• Politics

Alto, Harris and McGuigan offer different pitches for Victoria mayor, with much resting on other governments

Eight candidates are running for mayor of Victoria in the 17 October election ⁴. Only three of them, incumbent Marianne Alto and challengers Mike Harris and Bruce McGuigan, were invited to the Downtown Residents Association debate, because they were the only ones to complete its questionnaire by the deadline ⁴. This comparison draws on published candidate statements and news reports. Alto's own 2026 platform could not be reviewed, so her positions come mainly from news coverage.

Experience

Alto was first elected to council in 2010, served three terms as a councillor and became mayor in 2022 ⁶. She says she is the candidate "with experience and a record of results" ³. The city's candidate declaration lists her as a Saanich resident ⁶.

Harris is a businessman, former journeyman carpenter and real estate professional with more than 30 years in housing, construction and business ⁶. He has not held elected office; in his Times Colonist questionnaire he says his experience comes from decades in business, construction, housing and real estate, "as well as leadership, mentoring and community involvement" ⁹. He was the BC Conservative candidate in Langford-Highlands in the 2024 provincial election and is still listed as a Langford resident ⁶. McGuigan said in a debate that he told Harris he had "no business running [for mayor] from Langford" ⁴. Harris pulled out of the Downtown Residents Association debate, citing interactions with an unnamed candidate that had become "increasingly concerning and at times hostile" ⁴.

McGuigan has lived in Victoria more than 30 years and has worked in education, community services and non-profit leadership ⁸. He says he has spent more than 25 years with local non-profit and community service organizations, alongside teaching sociology and criminology ². As executive director of Family Services of Greater Victoria, he says he was responsible for managing staff, budgets, facilities, funding relationships and community partnerships ². He was also a longtime board member of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, serving as its acting director in 2025, and helped establish the Victoria Social Innovation Centre ². His questionnaire also lists a 2018 run for mayor of Victoria among his experience ².

Public safety and homelessness

Alto says significant progress has been made, citing 93 new shelter spaces, larger police and bylaw departments, and city funding for frontline organizations ³. At the debate she said she wants the focus to shift from enforcement toward prevention ⁴. In May she said, "please let us do regional policing" ⁷.

Harris lists public safety and street disorder first among the challenges facing Victoria ¹. He says "violence, theft, intimidation and chronic disorder cannot simply be accepted as inevitable consequences of compassion" ¹. He proposes measurable outcomes for city-funded programs: how many people were housed, how many remained housed, how many moved successfully from shelters, what outcomes were achieved and what taxpayers paid for them ⁹. He gives no target numbers.

McGuigan called council's approach to homelessness and street disorder "chaotic and unsuccessful" ³. His goal is "Functional Zero" homelessness, where it becomes "rare, brief and non-recurring" ². He supports "appropriate policing and enforcement focused on harmful behaviour" alongside civilian crisis response and health interventions ².

Taxes and housing

Council approved a 7.28 per cent property tax increase for 2026 ⁵. The city's share was 2.22 per cent and the police budget about 5.06 per cent ⁵. Alto's campaign priorities include increasing housing affordability and protecting renters, while "responsibly managing the city's budget with an understanding of residents' ability to pay" ³. No tax target was found for her.

Harris proposes a comprehensive review of city operations and spending, with public reporting of results ¹. On housing he would publish permitting targets and report separately on approvals, housing starts and completed homes ¹.

McGuigan's stated goal is to keep property taxes "as low as responsibly possible" ². He says that "does not mean austerity or cutting for the sake of cutting" ². He would consider owning rental housing and expanding community land trusts ². He also wants more rental, co-op, non-profit and supportive housing ².

What depends on other governments

Harris says addressing homelessness, addiction and mental illness requires "much stronger involvement from the provincial and federal governments" ¹. He says he would press senior governments for treatment, mental-health and housing resources ¹. He does not name a specific program.

McGuigan says Victoria "should not be expected to solve it alone." He would push for a regional approach through the Capital Regional District involving the Province, health authorities, Indigenous Nations and municipalities ².

Alto says senior governments should stop downloading services to local authorities ⁵. In May she also said, "please let us do regional policing" ⁷.