Four months after announcing his candidacy for the North Cowichan mayoralty and less than two months before the next municipal election, Chris Wilkinson still won’t reveal where he stands on important issues.

On his election website, Wilkinson lists several priority issues: affordability and a broader tax base; public trust, public engagement and leadership; public safety, homelessness and addictions; collaboration with First Nations; environmental stewardship; and a shared vision for the future of North Cowichan.

But when it comes to providing specifics, he is short on answers.

One of the most controversial issues on council over the last 1.5 years has involved the Official Community Plan (OCP) of 2022 and the Urban Containment Boundary.

Councillors Bruce Findlay, Tek Manhas, Mike Caljouw and Becky Hogg have effectively formed a right-of-centre bloc on council, having repeatedly supported amending the OCP on development issues despite strong warnings from professional staff.

The list includes: development north of Herd Road in the Bell McKinnon area; a 21-lot subdivision in rural Hidden Hills which the fire department says poses a serious wildfire threat to the Municipal Forest Reserve (MFR); and a precedent-setting rezoning from rural residential to special exemption on Westhill Place.

Wilkinson, who has not previously run for office, refuses to say how he would have voted on any of these issues.

In an email statement to sixmountains.ca, he said: “While many of the items you've listed may ultimately come before council in either their current or amended form, I believe it's important not to come to a conclusion on individual applications before receiving all technical information, public input, and staff recommendations.”

Fact is, all the detailed information, including staff reports and letters from the proponents, that current councillors used to cast their votes on these development applications are a matter of public record, including videos of the debates.

As for the future of the MFR, Wilkinson again talked in generalities.

“The MFR is one of North Cowichan's greatest public assets,” he wrote in the email.

“I believe its future should reflect the values expressed by our community while recognizing its ecological, recreational, cultural, educational, and economic importance.

“Any long-term management strategy should be based on sound science, local First Nations consultation, public consultation, and financial sustainability.”