Fact vs. Fiction

FICTION

Seniors Centre Society All-Candidates Forum October 19, 2025 - “Taxation is squeezing the lifeblood out of the community and the City has huge public debt”, Mayor Jakeway

FACT

After the loss of over $6million in industrial tax revenue, residential taxpayers have indeed felt the burden of the necessary taxation shift.  However, the sky is not falling and the community is not dying, take a look around you! This City is beautiful, growing and vibrant.

The City does NOT have huge public debt. It has lowered its debt to the lowest the independent City Auditor has seen in a very long time. The City Auditor actually gives Campbell River a healthy financial scorecard. That said much more can be done in the next four years to ensure that our community continues to grow and be financially healthy.  Diversification of our economy is important to securing and improving our tax revenues.

FICTION

Council has voted 4-3 on all major decisions in the last three years, with four incumbent Councillors in one camp, and Mayor and two new Councillors in the other.  The Mayor states this is the reason he was unable to provide leadership or succeed at fulfilling his promises.

FACT

Voting results are available as a matter of public record and I would encourage voters to do their homework.  To generalize on voting patterns is speculative and can lead to perceptions that are quite simply, untrue. Major decisions have been made with 6-1, 4-3, 5-2 and unanimous votes.

I cast my vote on the issues and their merit, not with or against other Councillors or the Mayor.

FICTION

Andy Adams was in favour of the 13.6% tax increase in 2012.

FACT

I voted no, as did Mayor Jakeway & Councillor Kerr, to the 13.6% tax increase in 2012. As Finance Committee Chair, I felt we could have transitioned the tax burden over a longer period of time, and been more aggressive with our spending decisions. However, as one vote of seven I stood by the decision of Council, and did not call out publicly for a major tax revolt by the people of my own City or take to Social Media to criticize fellow Councillors. I have and always will respect democracy in government and will ensure that our City puts its best foot forward in the media whether I agree with Council’s decision or not.

FICTION

Councillor Adams voted in favor of spending $250,000 on the lights at Peterson and 14th Avenue.

FACT

Courier Islander Newspaper May 21, 2026 – During the 2014 Financial Planning, Council voted six to one to okay a $250,000 solution including traffic lights and sidewalks. Councillor Andy Adams was the only member of Council to vote against it.

I then voted against this spending for a second time when Council approved the award of the contract, as I felt this was too much spending when there were alternate solutions. I presented these alternate solutions to Council, but did not succeed in altering the vote, which I respect as democratic process.

Mayor Jakeway voted in favor of this expenditure at Financial Planning, then later changed his mind and said no in the media.

FICTION

Seniors Centre Society All-Candidates Forum October 19, 2025 - “Council is flying blind as they haven’t seen a financial update in months” Mayor Jakeway

FACT

The City Manager and senior staff are responsible for day-to-day and month to month management of the Budget set forth by Council. As the governing body, Council reviews financial results every quarter.  As CEO of the City, the Mayor is responsible for reviewing any financial concerns directly with the City Manager, at City Hall. If the Mayor does not know, and is “flying blind”, then he is not doing his job.

FICTION

The $3.69million surplus reported at the end of 2012 is excess cash from over taxation and should be refunded to the taxpayers with a letter of apology for stealing it in the first place.

FACT

Mirror Newspaper May 15, 2026 – Brad Piercy, Accountant with Meyers Norris Penny (MNP) told Council that in 2012, the City’s expenses were down by about $5million, and the City has more assets than debt. He praised Council for its debt being the lowest he has seen in a long time. Piercy said the surplus is money already spoken for. “The calculation of annual surplus is complicated and in this case does not represent excess tax money or cash available for the City to spend without looking at Capital projects first”. The surplus money is to be carried forward into the 2013 budget to complete capital projects.

This money was not “stolen” from the taxpayers. It was committed to necessary capital projects in a transparent, democratic process.

FICTION

Sending Mayor & Council members to UBCM (The Union of British Columbia Municipalities) annual convention is a waste of time and taxpayers’ money

Courier Islander newspaper September 24, 2026 – “Firstly I said that in 2014 my attending the UBCM would only yield minimal value and therefore I decided it would be a waste of my time and local taxpayers’ money to go to the Whistler UBCM convention”, Mayor Jakeway

FACT

Mayors and Councillors get face-to-face time with Ministers and key decision makers in the provincial government at this important gathering. At this year’s convention alone, attending Councillors secured $35,000 in funding for 2015 operating costs of the Homeless Shelter on Dogwood Street.

Building relationships with provincial politicians can have obvious tangible benefits. Maintaining these relationships and networking with fellow Mayors and Councillors from a place of mutual respect can be a learning experience. If one presumes to know everything, they cannot learn from their colleagues.

