Jean Young Questionnaire

Inaccurate

1. Transparency

   “Generally, matters discussed in closed session are reported out at the next open Council meeting.”

   Inaccurate Not usually. Most closed-meeting decisions this term were released months later. A few in 2026 came out at the next regular meeting.

   • Motions from a January 29, 2025 closed meeting were released on June 18, 2025. Motions from July 9, 2025 were released on September 17, 2025.
   • Eaglecrest motions from closed meetings on February 2 and July 7, 2025 were released on November 20, 2025, after the rezoning was adopted.
   • Some releases were quicker: motions from March 11 and June 17, 2026 came out at the next regular meetings. But other motions from those same meetings were held back until June and September.

   Sources: Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Jun 18, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Sep 17, 2025 (closed meeting motions released) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Nov 20, 2025 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Mar 25, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, Jun 24, 2026 (closed meeting motions released; 2025 Statement of Financial Information) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Sep 9, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Misleading

1. Transparency

   “I also believe it is important for residents to understand that final binding decisions generally need to be made in an open meeting.”

   Misleading Bylaws must be voted on in open meetings. But Council has made other final decisions in closed meetings this term, such as leases and funding agreements, and the public learned of them months later.

   • At a closed meeting on July 9, 2025, Council extended the St. Andrews Lodge lease to 2029, approved a three-year funding agreement with the Chamber of Commerce ($59,000 in 2025, rising each year) and authorized the Mayor to sign it, and approved a five-year lease for the visitor centre. The public learned of these decisions on September 17, 2025.
   • The Community Charter bars Council from voting on a bylaw in a closed meeting, so budgets, zoning and tax rates are decided in the open. It lets Council close a meeting for property, legal and some other matters, and doesn’t require those decisions to be repeated in public.
   On this site:

   • How the Chamber of Commerce is funded

   Sources: Regular Council agenda, Sep 17, 2025 (closed meeting motions released) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Community Charter, Part 4: ss. 89–92 (open and closed meetings) and s. 86 (alternative approval process) (Province of British Columbia)

2. Eaglecrest

   “There has been considerable due diligence by the Town’s planning, finance and legal staff regarding the acquisition of Eaglecrest and the long-term implications of the property.”

   Misleading The Town did do due diligence, and its FAQ lists it. But it missed “extensive, unknown irrigation and drainage deficiencies” in the golf course, and none of the reports has been published.

   • The FAQ lists an appraisal, a feasibility study, a servicing review, environmental and ecological reports and a clubhouse inspection. It lists the irrigation and drainage work among costs added since the decision to buy.
   • Work on the course found problems that weren’t in the original scope, and the Town dug a large new pond to store more water. The budget went from $20.7 million to $21.2 million in July 2026.
   • None of the due diligence reports has been published.
   On this site:

   • What the public hasn’t seen
   • The Town’s FAQ on due diligence
   • What the due diligence cost

   Sources: Eaglecrest Project FAQ, Sep 14, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda and staff reports, Sep 9, 2026 (Town of Qualicum Beach); Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 921.01 (adopted Jul 15, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

3. Eaglecrest

   “Having three established golf courses in the area can also support tourism and provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, including both golfers and trail users.”

   Misleading Golf may bring some visitors, but no study shows how many. The Town cited none when it rezoned Eaglecrest. The Tourism Association’s own 10-year strategy mentions golf courses once in 60 pages, saying the region’s main attractions are “complemented by numerous golf courses, mini-golf courses, farm experiences” and more. Its reports give no figures for golf.

   • When Council gave the Eaglecrest bylaws first reading on September 17, 2025, the staff resolution said the course lands “contribute to local tourism.” It cited no study, and we found none in Town records.
   • The Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association reported to Council at that same meeting: $209 million in visitor spending in 2024 and 10% of the region’s jobs. It gave nothing for golf. Its 2023 presentation didn’t either.
   • The Association’s Long-Term Destination Strategy lists golf courses once, next to mini-golf, farm experiences and craft breweries. Its 2025 Community Shared Value Report doesn’t mention golf.
   • The Town’s Memorial course gets about half its revenue from public green fees ($554,000 in 2022), but the figures don’t show how much of that came from visitors.
   On this site:

   • No study of golf’s value to tourism
   • The Town’s unpublished economic strategy

   Sources: Regular Council agenda, Sep 17, 2025 (Eaglecrest bylaws, p. 3) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Video: Regular Council meeting, Sep 17, 2025 (Tourism Association annual report, from 9:30) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Video: Committee of the Whole, Mar 1, 2023 (Memorial Golf Course finances at 5:15; Tourism Association at 26:45) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Long-Term Destination Strategy (2023; golf courses on p. 15) (Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism); 2025 Community Shared Value Report (Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism)

Accurate

1. Development

   “BC’s Seniors Advocate, Dan Levitt, has identified the median age in Qualicum Beach as approximately 67.”

   Accurate The Town’s own 2024 wildfire plan gives 67.5, one of the oldest in Canada.

   Sources: Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (Town of Qualicum Beach)

2. FireSmart

   “The Town has a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, active forest management, bylaws and burning regulations, as well as a comprehensive Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis that identifies wildfire mitigation as a priority.”

   Accurate Council adopted the wildfire plan in June 2024. The risk analysis is a 2019 regional one, done with the RDN and Parksville.

   Sources: Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Jean Young’s record in office

• 2022–2025 · Elections BC

  Elections BC penalty

  Fined $650 for putting too much of her own money into her 2022 campaign.

• 2022–2026 · Council record

  On Council, 2022–2026

  Backed Eaglecrest funding and rezoning; voted against the course contract.

Everything on Jean Young

More on Jean Young

• Council candidate

  Jean Young Flyer

  • Accurate × 5
  • Misleading × 2

• Council candidate

  Jean Young “Celebrating Progress” Handout

  • Accurate × 10
  • Misleading × 8