Brunie Brunie is again running to be Mayor of Nanaimo, on a platform of livability, housing for the homeless and more green space. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

mayoral candidate

Green space, downtown clean-up pillars of Nanaimo mayoral candidate’s campaign

Sep 7, 2022 | 12:08 PM

NANAIMO — A familiar name to local voters is hoping she can lead the City into a better future.

Brunie Brunie will be on the ballot for Mayor for the Oct. 15 municipal election with a focus on a greener, more inclusive community.

She told NanaimoNewsNOW she wants to make the city a more liveable space for everyone, including an increasing number of people without a roof over their heads.

“Not only do they not only have a place to stay, but the bylaw pushes them constantly day after day after day. There’s young women out there, they have to stay together. There’s no toilet, is there water around here, somewhere you could get a drink of water? There is nothing.”

She called Nanaimo’s homelessness challenges an “atrocity” and proposed using vacant City lands to build temporary housing through barrack tents, kitchens and bathrooms from the Canadian Armed Forces.

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More secure housing would better enable mental health and addictions workers to more effectively work with people, according to Brunie.

“I don’t care if they’re drug addicts, I don’t care what they are, they need to have something over their heads. That’s a basic human right and we can’t get into fancy, high-rise New York style hotels until we address this problem.”

She also said one of the first things she would push for is a pressure-washing of the downtown core and construction of bathrooms for people who are unhoused in Nanaimo.

Brunie has an extensive record in running for public office.

She’s run in elections as an independent at both the federal and provincial levels and has had multiple attempts to earn a spot at the Council table in Nanaimo.

Brunie ran for Mayor in 2014, finishing seventh out of 10 candidates. She also ran as a City Councillor candidate in 2008, 2011 and 2018.

As part of her campaign, Brunie also wants to see vehicle traffic reduced or eliminated along Commercial St. in a bid to have cleaner, healthier air..

“Plant some trees in the middle, have some places where people can sit. Not just in a restaurant, but sit, socialize and be happy. I’d like to make it more people friendly.”

She would also advocate for rooftop gardens on all new developments to help create a more secure, local food source.

Her passion for the environment also extends to other campaign ideas, including a restoration of public green spaces in Nanaimo and removing the fencing around some parks.

Brunie noted she does not use fossil fuels wherever possible and is a constant presence in Nanaimo on her bike which is currently fitted with election signage.

She supports additional bike lane and active transportation corridors through the city and would also like to see a relaxing of rules about where dogs can and cannot go.

“I’d like to see dogs, little dogs especially, be able to go on the bus and go just about anywhere the humans go, except for maybe a restaurant.”

More on Brunie’s campaign is available on her website.

As of publishing time, four candidates have announced their intention to seek election for Mayor of Nanaimo in October.

Leonard Krog held a public event in late August, while NanaimoNewsNOW will publish features on Agnes Provost and Tasha Brown in the coming days, along with any other declared Mayoral candidates ahead of election day.

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