrician, rip out the DES and put in baseboard heating; at least you’ll know how it works and if there’s a problem you can call the electrician back and tell him to fix it.

After reviewing the 20 page Council report on the DES, I’d say it generates a lot of heat but no light, my takeaway from the report lies in the final paragraph, “We feel the RMOW is doing a good job running and maintaining the DES system.” I’m sure they are, the problem is that the RMOW is spending your money running and maintaining something they shouldn’t be… It should make your blood boil.

Ralph Forsyth is a local entrepreneur, Ski Instructor and Bike Guide he served on Whistler Council from 2005 to 2011 He’s an eccentric who likes to wear suits, quote Machiavelli and throw down big tricks in the bike park.

This Column was originally printed in the Whistler Question’s “Off the Record” on July 12, 2016

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Social Media and how it’s ruining politics

It’s a lot harder to say nasty things to people if you have to say it to them face to face.

Originally printed in the November 28th 2017 edition of the Whistler Question

In 1841 Abraham Lincoln, a masterful orator gave an address to the Temperance Society in his hometown of Springfield Illinois, he warned the crowd that that if they continued to denounce both sellers and drinkers of alcohol in “thundering tones of anathema and denunciation their cause would accomplish nothing. He encouraged them to take the approach of an “erring man to an erring brother”, and reminded them that “a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall”. Lincoln was famous for being able to see both sides of any issue, and his leadership was masterful because of his incredible empathy towards his fellow man.

Even after the incredible cost and bloodshed of the civil war Lincoln used his second inaugural address to encourage a sympathetic understanding for the nation’s alienated southern citizens: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

 

Currently this kind of understanding is in short supply, and the culprit could be social media. Most of us have, to some degree, an instinctual empathy towards others, yet according to Molly Crockett a PHD at Yale University social media’s influence may be enhancing social divisions and indifference to our fellow man.

 

In a paper “Moral outrage in the digital age” Dr. Crockett explains that because of the homophily inherent in social networks, people are only willing to share their views with people who already agree with them, so its’ difficult to see how we can overcome divisions, or move forward when confronted with contentious issues that require collaboration. On line discourse it turns out may not be the best way to come to understanding with people you disagree with, the reason is the reduced dimensionality of social media. It’s easy to type vitriol to a two dimensional avatar. It’s a lot harder to say nasty things to people if you have to say it to them face to face.

 

As a councillor I was a heavy user of social media from its infancy, it connected me to an audience that I never would have otherwise met, but it was incredibly inefficient, and left no room for nuance. I certainly endured some nauseating moments on social media, but in retrospect it seems pretty tame to the contemptuous commentary I see today. I’m so glad I don’t have to engage with social platforms as a councillor now. For a local politician the face to face contact is what you crave, it’s certainly the part of the job that I miss -epically the ski days talking politics. Lucky for you dear taxpayer it’s easy to access your local councillors, and in fact Jack Crompton and Jen Ford regularly host coffee talks with constituents.

 

Remember dear taxpayer it’s okay to have arguments, we all understand that most public issues involve trade-offs, and in most arguments, there are two partially true points of view. But rather than taking to twitter or freaking out on facebook, talk to someone, share a beer, a coffee or a few turns on the mountain, do something that activates the empathy which is essential for bridging political divides.

 

Ralph Forsyth is an entrepreneur and Ski Instructor, he served on Whistler Council from 2005 to 2011 He’s not the best skier on the mountain, but he’s got tremendous style.

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Campaign Issue: Whistler 2020

Twelve years ago I was part of the Council that adopted Whistler 2020, Whistler’s integrated community sustainability plan. This document is the community’s shared vision and plan for continued success. According to Statistics Canada our Population in 2011 was 9,824; in 2016 it jumped 20% to 11,854, so I’d say we’re on track to hit 15K by 2020. The problem is we aren’t building to the pace of our population growth.

Our Tourism visits are also at a breaking point and many in the community are asking if we’re “killing the golden goose.”

We had a plan and we’ve failed to follow it. In fact we’ve abandoned it. Now is the time to re-visit Whistler 2020 and chart our course for the future.

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