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What I'll stand up for:
Let's keep it that way.
The village feel and character of Qualicum Beach are what people move here for - and what we stay for. Every decision at Town Hall should reflect that. I'll make sure it does.
A place you can afford to grow old in - and have a family in.
Too many people - seniors, families, young people - can't afford a home here, or age in the community they love. We can build the housing we need without losing our small-town look and feel. Any new development should protect a neighbourhood's charm, with scale and design that fits, not big, boxy buildings.
Healthcare here.
Thousands of our neighbours don't have a family doctor and face long wait times for specialists and primary care. I'll push for a long-term head-to-toe healthcare and recruitment strategy for Qualicum Beach.
Local businesses deserve better from Town Hall.
Local business is the heart of this community. As a small business owner, I've lived the delays and lack of help firsthand. I will push for better support for local businesses and more responsiveness.
Town Hall works for you.
Town Hall should be there for you - not three weeks later, not only for developers. Right now, too much money goes to consultants and senior management, and not enough to ensuring there is staff to serve you. I'll push to change that.
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What I'll stand up for:
Good governance is an act of care.
Too many Town decisions happen in secret.
Council meetings stretch for hours, yet leave too little time for real long-term planning and oversight.
Meetings should be held at times more people can attend. Information should be easy to understand. Public engagement needs to happen early, before decisions are already made.
Protect our forests, beaches, rivers and parks.
They sustain our wildlife, feed our water supply, cool our temperatures, and are why we live here. I'll fight to protect them. Climate change is not a future problem, and our planning should reflect that.
Small town life.
World class life.
Arts, culture, recreation, and community life are not extras - they make this town feel alive and connected. Our community volunteers and organizations deserve a plan, consistency and clarity from Town Hall.
about
Mischa Oak
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Qualicum Beach resident for 6+ years - I love it here and care deeply about our community
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Business owner: I run a successful company training and guiding governments, communities, and public service providers across Canada and around the world to be more evidence-based, responsive, and compassionate
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National bestselling author
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Teacher: taught for 17 years, including 5 years at Ballenas Secondary in Parksville
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Community volunteer: former Fundraising Chair and board member at TOSH (The Old School House Arts Centre). I was part of the team that returned financial health, increased service, and brought back live music.
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King Charles III Medal recipient for 2SLGBTQ+ community inclusion work that brings people together, reduces isolation, and increases understanding
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My husband and I run a local tourism small business - we know firsthand how challenging and frustrating it can be to navigate Town Hall
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Education:
Bachelor of Commerce Hons. (Queen's), Bachelor of Education (University of Toronto), Master of Education (Memorial University), and a Loran Scholar
Dear Neighbour,
We all moved here, or stayed here, for a reason. We love the small-town feel that makes Qualicum Beach unlike anywhere else. It doesn't need to be reimagined. It needs to be run better: more caring, more transparent, more responsive, with real long-term planning for the whole community.
I was raised on the Sunshine Coast, and small-town BC shaped how I think about community. I've since lived and worked in cities around the world, but small-town living is what I keep coming back to. Six years ago, my husband - who grew up here - and I made Qualicum Beach our home, and we've put down deep roots.
I spent 17 years as a public school teacher, including five at Ballenas Secondary in Parksville. Every day, my job was to take something complicated and make it make sense, and to answer for it when it didn't. That's what I think council owes this community. I then built a company that trains and guides governments, communities, and public service providers across Canada and around the world to be more informed, responsive, and compassionate for clients and staff. It's time to bring that work home.
My husband and I also run a small tourism business here, and we've felt firsthand what it's like when Town Hall doesn't help.
Over the past two years I've followed council meetings closely, attended Town and community events, and talked with as many neighbours as I could. Many of you have told me the same thing: you want a Town that answers your call, there are meaningful ways we can improve our quality of life, and we need real long-term planning to make that happen. That's what convinced me to run for Qualicum Beach Town Council.
Getting there starts with how decisions get made. Our Council can do better. Too many decisions are made without the public in the room, when there's no real reason they couldn't be. I want to bring decision-making back into the open, ask the hard questions that reduce costs and risk, and stay focused on the work that actually improves service and gets things done.
Qualicum Beach needs long-term plans: recruiting and retaining healthcare providers, housing options that suit our community so young families, workers, and seniors have somewhere to go as their needs change, a thriving downtown, recreation, arts, culture, and the success of our Qualicum Beach Airport.
I'm running because I love this community. I want a Town Hall that answers your call. That's the voice I will bring to the table.
Protect what we love.
Improve how it works.
Please vote Oak on October 17th, and consider getting involved in our campaign today.
Thank you for your support and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mischa Oak
Why I'm running.
Please reach out with any questions or ideas. I would be happy to hear from you:
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please note: Mischa Oak does not accept political contributions from developers
please note: I do not accept political contributions from developers
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