Four years ago, Colin Basran sought the job of 91大黄鸭 mayor riding the slogan 鈥渙pen for opportunity.鈥�

It was his way of expanding the mantra of his predecessor Walter Gray, who used the slogan 鈥渙pen for business鈥� during his political comeback in 2011.

After see-saw shifts by previous city councils that focused heavily on business issues, then social issues and then back to business, Basran said he wanted to see the council he would lead address a healthy mix of the two.

Four years later, he says he believes that effort was a success.

鈥淥ur community is, in a number of ways, flourishing in a number of different aspects, particularly economically and, I believe, socially as well,鈥� said Basran Thursday as he announced his re-election bid for a second term as mayor.

鈥淲e are seeing solutions right now to help the most vulnerable in our community. So yeah, I do believe that 鈥榦pen for opportunity鈥� is something that has served this city well.鈥�

As he did four years ago, Basran used a downtown rooftop as the location for his re-election bid. In 2014 it was on top of the Earl鈥檚 restaurant downtown. This time, before an even larger crowd of about 200 people on the roof of the Okanagan Centre for Innovation, a high-tech showcase building that opened during Basran鈥檚 first term in office.

Under a bright, sunny sky, with a stunning picturesque view of Okanagan Lake and downtown behind him, Basran said four years ago he stood before many of the same people who gathered Thursday and presented what he then called a 鈥渘ew vision for our community.鈥�

鈥淲ith your support and a lot of hard work, we have accomplished something special,鈥� he said. 鈥淭oday 91大黄鸭 is a dynamic and vibrant city with a sense of optimism we鈥檝e not seen before. While complacency tends to rise during the good times, we simply can鈥檛 afford it.鈥�

He said today the city鈥檚 economy is thriving, 91大黄鸭鈥檚 town centres are bustling with activity, and arts and culture is 鈥渇illing the hearts of our community.鈥�

鈥淚 am not willing to risk this transformation. You have worked too hard to initiate this progress and it is with your support today that I want to make sure we do not lose this positive momentum. So it is with great pride, with all of you standing with me, that I am today announcing I will be seeking re-election as the mayor of 91大黄鸭.鈥�

Basran鈥檚 decision to run again was no surprise. Even his father George joked it was one of the worst kept secrets in town.

His son, who turned 40 in November and joked about looking older than his years because of the grey hair that has sprouted on his head since he came into office in 2014 said serving the community during one its most prosperous times has been the 鈥渆xperience of a lifetime鈥� and something he鈥檒l cherish for the rest of his life.

But he said the job is not done.

With the city still grappling with serious social issue such as homelessness and affordable housing, he said it is social issues that keep him up at night.

But he pointed to the city鈥檚 ambitious Journey Home initiative to address homelessness as a bright spot on the horizon.

Despite its estimated $47 million total cost over several years, he said he is encouraged by the work done by the task force spearheading the effort and is looking forward to the final report next month.

He said he is also confident the city鈥檚 integrated water distribution plan鈥攖o combine all five major water purveyors in the city into one municipal utility鈥攚ill eventually be realized.

So far only the South East 91大黄鸭 Irrigation District has agreed to join the city, a move it had to make in order to get much needed provincial funds to upgrade its infrastructure.

Basran said with provincial backing of the city鈥檚 water plan, he expects current hold-out utilities Rutland Waterworks, Black Mountain Irrigation District and Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District to eventually join the city鈥檚 system.

But the last four years has not been all smooth sailing for Basran and his council.

Some in the city feel both he and his councillors have not come out as strongly as they should against the province鈥檚 planned 鈥渟peculation鈥� tax, a position Basran disputes.

He said behind the scenes the city has been arguing against thee tax with the province, preferring to see a true property 鈥渇lipping鈥� tax implemented instead.

And he prefers to keep some of that lobbying effort behind closed doors.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to note not all negotiations are done in front of the media,鈥� said Basran, who prior to running for a seat on council seat in 2011 worked as a television reporter in the Okanagan.

He said affordable housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the current, and future, councils. But Basran there are encouraging signs. The city鈥檚 healthy housing strategy will help create availability and affordability and he vowed to 鈥渃hip鈥� away at the problem with every new development application the city receives.

The city鈥檚 rental grants program has been tremendously success in getting more rental housing built in 91大黄鸭 over the last four years and has resulted in the approval of more than 2,900 purpose-built rental housing units in the city, a figure he described as 鈥渦nheard of for any council.鈥�

Several incumbent city councillors were on hand for Basran鈥檚 announcement, including Luke Stack, Gail Given, Charlie Hodge, Tracy Gray and Ryan Donn.

Stack and Given spoke at Basran鈥檚 announcement and, in a rare move for council incumbents who are planning to seek-re-election, publicly endorsed Basran for mayor in the upcoming municipal election in October.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .