Four first-time candidates seek council positions in Comox

E leven candidates are seeking Comox Town Council seats in this year’s municipal election. In addition to the six incumbents, the slate has four serious challengers and all of them are first-time council candidates.

Comox Mayor Nicole Minions has already won her race by acclimation. But the six council chairs are up for grabs and these four well-qualified candidates hope to unseat the incumbents.

Here are short profiles of the new candidates.

Jessica Wegg

This may be Jessica Wegg’s first foray into municipal politics, but she is no newcomer to campaigning. She ran for Parliament in the last two federal elections in the North Island-Powell River riding (which includes Comox) on the Green Party ticket.

A criminal defence and Legal Aid lawyer, and a partner in the Saeed & Little law firm, Wegg is licensed to practice in both British Columbia and the U.S. She also has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and taught at the college level.

Wegg says her campaign platform in this election is all about fostering the idea of ‘community’ and building resiliency.

“A town that knows its neighbours handles hard things better,” she says. “And council’s job is to make that easier.”

Wegg has served as chair, vice-char and secretary of the Brooklyn Elementary School Parents Advisory Committee. Making the community better for young people is one of her passions.

Wegg says Comox area young people “need more safe places to socialize, play and get off their screens.” She promises to promote free and accessible recreation infrastructure for the town’s youth.

She’s also an advocate for climate change resiliency and the environment.

“Climate change reaches everything from the water we drink and the air we breathe to grocery bills and home insurance premiums,” she says.

Wegg wants more transparency in town finances.

“I will work for the people of Comox ,rather than the corporations and developers who stand to profit from us,” she says.

Neil Ladell

Neil Ladell is no stranger to engaging with people and multiple levels of government on complex policy and regulatory issues.

As the Regional Manager for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ladell says he’s committed to “improving community participation in local decision-making processes and the fair treatment of all voices.”

Ladell earned his PhD degree in Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University. He also holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Development Studies and Women’s Studies from the University of Calgary.

He recognizes that Comox faces increased financial and environmental pressures brought on by population growth.

“There will be a lot of big decisions for the next council: rezoning applications, infrastructure upgrades, tight finances and environmental change like droughts,” he said. “I want community members to have their say on addressing these types of issues.”

Ladell believes his expertise in federal government consulting on policy and running funding programs will enable him to contribute strategic thinking, a collaborative approach to governance and “a strong moral compass.”

“My priorities for building a more resilient Comox include planning for affordable and innovative housing while conserving the community’s character, supporting arts and culture, local business, sustainable urban forest management, youth recreation and inclusive spaces and managing the Town’s finances responsibly,.” he says.

Lisa Bourgeois

After two years of experience in the inner workings of local government at the City of Courtenay, Lisa Bourgeois is ready to try the other side of the table.

Bourgeois has lived around the world with her husband, a sound recordist for films and documentaries. She moved to Comox in 2022 from Burnaby, with her husband and two children, after first getting to know the area on a camping trip. She was drawn to the town’s setting, sense of community and quality of life.

Having left her job in the tech industry, the City of Courtenay hired Bourgeois as its Deputy Corporate Officer and later for a new position as Manager, Change Management.

Those positions suited her education and professional background. She studied at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the University of Georgia.

She is a Certified Change Management Practitioner, who has worked with both startup and large organizations to move through change in a structured way. She’s focused on clear communication and “making sure people understand what is changing, why it matters and what they need to do differently.”

At Courtenay city hall, a key part of her job was helping citizens and staff understand a process, policy or decision. And, in her Change Management position, she worked alongside planners, engineers and other municipal staff on complex initiatives, usually involving development and the Official Community Plan.

“That experience strengthened one of my core beliefs about local government: communication is a public service,” she told Decafnation.

Communication has to be clear, but the timing also has to be right.

“Governments often start communicating too late, when most of a project’s work has already been done. The engagement becomes a formality and thus a waste of time and money,” she told Decafnation. “Engagement has to happen with an open mind and with enough time to make changes in direction.”

Bourgeois sees this as an important reason for entering the political side of local government. “Residents should be better informed and more meaningfully included in the decisions that shape their community.”

She was inspired to run for office after attending a two-day session with Comox business owners, developers and residents to share visions for the future of the town. And it raised questions for her.

“Who’s planning the town?” she said. While planners are working on zoning details and things that matter today, “who’s drawing up the plans for 50 or 100 years from now?”

Bourgeois knows the town can’t stop people from moving here, so it will continue to grow.

“But we can build the town to support this evolution. People just haven’t been sold a vision of what that could be.

Vivian Chislett

Vivian Chislett knows about zoning requirements and Official Community Plans and how the municipal approval process works for developments. She has managed the Chislett Architecture and Planning firm for 20 years, half of its life in the Comox Valley.

So she knows that Town Council work has become increasingly complex by mandated housing targets, aging infrastructure, affordability, environmental resilience and rapidly changing technology.

“Times like these call for fresh faces at the Council table,” she told Decafnation. “People who bring a depth of experience, new perspectives and a broader range of skills.”

Her work has ranged from project feasibility, pro formas and to serving as lead project manager for large consultant teams and guiding a wide range of applications through municipal approval processes.

Over the past two years, she has been actively helping neighbours understand proposed changes in Comox — sharing information, bringing neighbourhoods together and advocating for meaningful public participation.

“I advocate for balanced growth that encourages the housing types our current residents need, supports our vibrant local economy, and respects what we love about Comox,” she said. “Our neighbourhoods, our incredible natural surroundings and the quality of life we are fortunate to have here.”

If elected, Chislett says she would “Bring integrity, compassion and transparency, hands-on experience, a fresh perspective and a strong neighbourhood lens.”