Teunis Westbroek Accessibility Questionnaire

Inaccurate

1. Accessible parking

   “I see this is a key priority that should be addressed in the parking management strategy which includes review of offstreet parking and the reserve fund by law which is scheduled for 2028.”

   Inaccurate The study is scheduled for 2027, not 2028. It was set for 2026 until the 2025 Eaglecrest funding plan, which he voted for, pushed it back a year.

   • The Town’s 2026–2030 Financial Plan has $42,000 in 2027 for the “Parking Management Strategy Including Review of Off-street Parking and Reserve Fund Bylaw No.500.02, 2005 & Paid Permitted Parking Plan for Uptown Businesses.” The June 2026 amendment to the plan kept it in 2027.
   • In December 2024 Council set it for 2026. In July 2025 the Eaglecrest funding plan moved it to 2027. That plan carried 4–1: the Mayor voted for it and Councillor Harrison against.
   • The Town’s own Accessibility Plan already lists two actions on accessible parking: better enforcement against drivers without a permit, and a review of the Zoning Bylaw’s standards and ratios for accessible spaces.
   On this site:

   • The parking management strategy

   Sources: 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Staff report: 2026–2030 Financial Plan Amendment, Jun 24, 2026 (Figure 1 funding strategy, p. 244; Schedule A reconciliation, p. 253) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Dec 11, 2024 (2025 strategic planning decisions) (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); Accessibility Plan (September 2024; the Town’s commitment, p. 7; 56% over 65, p. 9; accessible parking actions, p. 26) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Misleading

1. Accessible homes in new developments

   “The 2024 BC building code now mandates at 20% of dwelling units in new large multi family residential buildings and ground floor smaller apartment suites built as accessible units.”

   Misleading The 20% is right, but the code requires those homes to be adaptable, not accessible: built with some accessible features and ready to be changed later. The rule took effect in March 2025.

   • Since March 10, 2025, the BC Building Code has required one in five homes in large apartment buildings, and one in five on the first floor of small apartment buildings, to be adaptable. The Province had proposed 100% and started at 20%. The 2024 code took effect in March 2024, but the Province put this part off a year.
   • The code defines an adaptable home as one “designed and constructed with some accessible features” that can later be changed to add more. Grab bars, for example, aren’t required, only walls strong enough to take them. The code doesn’t require any home to be fully accessible when it’s built.
   • He adds that “Local governments can enforce the accessibility standards.” Local building officials do enforce the provincial code. But the Building Act stops towns from adding their own technical building rules on matters the code covers. The Province says some local governments use density benefits, extra density in return for public benefits, to get more adaptable homes.

   Sources: Information Bulletin B25-01: Application of Adaptable Dwelling Unit Provisions in the 2024 BC Building Code (Mar 10, 2025) (Province of British Columbia); Information Bulletin B24-09-R4: Adaptable Dwelling Units, Frequently Asked Questions (revised Mar 10, 2025) (Province of British Columbia); Adaptable-dwelling, seismic provisions take effect March 10 (Mar 10, 2025) (BC Government News); Building Act, s. 5 (local building requirements) (Province of British Columbia); Information Bulletin B25-02: New 2024 BC Building Code Requirements for Adaptable Dwelling Units (density benefits) (Province of British Columbia)

Accurate

1. The Accessibility Advisory Team

   “improved accessibility features at town hall. A good example is the accessibility at the Leigh house washrooms which involved a site visit and relied on the lived experience of our valuable advisory team members.”

   Accurate The Accessibility Advisory Team chose both projects in April 2026. Automatic door openers went in at Leigh House on September 2 and at Town Hall on September 10 and 11.