Information sessions at UBC provide further learning opportunities for municipalities and the venue provides an opportunity to bring local government issues to the provincial table for consideration.

FICTION

The City tried to Annex the Area D residents into City limits to increase their tax revenues. The City also wasted $70,000 on a referendum.

FACT

The last referendum held on this issue told the City that the Northern residents of Area D wanted to hook up to City sewer. As with any other major initiative, council proceeded with infrastructure to support eventual hookup of Area D to the sewer. Developers south of town were also asked to support this initiative by way of additional DCC’s , again, to fund an eventual sewer.

In 2014, $3.5M in provincial grants was extended to the City for the purpose of providing Sewer to Area D. This is the exact type of opportunity we prepare for when we invest money in design and infrastructure. It makes us “shovel ready” and able to react quickly to funding offers.

In order to move ahead and take advantage of this grant money, City Council voted to put the question to the people who would be directly affected. The residents of Area D gave us a resounding NO to the question of sewer services from the City of Campbell River. The $3.5M has reverted back to the Province to be allocated to another community.

So, while we spent $70,000 to get the legal, formal answer required, we can now stop investing in pipes and infrastructure costing millions of dollars for a hookup that the residents of Area D do not want.  It was $70,000 not wasted, but well spent to get our formal and final answer and move on without incurring unnecessary costs in the future.

The City of Campbell River will take no further action to expand boundaries or services to Area D until asked by the residents of Area D to do so.

FICTION

Council has approved the building of a $4.8million artificial turf field at Robron.

FACT

Council has set aside $700,000 toward the possibility of an artificial turf field, which was identified as the #1 priority by the citizens of Campbell River in the 2012 Strategic Parks Plan. Council has moved forward with detailed design and the necessary steps to be ready for provincial or federal matching funding when the opportunity arises.

Each subsequent step toward the reality of a turf field will be subject to the legislated approval processes. Setting funds aside in a long-term plan is the best way to move toward large projects. I personally, will not support moving forward on a $4.8million project, that cost is too high, but I am committed to finding alternate solutions or ways to bring this project to fruition for families and sports tourism that does not place unreasonable financial burden on our citizens.

FICTION

Taxpayers will bear the burden of high operating costs for the turf field.

FACT

Annual operating costs for the turf field are estimated at $60,000 and will be funded primarily by user fees (by those who use the field).

FICTION

Mirror Newspaper August 21, 2026 – "I don’t believe in the Alternate Approval Process, I don’t believe it’s democratic”, Mayor Jakeway

FACT

Mayor Jakeway voted in favor of the Alternate Approval Process on Bylaw 3516 on June 25, 2026 for approval, then again on August 13, 2026 for adoption, and immediately after, opposed the same process for Bylaws 3518 and 3519. So, is it democratic or not?

FICTION

Seniors Centre Society All-Candidates Forum October 19, 2025 As Mayor there is no need to be at City Hall more than a few hours a week. “If you read the job description it is not a full-time job, sitting there and staring at a computer or staring out the window. There’s not that much paperwork to do..…you’re paid to socialize”. - Mayor Jakeway

FACT

Leadership by example begins with presence and accessibility to the City Manager, and visibility to the Staff. One can have a positive impact on staff without meddling in operations. If elected as Mayor, I would expect to work full time at the job and make myself available to the public, in the Office of the Mayor, as well as out in the community.

FICTION

As a healthcare employee for thirty-seven years, Councillor Adams may not have the business knowledge required to be an effective Mayor.

FACT

For twenty-two of those thirty seven years, I was responsible for over 200 direct reports and multi- million dollar departmental budgets for seven sites in the North Island including the Campbell River Hospital.

Health care funding has been among the most difficult to manage, as we have been asked to do more with less, and find creative ways to meet budget. I am proud to say that in twenty-two years, I have never exceeded budget.

More importantly, I have nine years of business experience at the City of Campbell River. I have full understanding of the powers and functions of municipal government under the Community Charter and I know how to get things done. This is the business of Campbell River.

FICTION

Campbell River Mirror, Jan 30, 2026 – regarding the 2.92% Residential and 0.0% increase for businesses for 2014

“The low percentage increase gives the impression that City spending is restrained and is finally under  control...City spending is not reined in." – Mayor Jakeway

FACT

Canadian Federation of Independent Business, October 2014 – CFIB BC Municipal Spending Watch 2014

“Campbell River is the best performing of BC’s largest municipalities .... it has had the second lowest growth in real operating spending per capita from 2000 to 2012 ......it also has a below average per capita spending level.”

Our City has managed to transition from reliance on a major industrial tax base while maintaining fiscal restraint that has us ranked #1 in British Columbia. While this recent CFIB report is great news for Campbell River, I will continue to advocate for fair taxation and responsible spending. - Andy Adams