Krista Loughton
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Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No.
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?
Yes. I am a small business owner who has lived here for sixteen years, as has my family.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I am a small business owner and have been a documentary film director, writer, and producer for the past sixteen years.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
As a documentary filmmaker, I have spent the past fifteen years working closely with people experiencing mental health, addiction, and homelessness. My intention is to create impact and change through storytelling. By doing this work, I have become connected with community organizations locally and across Canada, as well as with all levels of government. I want to share my knowledge and get to work alleviating these problems in our community.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
My work as a filmmaker has been about telling stories to create public awareness and to influence politicians to change policy around mental health, addiction, and homelessness. Although my film, Us and Them, screened on Parliament Hill, and is used for staff training at the B.C. Legislature, I have yet to see the real changes that need to be made to alleviate these issues. So rather than working to influence politicians, I have decided to become one.
What are your top three issues?
To create A City of Communities by continuing the development of unique urban villages in every neighbourhood. Residents will be able to accomplish most of their daily necessities by walking or cycling from their homes (excluding folks with accessibility needs).
Increase Housing Affordability by building more non-market, co-op, and rental housing units so people who work in Victoria can afford to live here.
Collaborate with community groups and other levels of government to create real solutions for Mental Health, Addiction, and Homelessness.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
Victoria, still the garden city, is full of unique neighbourhood villages with a variety of housing options for people that serve Victoria’s past, present and future. We live in a climate friendly “15 minute city” that is vibrant and prosperous. Our city will be full of interesting green spaces, well functioning public transit and active transportation options, with many opportunities for community connection and flourishing small businesses. Families, no longer being priced out, stay to raise their children and take advantage of our quality recreation facilities. Seniors feel secure in their housing and access to healthcare. No one is living outside. We invest in our small businesses, protect our green spaces, and support our community members. We are a city that cares!
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
We need real solutions for homelesssness. The ultimate solution is social housing to support people living in poverty (preventing homelessness in the first place), but until that happens we need alternative forms of shelter. My big idea is very logical and practical: we need regionally sanctioned spaces for people to be. Victoria has taken this issue on for the region and it’s too big for one municipality. This requires a regional approach, and funding from the federal and provincial governments. As a councillor, I will convene the necessary partners to recreate the successful models we already have in our community (such as Anawim House, Culturally Supportive House, Spaken House, and Tiny Town), and build more of these facilities to be placed throughout the CRD.