   • The team’s April 27, 2026 minutes list three approved projects, paid from the Town’s $50,000 a year for accessibility: washroom doors at Town Hall ($21,000), a Dollymount Trail repair ($20,000) and Leigh House washroom doors ($7,000).
   • The minutes don’t mention a site visit.
   • The Eaglecrest funding plan didn’t cut the $50,000 a year for fixes like these. It pushed back the accessibility planning work.
   On this site:

   • The accessibility plan

   Sources: Accessibility Advisory Team minutes, Apr 27, 2026 (2026 projects approved) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Accessibility Advisory Team agenda, Sep 21, 2026 (door operators installed) (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

2. What universal access means

   “Universal access to me is outlined in the town’s accessibility plan that was produced in 2024. The plan states that the Town of Qualicum Beach is committed to identifying removing and preventing barriers across its services programs, and infrastructure in order to benefit the community in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.”

   Accurate The Town’s Accessibility Plan, endorsed by Council in September 2024, says this almost word for word.

   • The plan says the Town “is committed to identifying, removing, and preventing barriers across its services, programs, and infrastructure.” Council endorsed it unanimously on September 11, 2024.
   • Provincial law required a first plan by September 2023. The Town posted a draft that month and endorsed the final plan a year later.
   On this site:

   • The accessibility plan

   Sources: Accessibility Plan (September 2024; the Town’s commitment, p. 7; 56% over 65, p. 9; accessible parking actions, p. 26) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Sep 11, 2024 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Accessible British Columbia Act, s. 9: accessibility committee (Province of British Columbia)

Couldn’t verify

1. The Accessibility Advisory Team

   “I’m pleased to see that we are using our advisory team for site visits and bringing projects to them such as the plan for the waterfront and other capital projects”

   Not verified We found no Town record of the waterfront plan going to the Accessibility Advisory Team.

   • The main waterfront project in the Town’s budget is the $4.6 million Highway 19A Waterfront Complete Street project, budgeted for 2026 and dependent on grants. The team’s April 2026 minutes and September 2026 agenda don’t mention it.
   • The Town’s library has no team agendas or minutes between January 2024 and April 2026, so the team may have seen the plan at a meeting with no published record.
   • Since March 2026, the team’s framework says staff will bring plans for public spaces to it. In April 2026 the team itself listed “Seawall walking path improvements” among future projects.

   Sources: 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Accessibility Advisory Team minutes, Apr 27, 2026 (2026 projects approved) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Accessibility Advisory Team agenda, Sep 21, 2026 (door operators installed) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Accessibility Advisory Team Framework (March 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Promises and opinions: the record so far

We don’t rate promises or opinions. Where the document raises an issue with a public record, here is what it shows.

1. The Accessibility Action Plan

   “I’m committed to bringing the Action Plan forward in strategic planning 2027 to see what we can do with this timeline knowing how important it is to keep advancing accessibility initiatives.”

   This is a promise, so we don’t rate it. He moved to schedule the Action Plan for 2028, then voted for the Eaglecrest funding plan that moved it to 2029.

   • The Town’s Accessibility Advisory Team asked Council for an action plan in July 2024: the steps, costs and timelines to put the Accessibility Plan into practice.
   • In October 2024 he moved that the Action Plan be budgeted in 2028, with half a staff position for accessibility from 2029. It carried unanimously.
   • In July 2025 he voted for the Eaglecrest funding plan, which moved it to 2029. That carried 4–1, with Councillor Harrison opposed. The 2026–2030 Financial Plan still shows $50,000 in 2029, and says Council will set its priorities for 2027 and later at its 2027 strategic planning.
   On this site:

   • The Accessibility Action Plan

   Sources: Regular Council minutes, Sep 11, 2024 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Committee of the Whole minutes, Oct 21, 2024 (Ravensbourne housing deferral; railway stop signs; Accessibility Action Plan, p. 12) (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); 2026–2030 Financial Plan (adopted Apr 1, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Teunis Westbroek’s record in office

• 2021–2023 · Lawsuit

  Defamation lawsuit

  Settled for $130,000 with a public apology.

• 2021 · Council censure

  Council censure

  For asking staff to destroy bullying-finding records.

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