September 27, 2026 - AKA, 16 Days In & What I'm Hearing

16 days in, the campaign has been a lot of listening and learning. I would like to take a moment to jot down the questions that I’ve been asked and have heard more than once from our community, and the feedback I’ve received so far.

These questions are in no particular order. Rather, they are an admittedly messy list of what I’m hearing. Not all of these items can be addressed by municipal council; nevertheless, I appreciate that concerned community members are raising them:

• What does fiscal responsibility mean to you?

• How can we increase access to childcare so parents and caregivers can participate more fully in the workforce?

• What can council do to improve building permit timelines at Municipal Hall?

• How can we make sure the voices of people who don’t vote in municipal elections are still heard by council?

• What will you do to address affordability in Whistler for small businesses and families?

• How do we protect our environment as we continue to grow?

• What can we do to address Whistler’s traffic woes?

• How can we make more affordable housing accessible to owners and renters?

• How will you address gender-based violence in Whistler?

• Will you support the development of seniors housing?

• Will you support the development of a multipurpose recreation facility?

• How can we ensure continuity of play for racket sports if the racket club is torn down before a new one is built?

• Will you support regional transit?

• How will you build trust with RMOW staff?

• Do you have experience negotiating with developers?

• Since all six incumbents are running, whose seat do you want to take from current council?

• Whistler needs more than one way in and out of town if there’s a wildfire — what can council do to improve our emergency access and preparedness?

• How do we keep property taxes manageable while maintaining the services and infrastructure Whistler needs?

• How do we balance the needs of residents with the needs of our visitor economy?

• How prepared is Whistler for a rapidly moving wildfire?

I’ve also fielded creative solutions from voters on how to address these very questions, and those ideas remind me of the good work local citizen scientists have done around monitoring Whistler’s glaciers and the local bear population, for example. We have great community members and organizations doing good work towards the community’s betterment, and I believe there is value in tapping into that knowledge and creativity.

If elected, I would use my seat at the council table to explore these ideas and perspectives further, while respecting the appropriate municipal processes.

I believe council doesn’t have to have all the answers. We just need to listen, use good process, and create a culture of trust and understanding.

This message is authorized by Mandy Rousseau – mandyforoffice@gmail.com.