Art Pollard
Website: ArtPollard.ca
Facebook: The Art Pollard Council Campaign
Twitter:@art4saanich
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No, I am not associated with a slate.
Do you live in the municipality where you are running, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to that community?
I live in Saanich since 1979 (43 years)
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I worked for BC Ferries from 1986-2018. Currently have worked for Save on foods part time for roughly 2 years as a clerk.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
My community experience is diverse ranging from 13 years with Toastmaster’s International , 20 years with Saanich Block Watch, 6 years on the UVic Alumni association, including one term as Vice President. 10 years on the Cedar Hill Golf Committee, member of the Saanich Centennial committee, and two terms on the Mayor’s Special Event Committee. Also, I served six years as an Area director on the Quadra Cedar Hill Community association. I also served as representative of the Universities Model Parliament Society for seven years at University of Victoria. I also was active in various UVic charities.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
Public service is a calling and not a job. I have always believed that you give back to your society more than what you receive from it. In troubled times, we need leadership to find solutions to the problems that face us on the micro level in municipal government and work with the macro levels, (Provincial and Federal) governments. We need representation of all points of view in our society to solve these issues. My motivation is simple. I care, I work hard, and I want a better Saanich for all residents. I practice integrity, accountability, respect, leadership and collaboration.
What are your top three issues?
1. Housing is the top issue. How do we smart densify? And will the densification lower prices and promote affordability? Or is it outside municipal control? And where will the densification go?
2. Transportation. Better transit, walkable neighborhoods’, that are safe and have good access to amenities.
3. Protecting our environment and mitigation measures for climate change.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
I feel there will be many advances in green technology as the Climate crisis becomes worse. We have started to adapt to the effect of climate change, but some argue we are going too slow as we experience droughts, forest fires, other disasters. We will see cars decreasing in use as fossil fuels become phased out with various measures. Our homes will likely be less and less fueled by natural gas as the transition to electric will become more pronounced. I am hopeful that there will still be single family neighborhood’s although the densification pressures are severe now and it is hard to predict what will happen in the future. My largest concern is our youth, and how difficult it is currently to find housing, and find affordable housing. Every year we graduate 5-10,000 students from our universities and colleges but do they stay in Saanich. We cannot afford that loss of skill and knowledge.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
My one big idea would be an arts/theatre multiplex capable of seating 10,000 people. This was talked about a few years ago with David Foster. I think Saanich has definite need for a facility that could seat more than Save on Memorial Arena. The region has over 450,000 people. We do not have the venue to seat large numbers of people and attract first rate entertainment to Saanich. This idea is long overdue
We need the visionary leadership to make this happen.
