Three North Cowichan councillors received campaign donations from developers of Morgan Maples in Chemainus
Mayor Rob Douglas calls for tough new policies to promote transparency and impartiality on council
(UPDATE: On Sept. 3, 2025, council voted to refer the Mayor's motion to staff for further clarification, including on the issue of what constitutes a developer and a meeting and whether the policy should only apply to developers with active applications before council. Only Councillor Manhas was opposed.)
Three North Cowichan councillors — Tek Manhas, Becky Hogg and Mike Caljouw — received financial contributions from directors of the numbered company behind the controversial Morgan Maples development in Chemainus.
Provincial corporate records obtained Tuesday by sixmountains.ca list the directors of 1251719 BC Ltd. as Sean Carroll, Jamie Colligan, and Terry Hughes. The company was incorporated in 2020.
Elections BC files show that Colligan donated $1,200 to Manhas and $400 to Caljouw during the 2022 election campaign, while Carroll donated $500 to Hogg during the byelection in April this year.
The Morgan Maples development came before council on August 20 as an application to convert a manufactured home park on Henry Road from single title under corporate ownership to individually titled lots by way of bare land strata subdivision.
A comprehensive 12-page report by municipal staff detailed a litany of concerns and strongly recommended the application not be approved. “Creating ad-hoc exceptions to public planning policy for the purposes of underwriting speculative private sector investment decisions is neither an appropriate nor responsible form of land use administration.”
Mayor Rob Douglas and councillors Christopher Justice, Chris Istace and Caljouw voted to support staff and deny the “early consideration Official Community Plan Amendment application.”
Bruce Findlay, Manhas, and Hogg — who are known to vote as a bloc in support of developments — voted against the staff recommendation.
(Bruce Findlay, Becky Hogg and Tek Manhas at a 2025 all-candidates' meeting.)
(Staff report: https://pub-northcowichan.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=20378 )
(Staff presentation at 2:24:45 mark: https://pub-northcowichan.escribemeetings.com/Players/ISIStandAlonePlayer.aspx?Id=e7737cbe-f3a1-41a8-9784-65a9f316cac1 )
Caljouw often votes with the bloc, but decided that the staff warnings could not be ignored.
“I’ve been supportive of this development from the very beginning,” he told council. “But now, the proposal has changed…and as staff has said, this is something that is basically going to turn the cart over….”
(Councillor Mike Caljouw)
On Wednesday — two weeks after the Morgan Maples vote — council will debate a motion from Douglas for tough new policies aimed at “greater transparency and impartiality” related to developers and council.
Douglas recommends: details of developer donations to council members be published on the municipal website; council members recuse themselves from decisions related to campaign contributors; meetings with developers or lobbyists be disclosed.
(Mayor Rob Douglas)
BC prohibits corporations, unions and organizations from making political contributions and from reimbursing individuals for making contributions.
But individuals associated with such groups can still make contributions out of their own pocket.
Campaign contributions must be reported to Elections BC, but there is no requirement for council members to recuse themselves if one of their contributors appears before council on a development matter.
In recent years, several other BC municipalities have raised the issue of developer donations to council members, including North Vancouver District, Port Moody and Colwood.
In a Langley township case, the BC Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the acceptance of a campaign contribution from a developer to an elected local government official did not by itself establish that the official had a monetary interest in that developer’s matters before council.
(The Langley case: https://sms.bc.ca/2021/01/campaign-contributions-from-developers-with-in-stream-development-applications-held-not-to-create-a-conflict-of-interest/ )
Also on Wednesday, council will discuss a staff recommendation to support a zoning amendment to expand the Hand of Man Museum in Maple Bay.
Findlay received a $500 donation in 2022 from Jim Shockey, a trophy hunter and founder of the museum.
During the Duncan Days parade last July 12, Findlay drove Shockey’s vintage 1930 Packard, accompanied by Manhas, Caljouw and Hogg.
Asked by sixmountains.ca to comment, Ted Swabey, Chief Administrator Officer, said: "The matter has been noted and is currently under review."
(Bruce Findlay drives Jim Shockey's vintage car, accompanied by Tek Manhas, Mike Caljouw, and Becky Hogg.)
Douglas and Justice rode in a municipal pickup truck ahead of them.
Here are the details of Douglas’ motion:
1. Sensitive Donations
1.1 Definition: Campaign or other donations from individuals or entities with a financial interest in municipal land-use matters (such as obtaining rezonings, variances, etc.) — including developers, their family members, close associates, or representatives — shall be considered sensitive due to the potential for perceived conflict of interest.
1.2 Required Actions: Council members must:
a) Disclose all such donations, identifying the donor’s name, the amount, and their connection to any development or land-use matter.
b) Consider recusing themselves from any Council discussions or decisions where the donor or their associates may receive a direct or indirect benefit.
1.3 All donation disclosures shall be published on the District of North Cowichan website for public transparency.
2. Sensitive Meetings
2.1 Definition: Any meeting between a Council member and a developer, lobbyist, consultant, or individual representing a commercial interest in land-use, zoning, or development matters shall be considered sensitive.
2.2 Required Actions:
Council members must:
a) Report such meetings within 30 calendar days, providing the names of participants, date, location, and general subject of the discussion.
b) Seek guidance prior to any vote or engagement where there is uncertainty about a potential or perceived bias in decision-making.
2.3 A public log of all reported meetings shall be maintained and published on the District website to ensure openness and public trust.
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(Have a comment for council? Email council@northcowichan.ca)
— Larry Pynn, Sept. 2, 2025