With election day just around the corner (Oct. 19), the Vancouver Island North Teachers Association (VINTA) has stepped up to the plate to host an All Candidates Meeting in Port Hardy.
VINTA President Shawn Gough confirmed the All Candidates Meeting will be held on Oct. 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the Port Hardy Secondary School multi-purpose room.
"The [Woss-north] communities deserve to have an opportunity to talk to the candidates and question their policies in order to determine who is going to best suit us in the upcoming election," said Gough. "It's VINTA's hope that all three candidates will be in attendance at the meeting. It would be very concerning if a candidate chose not to come and have their voice heard, particularly in this election where there is a lot of swing ridings."
Gough said each candidate will be given five minutes to speak, followed by questions from the moderator, and then there will be time for questions from the audience after that.
North Islanders can vote for one of the three candidates in their riding (NDP incumbent Michele Babchuk, Conservative Party Dr. Anna Kindy, Green Party Nic Dedeluk) if they are Canadian citizens aged 18 or older and have been residents of the province since April 18, 2024.
Eligible voters don't need to hit the polls on Oct. 19 though, but can vote at any district electoral office during office hours until election day, by mail, advance voting from Oct. 10 to 13 and Oct. 15 to 16.
North Island voting areas:
Chatham Channel Post Office, Minstrel Island,
Ḵ̓wax̱wa̱lawadi Echo Bay Marina, Echo Bay Marina and Lodge, Echo Bay
Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w Band Office, 21 Gwa-yee Village, Kingcome Inlet,
Gerry Morgan Memorial Centre, 350 Muchalat Dr., Gold River (Advance and final voting)
Tahsis Rec Centre, 285 Alpine View Rd., Tahsis
Zeballos Community Centre, 161 Maquinna Ave., Zeballos
Woss Lake Rec Hall, 4503 MacRae Dr., Woss
Kyuquot Band Office - Heath Clinic, 240 Kyuquot IR Rd., Kyuquot
Port Alice Community Hall, 951 Marine Dr., Port Alice
Quatsino Elementary School, 150 W Quatsino Rd., Quatsino
Winter Harbour Community Bldg., 136 Winter Harbour Rd., Winter Harbour
Holberg Community Hall, 1 Main St., Holberg
Port Hardy Civic Centre, 7450 Columbia St., Port Hardy (Advance and final voting)
Elder's Bldg Gwa'Sala'-Nakwaxda'xw, 150 Tsulquate IR Rd., Port Hardy
Sunset Elementary School, 2433 Mountview Cres., Port McNeill
Port McNeill Community Hall, 1473 Broughton Blvd., Port McNeill (Advance voting)
Sointula Athletic Hall, 110 13th St., Sointula
Alert Bay Community Hall, 185 Cedar St., Alert Bay
People can vote by mail through requesting the vote-by-mail package online or by phone (1-866-466-0665) until Oct. 13. It can be mailed directly or can be picked up at the the district electoral office. After Oct. 13, it can be requested in person until 4 p.m. on Oct. 19. Elections BC must receive the completed package before 8 p.m.