Adam Walker Questionnaire

Accurate

1. Finances

   “The current financial plan projects another cumulative 26% increase in municipal taxes over 2027–2030.”

   Accurate The amended Financial Plan projects 6.0%, 4.0%, 6.4% and 7.4%. Added together year on year, that is 26%.

   • The plan adopted in April 2026 projected more: 9.5%, 5.9%, 5.1% and 7.3%, about 31% over the four years. Council lowered the projections in July 2026.
   • Town tax went up 5.9% in 2023, 7.7% in 2024, 6.6% in 2025 and 6.5% in 2026.

   Sources: Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 921.01 (adopted Jul 15, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2023–2027 Financial Plan (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2024–2028 Financial Plan (adopted Mar 13, 2024) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2025–2029 Financial Plan (Town of Qualicum Beach)

2. Finances

   “The Town identifies roughly 25 kilometres of asbestos-cement water pipes, most of which were installed in the 1960s and early 1970s.”

   Accurate The Town’s public mapping data shows 25 km of asbestos-cement water pipe in service, most of it installed in the 1960s and 1970s. Town documents give 26 to 28.5 km.

   • Staff put the cost of replacing it at about $48 million, or $2 million a year over 20 years. In October 2025 the Town was putting aside about $1.1 million a year, roughly half of that.
   On this site:

   • Water pipe renewals
   • What staff say about the reserves

   Sources: 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Oct 22, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

3. Eaglecrest

   “No detailed information has been released about expected land sale revenue, the options council considered or estimated servicing costs.”

   Accurate Mostly right. The Town has published yearly land-sale totals and a servicing budget for the first phase, but not the detail behind them: expected revenue by lot or phase, the density and building-form options Council weighed, or what servicing will cost at the density it chose.

   • The budget bylaw counts on $6,824,800 from land sales in 2026, $5,483,400 in 2027 and $5,533,400 in 2028. The Town’s September 2026 FAQ lists the lots for sale and $800,000 for servicing the first phase. Neither breaks the figures down.
   • The Town hasn’t published the feasibility study it relied on, by MODUS Planning with Cunningham & Rivard Appraisals. A copy released under freedom of information has its financial figures blacked out. The Town also hasn’t published the due diligence reports or the staff report on the options Council weighed in April 2026. The FAQ admits markets have changed since that study.
   On this site:

   • Land sales and repayments
   • What the public hasn’t seen
   • Who advised the Town on Eaglecrest

   Sources: 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); Eaglecrest due diligence records, incl. the MODUS memo of Sep 25, 2025 (partly released under FOI-2026-33; published by Town Hall Math) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

4. Eaglecrest

   “Long-term borrowing by the Town itself would require elector approval, which takes time and money, and a failed vote could mean substantial tax increases.”

   Accurate Right at the scale Eaglecrest could need. The Town can borrow about $25 million without elector approval, but about half of that is already spoken for, and the project budget is $21.2 million.

   • Since June 2025, provincial rules let a town spend up to 10% of its yearly revenue on debt payments without elector approval. The limit used to be 5%. The Town’s own Financial Plan puts that room at about $25 million.
   • The Town’s budget already includes $12.8 million of borrowing in 2027 and 2028, mostly for a new public works and parks yard. That leaves roughly $12 million, well short of the Eaglecrest budget.
   • Elector approval doesn’t have to mean a vote. It can come from an alternative approval process, where the borrowing goes ahead unless 10% of voters object. That is cheaper and quicker than a referendum, but it can still fail.
   • The Town’s October 2025 Eaglecrest FAQ said much the same as he does: that borrowing would “generally” need a referendum or an alternative approval process.

   Sources: 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 921.01 (adopted Jul 15, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); FAQ: Eaglecrest Golf Course Lands (October 2025) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Municipal Liabilities Regulation, s. 7 (borrowing without elector approval) (Province of British Columbia); Province gives local governments more flexibility to borrow (Jun 24, 2025) (BC Government News); Community Charter, Part 4: ss. 89–92 (open and closed meetings) and s. 86 (alternative approval process) (Province of British Columbia)

5. Development

   “Seeing council rezone large parts of Eaglecrest for three- and five-storey apartments […] sets a worrying trend […]”

   Accurate The October 2025 rezoning allows up to three storeys (11 m) in one zone and five storeys (15 m) in another.

   • A motion to cap the five-storey zone at 12.75 m was changed to 15 m. Only Councillor Harrison voted against. The zone is meant for seniors’ housing or care, but the Town says it could also be built out entirely as housing.
   • Zoning sets a maximum. The Town says it still controls what gets built.
   On this site:

   • What residents told Council

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Oct 22, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); FAQ: Eaglecrest Golf Course Lands (October 2025) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

6. Development

   “When council voted down 125 long-term care and assisted living beds, that was a massive loss for people in our community.”

