Local Decisions Matter: Exercise Your Right To Vote
Local Decisions Matter: Exercise Your Right to Vote
This month, we are in a unique position with both municipal and provincial elections taking place across British Columbia.
Elections are a crucial opportunity for every community member to shape the decisions that affect our daily lives. At Local Refillery, we don’t want to get caught up in the world of politics, debating who the right candidate is. We simply want to encourage everyone in our community to stay informed, get involved, and cast your vote.
Why is Local Refillery talking about this?
Civic engagement plays a key role in how critical community issues are tackled. While there are many important topics facing our region, a few areas we frequently reflect on include:
Waste Management & Circular Economies: How the Comox Valley handles organic waste, composting, recycling, and landfill sustainability.
Resource Management & Extended Producer Responsibility: How regulations address single-use plastics and encourage sustainable resource recovery across BC.
Support for Sustainable Small Businesses: How local and provincial policies empower small businesses striving to reduce environmental impact.
Land Stewardship & Ecosystem Care: Who will take care of our land and environment, ensuring the long-term protection of our local watersheds, soil health, and natural ecosystems?
Food Sovereignty & Supporting Local Farmers & Producers: How can we build a resilient regional food system that empowers local farmers, protects agricultural land, and keeps our food supply secure and sustainable.
Transportation: Or simply, are there enough buses & bike lanes for our team to get into work for a shift safely and on time?
Who is In Charge of What?
With two elections happening so close together, keeping track of how each ballot works can feel overwhelming! Even just the amount of signs on our streets can feel like a bit much. Here is a quick breakdown to help keep it all straight:
Municipal Elections
Local elections are non-partisan (candidates run individually rather than representing political parties) and vary based on where you live:
Municipalities: Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland run separate elections for their local councils. Depending on your municipality, you cast multiple votes on a single ballot. For example, Courtenay residents choose 1 mayor, up to 6 councillors, and 2 school trustees.
Electoral Areas (A, B, & C): Rural residents vote directly for an Electoral Area Director to represent them on the Comox Valley Regional District Board.
Key Dates:
Advance Voting: October 7 & October 14
General Voting Day: October 17
Provincial Elections
Provincial elections are party-based. You cast one vote for the MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) who will represent your riding in Victoria, which determines which party forms the provincial government.
Key Dates:
Advance Voting: October 16–21
General Voting Day: October 24
To Sum It Up
Again, we are not here to tell anyone who to vote for. We just care deeply about the future of this beautiful place we call home, and know that utilizing our right to vote can help shape this future. So we hope you take the time to ask questions and find answers to the issues that are important to you. No matter your perspective, casting your ballot holds local and provincial governments accountable to the priorities of our community.