Election 2026

Hi Everyone:

As we head into the election season, I’m going to take this opportunity to answer the question a lot of people have been asking: Are you running again? The answer is, after much reflection and conversations with family, friends and colleagues, I have decided not to seek re-election as Councillor.

This has been a super tough decision- I’m extremely proud of the work I do on behalf of the citizens of Oak Bay, and it has been an honour and a privilege to serve these past eight years.

Like with many elected officials, much of this decision is a question of balance. As many of you know I have held down a full-time job over my time on council. I’m fortunate to be able to work in a field that I’m passionate about (Parks & Recreation management) with a team of great people, and I always want to give them my best. Doing both roles has meant a significant time commitment; a challenge I happily took on to do work that is impactful. As responsibilities increase in my professional life, I’m increasingly conscious of the impact to my work, family and relationships.

In reflecting on my time on Council, I am proud to say I always represented the issues that needed visibility. I have done my utmost to champion sustainability, active transportation, housing and public space. And I have always remained focused on council’s role in governance and the importance of good decision making. I’ve also never shied away from having a robust debate on what’s important to this community.

As I step away from this role, I want to encourage all the citizens of Oak Bay to engage in your election and the issues. Ask questions of your candidates and speak to them about what matters to you. Oak Bay has a long history of strong engagement at elections and I know this will continue.

Most importantly: To all the citizens of Oak Bay I will simply say thank you for entrusting me with this work and sharing your thoughts and hopes. I am so grateful to you. We live in an amazing community.

This in fact is not goodbye, as I intend to stay actively engaged in our community and to advocate for issues important to our residents. I encourage you to keep an eye on appleton4oakbay.ca for updates and some exciting new content on local topics.

 New challenges await!