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Kootenay Central Election 2024: Conservative candidate Kelly Vandenberghe

Kelly Vandenberghe is running for the Conservative Party of B.C.
vandenberghe
Kelly Vandenberghe is the Conservative candidate for Kootenay Central.

Ahead of the Oct. 19 provincial election, Black Press conducted phone interviews with each of the four Kootenay Central candidates. Each interview included questions about the same topics, which were not disclosed in advance. The candidates were also given the opportunity to speak on a bonus topic of their choice.

This interview is with B.C. Conservative candidate Kelly Vandenberghe.

Housing

Vandenberghe said the Conservative platform will provide relief for the high costs of living through rebates, for both mortgages and rentals. 

“If we had a magic wand, we’d have to wave it a few times when it comes to addressing housing, because it’s very complex,” he said. “The cost of housing itself, how do you incentivize that so that you have investors coming in to build the housing? I honestly believe the Conservative Party of British Columbia is very committed to addressing that.”

On top of the shortage of affordable housing, the Kootenay Central riding also lacks resources for the unhoused population. 

Vandenberghe said addressing mental health support needs is a big piece of the puzzle.

“(We need to) provide the assistance that they require,” he said. “The Conservative Party of B.C. is committed to doing that. As a person that may be elected as an MLA, I'll be very keenly watching to see how that's going to unfold and what the recipe of that cake is going to look like.”

Climate change

Vandenberghe said accepting and transitioning to alternative fuels is the solution. 

“That's a very divisive topic,” he said. “I think the Conservative Party of B.C, we know the climate is changing. That's just a fact. It's a difficult subject to say, this is what we're going to do, and this is how we're going to fix it.”

This summer, the province was once again hit by wildfires that were aggressive in the riding and caused multiple evacuations.

When asked if the Conservatives have a wildfire mitigation plan, Vandenberghe said the forestry industry and Indigenous peoples will be important partners. 

“Managing the forest to minimize the fuel loads is one of the easiest things that we can do,” he said. “In my experience as a firefighter, that is an easier task to undertake. It's working with those partners to identify hot spot areas and reduce those fire loads.”

The challenges caused by climate change, such as drought and heat domes, have been particularly devastating for the agricultural community of Creston. This year, there was a major shortage of stone fruit due to inclement weather.

At this time, Vandenberghe said the Conservative Party does not have any plans in place to support local farmers through climate crisis. 

Health care

The Conservatives are looking at a patient-first model, said Vandenberghe. 

“There's a lot built into that,” he said. “That includes expanding access to care, ending long wait times, stopping ER closures, testing and supporting frontline staff, and reducing administration.”

For people in rural communities, like Creston, not having a family doctor means seeking care from the emergency room. Due to staff shortages, there can often be long wait times and even closure of the 24-hour department. 

Vandenberghe said it is difficult to give details on how these issues will be addressed on a local level, as the policy is high-level.

“When it comes to the actual recipe for the cake, it’s hard to say,” he said. ”Health care is a real complex thing.”

In the wake of the toxic drug crisis, Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad has called for an end to safe supply. 

“Stopping the safe supply and heroin handouts are probably the key things,” said Vandenberghe. “(Our) commitments include compassion, intervention and legislation. More of a hands-on approach.”

The “Rustad rebate”?

In late September, Rustad made promises to improve housing affordability by providing provincial tax deductions.

The "Rustad rebate" would start in 2026, beginning with an exemption of $1,500 per month, increasing by $500 per year, and reaching a peak of $3,000 per month by 2029.

In that final year, the program is expected to cost $3.5 billion if universally applied to B.C.'s two million homes. As of this interview, details on how the rebate would be funded have not yet been provided. 

“That has just been tabled,” said Vandenberghe. “There's a lot of questions on how that's going to work, but until that that information comes available, I couldn't speak to it.”

He reiterated that the intent is to help offset costs of living for people who are either renting or paying a mortgage.

“This is a rebate program, and it's got some suggestions as to how much it's going to save people, but as far as the long-term numbers and the cost in terms of taxpayer investment, I don’t have that information,” he said.

Bonus topic: Affordability and accountability

Vandenberghe shared what he believes are important pieces from the Conservative Party.

“Generally, the goal is to make life more affordable,” he said. “Government accountability is a huge one for me, too. I think that's really important. That's what I've pushed for in my current role (as Regional District of Central Kootenay director). I'm kind of relentless on government accountability.”



Kelsey Yates

About the Author: Kelsey Yates

Kelsey Yates has had a lifelong passion for newspapers and storytelling. Originally from Alberta, she graduated from SAIT Polytechnic's journalism program in 2016.
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