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Meet the six in person

These are the public events before October 17 where you can talk to the six council candidates we are voting for, face to face. Pick the one in your neighbourhood and take a neighbour. Hosts add names as campaigns confirm, so check the event page the day before, and tell us about anything we have missed.

  1. Downtown

    Thu Sep 24

    6 to 8 p.m. · Free, just walk in

    Meet and greet with the council candidates

    The Atrium, 800 Yates St., ground floor, wheelchair accessible. The Downtown Residents Association hosts. No tickets: you walk in and talk to the candidates one to one.

    From our six: Marg Gardiner, Stephen Hammond and Arthur McInnis are on the host's confirmed list, and more names may follow.

    Event page at victoriadra.ca

  2. James Bay

    Fri Sep 25

    5:30 to 6:50 p.m. open to all · 7 to 9 p.m. registered residents only

    James Bay all-candidates evening

    Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St. The James Bay Neighbourhood Association hosts, in two parts. First, 5:30 to 6:50 in the Pender Room, just inside the Quebec Street entrance: open to anyone, no sign-up, come and talk to the candidates. Then 7 to 9 in the ballroom, a moderated question session for James Bay residents who registered, and it is full (email jbna@jbna.org for the waitlist). The questions were gathered ahead of time, so none from the floor.

    From our six: All council candidates were invited. The host has not said who is coming.

    Event page at jbna.org

  3. Fernwood

    Mon Oct 5

    7 to 8:30 p.m. · Free, book a seat

    Candidates on food and community safety

    Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Ave. Go in by the back doors; the Pembroke Street way is wheelchair accessible. The Victoria Urban Food Table and Fernwood Neighbourhood House host, with the Mustard Seed's executive director asking the questions. Doors open at 7, it starts at 7:15 and wraps up by 8:30. Free, but book a seat on Eventbrite: it was nearly full on September 24.

    From our six: The host has not published a list.

    Book a seat on Eventbrite

  4. Fairfield

    Wed Oct 14

    7:30 to 9 p.m. · Everyone welcome, no sign-up

    Every candidate at a table: ask them anything

    Sir James Douglas school gym, 401 Moss St. The Fairfield Gonzales Community Association hosts. From 7:30 to 8:30 every candidate has a table, so you go straight to the ones you want and ask. Then a mayoral panel from 8:30 to 9. It is also an advance voting day, so you can vote on the way: places and hours.

    From our six: All candidates were invited. The host has not said who is coming.

    Event page at fgca.ca

Past events drop off by themselves. When the campaigns announce their own coffee mornings and door-knocking days, they go here too. Know of one we have missed? Email us.

Bring the five questions

An all-candidates evening goes by fast, and the people at the table have answered the easy questions a dozen times. Our five questions are the ones that separate a candidate who will consult first from one who says the word. Ask one, listen to the whole answer, and then ask what they would have done differently on the 2025 plan.

Also on: the mayor's race

We endorse for council only. The mayor's chair still decides how every meeting runs, so this one is worth an afternoon.

  1. Downtown

    Sun Sep 27

    4 to 6 p.m. · $5 · Mayor candidates only

    Mayoral debate

    The Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas St. The Downtown Residents Association hosts; live-streamed on Zoom and YouTube with captions. $5 at the door, and the host says to write to them if that is a barrier.

    From our six: None of the six is on this stage. It is here because the mayor chairs every meeting and decides whether you get heard.

    Details and registration

Most people who read this were sent it by someone they know.

Go once, and take a neighbour.