Greater Victoria municipal election outreach

In late July, a coalition of eleven advocacy groups in the Greater Victoria area announced a new voter‑information initiative called Liveable CRD. The group began developing a candidate scorecard for the October municipal elections, planning to grade candidates on nine issues—including climate, housing, health care and transportation—based on responses to a 65‑question survey. At the same time, the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals launched a three‑minute online poll to gauge public concern over animal‑welfare issues, with results intended to shape local bylaws before the Oct. 17 vote.

A week later, the coalition, now referred to as Livable CRD, released the finalized scorecard. The questionnaire, expanded to 66 items, covered 66 candidates across the region’s 13 municipalities, with each partner group assigning letter grades from A to D in its area of expertise. The rollout attracted praise on social media for helping voters, while some critics questioned the tool’s transparency and potential bias. Livable CRD emphasized its non‑partisan stance and clarified that it does not endorse any candidate.