   Accurate Council refused the 125-bed care home at 431 College Road on October 22, 2025, 3–2.

   • Town planners had recommended moving it forward. Mayor Westbroek and Councillors Skipsey and Vander Valk voted to refuse it; Councillors Harrison and Young voted against refusing. Neighbours had sent a petition opposing it.
   • The plans had assisted living, memory care and long-term care. The operator expected 80 to 100 staff.
   On this site:

   • The 125-bed care home

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Oct 22, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Oct 22, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

7. Community funding

   “As a result, some organizations are well supported while others with real need are at a significant disadvantage. It isn’t fairly distributed, and it isn’t transparent.”

   Accurate The Town’s records back this up. Ten community requests this term asked for $431,054 and got $105,600. In 2023 and 2024 alone, the Town’s golf course got $431,000.

   • The Memorial golf course got a $350,000 bridge grant, $76,000 in waived rent and $5,000 for trees, plus a $350,000 loan. The Old School House asked for $75,000 a year and got $50,000 once.
   On this site:

   • Every request and project, by area
   • What the Memorial course got
   • Reasons given to community groups
   • The Old School House

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Feb 8, 2023 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jan 17, 2024 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 7, 2024 (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council minutes, Dec 17, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

8. Transparency

   “Provincial law allows closed meetings for a limited set of topics such as land, legal and personnel matters. In most cases, closing the meeting is a choice, not a requirement.”

   Accurate The Community Charter lists topics Council may close a meeting for, and a shorter list where it must.

   Sources: Community Charter, Part 4: ss. 89–92 (open and closed meetings) and s. 86 (alternative approval process) (Province of British Columbia)

9. Public input

   “I’ve watched council meetings run past five hours, followed by lengthy in-camera sessions.”

   Accurate Some did. On September 17, 2025, Council sat from 10 am to 3:11 pm with a half-hour lunch break.

   • On February 11, 2026, the public meeting ran from 10 am to 2:20 pm, then Council met in closed session until 3:43 pm.
   • Most regular meetings in 2025 and 2026 were shorter.

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Sep 17, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 11, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

10. Public input

    “On letters, I would bring back the correspondence log […]”

    Accurate Walker says he means public access to the letters themselves, which used to be kept at Town Hall. The Council agendas bear him out: until May 2023, the correspondence logs we checked said the letters could be read in a binder at the Town Hall information counter. By June 2023 that note was gone.

    • The note read: “Copies of the correspondence listed on the Council Correspondence Log are available to review in the binder at the Municipal Offices information counter, #201 – 660 Primrose Street.” It was on the logs through his time on Council and after, and last appeared on May 3, 2023. We found no Council decision to end it.
    • The log itself is still on every regular agenda we checked, most recently September 9, 2026. He says he proposed putting the correspondence online as well; in January 2020 he moved that the log be posted on the Town website, and the motion carried.
    • The log lists each letter’s date and subject, not what it says. Publishing the letters themselves, which he also proposes, would be new.
    • The log does say less than it used to. In 2021 it named each sender; by 2023 it listed only dates and subjects.
    • He also says he would bring back Committee of the Whole meetings “in a meaningful way.” Those still meet too: town-hall style meetings with public questions began in 2025.

    Sources: Regular Council agenda, Nov 18, 2020 (correspondence log and binder note, p. 6) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, May 3, 2023 (last correspondence log with the binder note, p. 10) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Jun 14, 2023 (correspondence log without the binder note, p. 10) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jan 15, 2020 (correspondence log on the website; Railway Street rezoning, first reading) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Sep 9, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jul 15, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 11, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Qualicum Beach introduces new ‘town hall’ style committee meetings (Feb 8, 2025) (Parksville Qualicum Beach News)

11. Governance

    “Several committees have been disbanded, are in the middle of changes or exist on paper but no longer meet.”

    Accurate Council dissolved three committees this term and reorganized a fourth.

    • In May 2024 Council dissolved the Select Committee on Public Safety, Accessibility and Emergency Preparedness, and the Airport Users Committee. In November 2025 it dissolved the Select Committee on Parks and Recreation, replacing it with one Committee of the Whole meeting a year.
    • In March 2026 it rescinded the Accessibility Advisory Team’s terms of reference and adopted a new framework, keeping most of its members.
    • We didn’t check which committees still meet.

    Sources: Regular Council agenda, Feb 12, 2025 (summary of 2024 Council resolutions) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Nov 20, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Mar 25, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

12. FireSmart

    “[…] fill the vacant position on our emergency management team so we are prepared.”

    Accurate The Town’s 2026 Financial Plan lists its Climate Action/Emergency Program Coordinator post as vacant.

