Barb Desjardins
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
Not part of 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?
Have lived in Esquimalt for 32 years.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Physiotherapist for 35 years (retired).
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
• Elected to Esquimalt Council as Councillor 2005-2008
• Elected to Esquimalt Council as Mayor 2008 to present
Elected CRD chair 2016 and 2017
• Physiotherapist to Esquimalt Cougars Junior B Hockey Team
• Trainer for Victoria Rebels Football Club
• Former Owner of 3 Physiotherapy Clinics (James Bay, Vic West, and View Royal)
• Operated the Aquatic Therapy Program out of Esquimalt Recreation Centre
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am running because I want to continue Building an Even Better Esquimalt. Esquimalt is changing. Growth is bringing young families and greater diversity, requiring new and increased services. We have done significant work to develop roadmaps for economic development, active transportation, and climate action and I am motivated to move from plans and into actions.
I also want to resolve the policing issue in Esquimalt. The township is spending more money on policing than other communities of a similar size/crime rating. These are funds that could better serve our community in a variety of other ways.
What are your top three issues?
Medical Services – Esquimalt’s 2018 Health Needs Assessment provided the roadmap describing community needs. We must continue to build partnerships to deliver these services.
Public Safety/Policing – Our council has listened to the public and is determined to find a more equitable policing solution for our residents. Significant work still lies ahead with the Province.
Housing/ Economic Development – Our development approvals currently include up to 2,400 units of housing, including affordable options for young people, families, and seniors, and importantly, new commercial and retail space. Public input has been essential in our township’s evolution and will continue to be central to our work.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
That Esquimalt continues to build its ‘vibe’ as a vibrant and diverse township recognized for its heart and strong sense of community, known for a dynamic cultural scene full of festivals, programs, and events which actively engage people of all ages and abilities as it builds social cohesion. It would feature a thriving main street with a variety of busy storefronts, plenty of public art, a network of community wellness centers providing trauma-informed and culturally appropriate integrated healthcare, enhanced recreational options, and more examples of reconciliation in action through economic development partnerships with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. And Esquimalt would continue to be a regional leader in climate action using an Integrated Resource Management system for waste management.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
I would like to see a post-secondary facility in Esquimalt, bringing lifelong learning options closer to home, making it easier for more people from our community to advance and compete in a rapidly changing world. From first and second-year general academic programs to trades training and professional development opportunities, a post-secondary hub would be transformative in helping to realize the full potential of our residents. Fewer GHGs and hours wasted in transit, more hours to study or to achieve better school/work/life balance. A chance to forge further educational connections with Esquimalt’s marine industries, and the potential for greater integration of Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our post-secondary spaces. That’s my big idea.
