Robert Filmer Questionnaire

Accurate

1. Finances

   “When my term ended, Qualicum Beach had approximately $22.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, after funding municipal operations and capital expenditures during the year, while also transferring approximately $6.9 million into reserves.”

   Accurate The audited statements show $22,442,932 in cash at the end of 2022. The Town’s budget records show $6,904,430 moved to reserves that year.

   • Cash rose $4.5 million in 2022. Land sales brought in $4.15 million of that, and the Town borrowed $920,000.

   Sources: 2022 Consolidated Financial Statements (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2024–2028 Financial Plan (adopted Mar 13, 2024) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

2. Finances

   “During our term, that cost was recovered and reserves were strengthened further through the strategic sale of historic pockets of Town-owned land that provided little public benefit beyond their financial value.”

   Accurate In 2022 the Town reported that land sales had paid back the reserve money spent on the St. Andrews property, now Saahtlam Park.

   • The Town paid for the 2018 purchase from its reserves, and said it would sell Town land of “lesser community significance” to put the money back.
   • The Town took in $4.15 million from land sales in 2022 alone.

   Sources: 2021 Annual Report (land sales replenish reserve funds, p. 42) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2022 Annual Report (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2022 Consolidated Financial Statements (Town of Qualicum Beach); Town of Qualicum Beach to sell more than $5M in real estate (Jul 15, 2018) (Nanaimo News Bulletin)

3. Finances

   “We also ensured that a $1 million community amenity contribution from a development was set aside equally to support our parks and local healthcare needs.”

   Accurate On his motion in June 2022, Council split the developer’s contribution from 850 Eaglecrest Drive and 2075 Island Highway West: half to parks and conservation, half to local health care.

   • Staff recommended a contribution of $1,090,000, the top of an independent estimate. The split passed 3–2, with Councillors Westbroek and Skipsey opposed.
   • In December 2023 the current Council put the parks half, $500,000, toward the skate park. The health care half is where the $400,000 for the Primrose Street clinic came from.
   On this site:

   • The hospital donation

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Jun 8, 2022 (amenity contribution split) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Apr 27, 2022 (public hearing, 850 Eaglecrest Drive and 2075 Island Highway West) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Dec 6, 2023 (strategic planning recommendations) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council agenda, Jul 31, 2026 (health care contribution) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

4. Development

   “During my previous term, I was proud to support projects that created 106 rental homes between Qualicum Station and East Village. Approximately 61 were affordable or attainable units, including subsidized, below-income and below-market housing, while another 45 were market rentals.”

   Accurate Close. Qualicum Station has 56 affordable homes and East Village has 50 rentals, 3 of them below market. By our count that is 59 affordable, not 61.

   • Council rezoned the Town’s Railway Street land for Qualicum Station on March 11, 2020, 3–2. Filmer moved first reading in January 2020 but voted against the rezoning at second reading, third reading and adoption. In May 2021 he voted for the building’s development permit. The Town supplied the land, worth $3.3 million. The building opened in July 2025. Rent for about 70% of the homes is set by income.
   • Council adopted the East Village rezoning on September 21, 2022, 3–1, with Filmer in favour. An amendment he seconded requires three apartments to rent at 20% below the CMHC rate.

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Mar 11, 2020 (Railway Street rezoning, third reading and adoption, pp. 5–6) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 5, 2020 (Railway Street rezoning, second reading, p. 13) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, May 27, 2021 (Railway Street development permit, p. 7) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Kiwanis “Residences at Qualicum Station” (Town of Qualicum Beach); New affordable homes open in Qualicum Beach (Jul 7, 2025) (BC Government News); Regular Council minutes, Sep 21, 2022 (East Village rezoning adopted) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Aug 10, 2022 (East Village affordable units; 850 Eaglecrest Drive adopted; St. Andrews Lodge ballot question; emergency declaration) (Town of Qualicum Beach); East Village Qualicum Beach (East Village developer)

5. Eaglecrest

   “Costs have grown considerably, and I am concerned that the financial demands of the project have come at the expense of other Town priorities.”

   Accurate The Town bought the course for $8.5 million. Its Eaglecrest budget is now $21.2 million, and Council pushed back 33 community projects to pay for it.

   • In October 2025 the Town’s FAQ said a future operator could improve the course, and the Town might pay for improvements only from surplus land-sale money. The budget now includes the course work.
   • In July 2026 revised costs for the clubhouse, the course, equipment and a maintenance building raised the budget from $20.7 million to $21.2 million. That was after $2.86 million of pipe work on Eaglecrest Drive was moved out of it.
   On this site:

   • The full Eaglecrest budget
   • Everything pushed back

   Sources: FAQ: Eaglecrest Golf Course Lands (October 2025) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 921.01 (adopted Jul 15, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Eaglecrest Project FAQ, Sep 14, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jun 24, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council minutes, Jul 23, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council agenda and deferral lists, Jul 23, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Couldn’t verify

1. FireSmart

   “One area that concerns me is around the Qualicum Beach Airport. Significant brush and vegetation have been cleared, but much of that material has remained on the ground.”

   Not verified The tree work at the airport is on record. What happened to the cut material isn’t.

   • The Town’s draft 2025 budget included a survey and tree management for Runway 29, paid from the Strategic Initiatives Reserve. The 2026 Financial Plan shows a one-time $130,000 airport project, paid from reserves, as spent in 2025.
   • We found no report, minutes or budget line on what happened to the cut material.

   Sources: Regular Council agenda, Jan 22, 2025 (draft 2025–2029 Financial Plan) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Robert Filmer’s record in office

• 2018–2022 · Council record

  On Council, 2018–2022

  Voted against ruling out an Eaglecrest purchase, and against the Qualicum Station rezoning.

• 2019–2021 · Council workplace

  Leave and investigation

  He alleged discrimination; the Town said its investigator found no evidence.

Everything on Robert Filmer

More on Robert Filmer

• Council candidate

  Robert Filmer Flyer

  • Accurate × 4