Council record · 2018–2022

Robert Filmer on Qualicum Beach Council, 2018–2022

Robert Filmer was a Qualicum Beach councillor from 2018 to 2022. We read the minutes of all 167 Council meetings in his term that the Town has posted. We found no censure, sanction or conflict of interest. He voted for the 2019 pay raise. In 2021 he voted against a motion that the Town not buy Eaglecrest, and it failed. He moved first reading of the Qualicum Station rezoning, then voted against it three times, and later voted for its building permit. He missed 29 of the 167 meetings, 8 of them during his leave. In 2022 he finished ninth of ten.

Elections and roles

2018: elected second of nine Council candidates, with 2,380 votes. Adam Walker topped the poll with 2,893. Teunis Westbroek was four votes behind Filmer, with 2,376.
2022: ninth of ten, with 795 votes. He was the only sitting councillor who lost.
2026: he is running for Council again on October 17.

In December 2018 Council gave him Parks and Recreation as his main area. On his amendment, it agreed to rotate committee appointments every year. His committee roles are covered in our flyer fact check.

Sources: 2018 General Local Election, official results (Town of Qualicum Beach); 2022 General Local Election, official results (Town of Qualicum Beach); Election 2022: Complete mid-Island election results (Oct 15, 2022) (NanaimoNewsNOW); Declaration of Candidates, 2026 General Local Election (Sep 21, 2026) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Dec 17, 2018 (committee appointments; pride crosswalk study) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Eaglecrest

The 2021 motion not to buy the course. On October 6, 2021, Councillor Harrison moved, and Mayor Wiese seconded, that “the Town of Qualicum Beach will not purchase the Eaglecrest Golf Course, nor any portion thereof.” The motion said Semiahmoo Golf Centre Ltd. had told its members it had not made a profit running the course. It failed 2–3. Filmer voted against it, with Councillors Skipsey and Westbroek. The minutes don’t record anyone’s reasons. In 2025, after Filmer had left Council, the Town offered $8.5 million for the course.

Sources: Regular Council minutes, Oct 6, 2021 (motion that the Town not buy Eaglecrest) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Qualicum Beach allocates funds for $8.5M purchase of Eaglecrest Golf Course (Jul 24, 2025) (Parksville Qualicum Beach News)

The Eaglecrest Roundabout. In March 2022, at a Committee of the Whole meeting, Filmer moved that the Town not build the Eaglecrest Roundabout ($2.75 million) “at this time due to the high cost of construction and maintenance, and due to the low priority as identified in the Town’s Age Friendly Transportation Plan.” It carried 3–1, with Westbroek opposed. Council adopted it unanimously a week later. Filmer was absent that day.

Sources: Committee of the Whole minutes, Mar 9, 2022 (Eaglecrest Roundabout) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Mar 16, 2022 (Eaglecrest Roundabout) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

850 Eaglecrest Drive. In 2022 he moved third reading and then adoption of the rezoning of 850 Eaglecrest Drive and 2075 Island Highway West. Both carried 3–2, with Councillors Skipsey and Westbroek opposed. He also moved the June 2022 motion that split the developer’s amenity contribution half to parkland and conservation, half to local health care. See our fact check.

Sources: Regular Council minutes, May 18, 2022 (850 Eaglecrest Drive rezoning, third reading) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jun 8, 2022 (amenity contribution split) (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)

Housing

Qualicum Station. In January 2020 Filmer moved first reading of the rezoning of the Town’s land on Railway Street and Village Way for affordable housing. He seconded Walker’s amendment to designate “the Community Garden and green space area as institutional”, which passed. At second reading in February, and at third reading and adoption in March, he voted against the rezoning, with Walker. Each vote carried 3–2. The minutes list the topics discussed, including the public consultation process and the community garden, but not his reasons.

In May 2021 he voted for the building’s development permit, with its height cut to four storeys. That carried 4–1.

East Village. In August 2022 he seconded the amendment that requires three of the East Village apartments to rent at 20% below the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) rate. In September he moved adoption of the rezoning. It carried 3–1.

He now says he was “proud to support” both projects. Our fact check looks at that claim.

Sources: Regular Council minutes, Jan 15, 2020 (correspondence log on the website; Railway Street rezoning, first reading) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 5, 2020 (Railway Street rezoning, second reading, p. 13) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Mar 11, 2020 (Railway Street rezoning, third reading and adoption, pp. 5–6) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, May 27, 2021 (Railway Street development permit, p. 7) (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); Regular Council minutes, Sep 21, 2022 (East Village rezoning adopted) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

St. Andrews Lodge

In October 2020 Filmer moved to cancel Council’s decision to move or demolish the former St. Andrews Lodge. It failed 2–3; only he and Walker voted for it. At a special meeting on November 6, he seconded Westbroek’s motion to “immediately stop the demolition of the St. Andrews Lodge”. It carried, with only Mayor Wiese opposed. In April 2021 he seconded Westbroek’s motion to add the Lodge to the Community Heritage Register once a heritage consultant was satisfied with a statement of its significance. It carried, with Councillor Harrison opposed.

In August 2022 he seconded putting this question on the ballot: “Should the Town spend the necessary funds, up to a maximum of $700,000, to refurbish the St. Andrew’s Lodge building?” It carried 3–2. Voters said no in October.

