Businessman Bruce Findlay says he has had enough and is running for a council seat in North Cowichan in October’s municipal election.
Findlay, the owner of The Lion Rampant Scottish Pub and real-estate development company SureFire Properties Inc., said the Cowichan Valley is in a time of intense housing issues, crushing inflationary pressures and continual economic concerns and the current council “seems to have blinders on”.
“It’s time for a systemic change in council, with strong, local, qualified, business-minded and financially adept North Cowichan leaders,” Findlay said.
Findlay said in his 27 years in the real estate industry, he has experienced the cycles of housing previously, and has the ideas and skill set to tackle these difficult situations.
“I’ve seen the ebbs and flows of the real estate cycle,” he said.
“I’ve seen the supply issues and the demand issues before, and I have ideas on how to handle these concerns.”
Findlay is also a director of Anya’s Journey Foundation, a non-profit society created to build an all-ages, inclusive and accessible playground at Fuller Lake.
“I am a unique candidate for council as I am connected to all areas of North Cowichan through my residence in Crofton, my businesses based in Maple Bay, the playground project and a development property located in Chemainus and professional ties in the South End,” he said.
Findlay said he believes in strong financial stewardship, accountability and oversight, sustainable resource development, resilient economic growth through small business promotion and support, and moving mountains to solve the local housing crisis.
“The lack of development approvals in North Cowichan for the past four years is unacceptable, and we need a new, development-friendly and forward-thinking council to tackle these issues head on,” he said.
Check out www.brucefindlay.com for more information, as well as Finlay’s Facebook page, fb.com/brucefindlaync or Instagram page, Instagram.com/brucefindlaync.