Owen Brandon
Facebook: owen brandon
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?
I live in Sooke
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I have owned a taxi company in Sooke BC for the last 7 years
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
I have spoken to councillors a number of times trying to get better street lighting at night.
A waste of time.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
Street lighting in Sooke is a death trap. I have been asking people on Sooke Council for a decade to have better lighting at a number of intersections and they just fob it off. Somebody has to get killed before anything is done.
When ever I drive my taxi a customer tells me about being reno-victed. At the same time the pool of Airbnb accommodation keeps growing. Clearly there is linkage. There is no point in new housing if it turns into an Airbnb.
What are your top three issues?
Sooke is at the end of a highway built to rural standards in 1967. It has to be replaced.
We have to get the housing situation under control. Airbnb has taken over. I call it the UBER-ization of the housing market
The roads in Sooke are terrible. Full stop. The garages make a good living replacing struts and shock absorbers.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
I see a growing community with good cell service and modern roads that can handle the traffic.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
Bus service in Sooke stinks. Mayor Tait has pushed for more bus service in the community. I’m sure we all totally support her on this.
I would like to see a system that rations access to sections of road that are often congested.
Drivers will pay a small charge to drive on a busy stretch of road during rush-hour. Statistically a percentage of residents will avoid the charge and start their trips either 15 minutes early or later. This would reduce congestion.
The revenue to the Sooke treasury. Some have told me that this does not represent a long term solution. Right now we don’t even have short-term solutions.