Sources: Regular Council minutes, Oct 28, 2020 (St. Andrews Lodge demolition) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council minutes, Nov 6, 2020 (St. Andrews Lodge demolition stopped) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Apr 7, 2021 (St. Andrews Lodge heritage review) (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); Election 2022: Complete mid-Island election results (Oct 15, 2022) (NanaimoNewsNOW)

His pay

In February 2019 Council raised its own pay, to $34,500 a year for councillors. Filmer seconded the motions for second and third readings, and for adoption. Walker was the only councillor who voted against it.

At a committee meeting in January 2019, Filmer said the pay was such that “a second job is required while being on Council”, and spoke of the need for younger people in these roles. The Chief Administrative Officer noted that the pay bylaw dated back to 2011.

What the Town paid Councillor Filmer, 2018 to 2022
Year	Pay	Expenses	Note
2018	$3,308	$2,631	November and December only
2019	$34,500	$10,488
2020	$35,225	$31
2021	$35,506	$59	Includes his leave
2022	$31,100	$2,719	His last year
Total	$139,639	$15,928

In 2019 his expenses were the third highest of the five members of Council; Councillor Harrison’s were $14,315 and Mayor Wiese’s $13,525. The statements don’t say what the expenses were for. In 2020 and 2021 he was paid the same as the other councillors who served the full year. The two councillors re-elected in 2022 were paid $36,500 that year.

Other votes on record

The minutes usually record only whether a motion passed. These are some where they show how he voted.

December 2018: he moved studies of a pride crosswalk and of longer crossing times at Fern Road and Memorial Avenue. Both passed.
August 2020: he voted against Council’s statement disowning Walker’s survey. It passed 3–2. See our page on Walker’s record.
November 2020: he was the only vote against buying a fire truck, at a total project price of $920,000.
February 2021: he seconded Westbroek’s motion to ask voters about raising the number of councillors from four to six. It failed on a 2–2 tie.
August 2022: he was the only vote against declaring “a climate, health care, and housing emergency”. The minutes don’t give his reasons.

His December 2020 leave, and the investigation of his concerns about Council, are on a page of their own.

Sources: Regular Council minutes, Dec 17, 2018 (committee appointments; pride crosswalk study) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Aug 19, 2020 (Councillor Walker’s survey, pp. 2 and 4) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Nov 18, 2020 (fire truck purchase) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 24, 2021 (by-election; question on the size of Council) (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)

Attendance

The minutes list him as absent from 29 of the 167 meetings. Eight were during his leave, from December 2020 to February 2021. Ten were in 2022; the minutes don’t give reasons. For one of them, a July 2022 public hearing, the next day’s minutes say “Councillor Filmer attended virtually”. Because that had not been advertised, staff recommended holding the hearings again.

Counted the same way over the same 167 meetings, Councillor Harrison missed 7, Councillor Westbroek 7 and Mayor Wiese 2. Councillor Skipsey missed 1 after she joined Council in May 2021.

Sources: Council minutes, all meetings (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jul 20, 2022 (public hearings to be held again) (Town of Qualicum Beach)

What we looked for and didn’t find

We searched the minutes of all 167 meetings for censures, sanctions, conflict of interest declarations, confidentiality breaches and bullying or harassment findings. The open minutes record none involving Filmer. He never declared a conflict of interest. Closed-meeting decisions become public only if Council releases them. The only investigation we found involving him looked into his own concerns about others, and found no evidence of discrimination, bullying or harassment. The Town had no council code of conduct until February 2022.

Elections BC’s list of penalties names no penalty against him. We did not look at his campaign finance filings.

Sources: Council minutes, all meetings (Town of Qualicum Beach); Public Statement: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (Feb 9, 2021) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Council Standards of Conduct, Policy 3004-7 (2022) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Administrative monetary penalties (Elections BC)

More on Robert Filmer

2019–2021 · Council workplace

Robert Filmer’s 2020 Leave and the Council Investigation

In December 2020 he took leave, saying he faced discrimination on Council. The Town said its investigator found no evidence of discrimination, bullying or harassment, and Council, with his vote, issued a statement encouraging him to apologize publicly. It followed his 2019 walkout over respectful discourse.
Council candidate

Robert Filmer Questionnaire
- Accurate × 5
- Not verified × 1
Filmer’s account of his 2018–2022 term holds up: the Town’s cash and reserve transfers in 2022, the land sales that paid back the St. Andrews purchase, the developer money split between parks and health care, and the 106 rental homes. He overstates one number. The St. Andrews property cost $3.4 million, not about $4 million. The Town’s records back his concern that Eaglecrest has grown and pushed other priorities back.
Council candidate

Robert Filmer Flyer
- Accurate × 4
Filmer’s record on the flyer holds up, with one correction. He chaired the Town’s Parks and Recreation committee and, until 2021, its Environment and Sustainability committee. His results repeat his questionnaire answers, which the records back: 106 rental homes, $6.9 million moved to reserves in 2022, and grants for asset management and infrastructure. His voting dates are right.

Everything on Robert Filmer · All fact checks · Qualicum Beach Election 2026