    • The plan says the post was also vacant for half of 2025. Emergency management is shared with Parksville through Emergency Management Oceanside. Its June 2026 update still lists the Town’s Director of Planning as the Town’s emergency contact, in place of a coordinator.

    Sources: 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Emergency Management Oceanside community update (Jun 4, 2026) (City of Parksville)

13. Eaglecrest

    “More than a year in, no land has been sold.”

    Accurate No Eaglecrest land sale has closed. Council approved the funding plan in July 2025.

    • The Town’s land sales page still shows every lot and parcel as for sale. Offers on Blind Bogey Drive closed in June 2026 and proposals for land on Country Club Drive in July 2026.
    • The budget counts on $6,824,800 from land sales in 2026.
    On this site:

    • Land sales and repayments

    Sources: Special Council minutes, Jul 23, 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); Eaglecrest land sales (Town of Qualicum Beach)

14. Regional District

    “RDN costs have grown significantly, led by the French Creek Pollution Control Centre expansion and recreation, along with the regional hospital district’s capital contributions.”

    Accurate The Regional District’s tax on Qualicum Beach rose about 40% from 2022 to 2026, and sewage treatment is the biggest reason.

    • The RDN collected $4.78 million from Qualicum Beach in 2022 and $6.67 million in 2026. In 2026 its rate rose $11.23 per $100,000 of assessment. $10.20 of that was sewage treatment, which the RDN puts down to capital spending and debt for the French Creek plant.
    • The French Creek expansion is budgeted at $143.7 million, with $25.5 million in grants.
    • Recreation is a smaller factor than he suggests. It rose $3.00 in 2026, for Ravensong pool, and its share of the RDN bill has fallen.
    • The hospital district is a separate tax. Its levy went up 21% in 2026.

    Sources: Qualicum Beach 2026 RDN Property Tax Brochure (Regional District of Nanaimo); French Creek Pollution Control Centre expansion (Regional District of Nanaimo); Regional District of Nanaimo hospital levy increasing by 21% (Mar 27, 2026) (Nanaimo News Bulletin)

15. Regional District

    “On health care, our region has committed large sums toward a new patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Both major party leaders promised that tower in the last provincial election, yet recent announcements make it clear it is not on the horizon.”

    Accurate Both leaders promised the tower in October 2024. The 2026 provincial budget funds only initial planning.

    • The regional hospital district has agreed to pay for the business plan and all of a new cardiac lab, and puts its share of five priority projects at about $519 million.
    • Island Health’s concept plan is due in summer 2027. No construction money has been announced.

    Sources: Nanaimo Regional Hospital District: priority projects and FAQ (Regional District of Nanaimo); Eby and Rustad make healthcare promises days before election day (Oct 17, 2024) (CHLY 101.7 FM); Province confirms initial planning for expansion at Nanaimo hospital (Feb 17, 2026) (NanaimoNewsNOW)

16. FireSmart

    “When I was MLA, we secured funding to bring the area around Eagle Park up to modern FireSmart standards. […] That opportunity was missed.”

    Accurate The Province did fund and carry out FireSmart work around Eagle Park, finished in 2024. What he says was missed is the chance to use it to teach residents, which is a judgment we have no record to check against.

    • We first read “that opportunity was missed” as saying the work wasn’t done. Walker told us he meant the public education, and that he was there before, during and after the work. His full answer bears that out.
    • In May 2023 Council heard that the BC Wildfire Service planned to reduce fire hazards on 1.94 hectares of provincial land around the Eagle Park care home and the ambulance station, and asked for a meeting and a walk-through. The Service presented its plan to Council that October.
    • The Town’s 2024 wildfire plan says the work was under way as the plan was written. In January 2025 Town staff described the area next to Eagle Park as having had “FireSmart fuel reduction initiatives completed in 2024.”
    • The same plan made the neighbouring Community Park its top area for treatment. In May 2026 staff said brush cleanup there had been delayed by bird migration and equipment problems. We found no money budgeted for it.

    Sources: Regular Council minutes, May 3, 2023 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Oct 11, 2023 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Qualicum Beach looks for ways to reduce risk of wildfires (Oct 2023) (Parksville Qualicum Beach News); Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Jan 22, 2025 (draft 2025–2029 Financial Plan) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Committee of the Whole (Parks and Recreation) minutes, May 27, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Adam Walker’s record in office

• 2023 · Provincial record

  Removed from NDP caucus

  Misconduct found after a staff complaint; details not public.

• 2018–2020 · Council record

  On Council, 2018–2020

  Court fight over closed-door orders; Council disowned his survey.

Everything on Adam Walker

More on Adam Walker

• Mayor candidate

  Adam Walker Website

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