I love Esquimalt- the mix of people, strong sense of community and “live and let live” attitude.
I’m running for Esquimalt Council because I want to help our community actively tackle our housing and climate crises and make Esquimalt an even better place for families, children, and seniors to live in and get around.
Over the next weeks, I’ll be out talking to Esquimalt residents about what they see as our community’s priorities, and showing that I can be a positive advocate for your aspirations for Esquimalt.
My Priorities
Housing Affordability
Like everywhere in BC and Canada, too many people in Esquimalt are struggling to find affordable accommodation. Too many families and individuals are having to leave Esquimalt because they are unable to find housing that meets their needs and/or income levels. While affordable housing is largely a provincial and federal jurisdiction, there is a lot Esquimalt can do to help make housing more affordable.
Climate Change
Esquimalt, like many governments, has a long history of setting ambitious climate change targets, and then not doing much to ensure we actually meet them. Rather than making a big deal of our targets and intentions, I’d like Esquimalt to start developing some concrete actions and policies to match its ambitious plans and targets.
Safe Streets and Active Transportation
Esquimalt is a great place to walk and bike: but it could be so much better! There are many areas that lack sidewalks, and many vehicles don’t respect speed limits or stop signs in residential neighbourhoods. Where they do exist, many of our sidewalks and overall street design does not meet current standards for safe and comfortable pedestrian areas. We need to make Esquimalt’s streets feel safer for children and adults so more people feel comfortable walking and biking in our community.
Good Governance and Financial Management
The most important role of a council is governance and financial management. Council sets priorities and ensures that progress is being made towards these priorities. Taxpayer funds are limited, especially now given the economic climate, and need to be used with great care. Careful alignment of budgets with priorities is important.
Latest Updates
- Budget Thoughts 2026 – Part 3: The Operating BudgetThis is my third post on the 2026 budget. If you want the full context, the first two are here: https://www.duncancavens.ca/posts/2026-initial-budget-thoughts/https://www.duncancavens.ca/posts/2026-budget-capital-budget/ As always, these comments are my own. They are based on publicly available information and do not reflect the views of other councillors. I am doing some simple analysis here, and any errors are… Read More »Budget Thoughts 2026 – Part 3: The Operating Budget
- 2026 Budget – Capital BudgetEsquimalt council is once again in budget season, and dealing with a difficult 13% draft budget that staff have presented. A big part of the proposed budget increase (3% of that 13%) is related to increases in funds being set aside to support the Township’s capital budget. I will be making another post soon detailing some of… Read More »2026 Budget – Capital Budget
- 2026 Pre-Budget ThoughtsBudget Thoughts Esquimalt is about to start its annual budget process. Council will see staff’s first draft at the Council meeting on Monday, January 12. Esquimalt traditionally begins its budget process a bit later than many other municipalities, largely because we receive a substantial portion of our revenue from the federal government through the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes… Read More »2026 Pre-Budget Thoughts
- 2025 Budget: Sewer Infrastructure
[As Council struggles with a draft budget increase of 14.5%, I thought I’d write a few posts summarizing some of the key drivers behind staff’s proposed increases. I’m planning on following up with posts on the Police Budget, new FTEs requested, as well as the Capital Plan in general. I do want to be clear… Read More »2025 Budget: Sewer Infrastructure - Thoughts after a year on CouncilI’ve been reflecting on my first year on the Esquimalt Council—it has been quite a year, filled with a lot of reading, meeting lots of new people from across the region and a significant amount of learning. Despite my years of experience in municipal policy and having a keen interest in cities, local governments, and… Read More »Thoughts after a year on Council
Contact Duncan
I’m often out walking in Esquimalt with our lively dog, Poppy. Please feel free to stop me to chat!
I’m also happy to meet anyone for tea or coffee – drop me an email at duncan@duncancavens.ca or send me a direct message on Social Media.
Feel free to leave me a message on 250.412.3830