Eric Wood Zhelka
Website: www.ericz.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericzhelka.ca
Twitter: Twitter: @ericzhelka
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, since 2005 when we moved here from the Toronto Islands.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I have been a Professional Engineer since 1991, originally trained as a systems and telecom engineer. After working as a management consultant, I now work full time for the BC Government, Emergency Management BC, in the area of IT.
Please include the URLs for any websites/social media you are using for your campaign.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
I was elected to Oak Bay Council in 2014, re-elected in 2018, and worked hard to improve the way our municipality was being governed. Particularly with development transparency, heritage and environmental preservation, finance, taxes and infrastructure/asset management. All of our bylaws & policies are still to be rewritten to align with the Official Community Plan as the pandemic slowed everything down. I will bring my heart, deep expertise, and professional experience to bear and work hard to craft those bylaws & policies to reflect a balanced, intelligent, cautious approach to changes, always in consultation with Oak Bay residents. More can be found at: https://www.ericzhelka.ca/about
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am passionate about Oak Bay - ‘cause it’s near perfect just the way it is (and those of us who have travelled widely know what I mean). I am worried about the environment and am pleased I was part of making District of Oak Bay “GHG negative” since 2015 - and there is more we can do. As a systems engineer, I prefer a pace of change that fully considers the unintended consequences. Second and third order thinking, with compassion, are approaches of which I’d like to see more in our political discourse and especially around the Council table.
What are your top three issues?
Density - what is appropriate for Oak Bay and where. Secondary Suites is relatively easy when compared to the issues that will be raised with Infill;
Dollars - as a small community with nearly no business taxes, we need to be careful;
Reconciliation - as the third order of government, we have no legal requirement to do anything. Morally is a different matter. At the very least, Oak Bay Council will need to be nimble with the changes that, most likely, will be requested from the Federal and Provincial levels (and maybe downloaded to us?)
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
The Oak Bay Official Community Plan is up for renewal in this upcoming mandate. I want to work with my community on a shared vision - that we express there. The Oak Bay Marina issue I’d like to see settled for the long term - as long as it provides financial benefit to the community (taking into account asset management) in addition to the many soft benefits we receive. While I am opposed to any talk of amalgamation, I recognize and support the role of the CRD, not just for general services such as clean water and sewage, but also playing a major role in the reconciliation efforts across the region that includes all of us, first nations and not. The E&N Rail Line must be saved and fully pressed back into service.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
“Temporary Use Permits” - many other local authorities have already implemented this special temporary permitting process that allows us to “try out” a new land use that our zoning would not allow. It lasts for up to 6 years and, if we don’t change the zoning to permanently allow it, that temporary use expires and must be removed.
I think this would allow us to innovate and try out some of the interesting ideas that have come forward recently such as a business idea or maybe a daycare in a residential zone (supported by the neighbours, of course).
