Civic election: Meet Zachary Poturica, running for Osoyoos council

Photo: Zach Poturica

Castanet News has distributed a questionnaire to each candidate running for local council in the South Okanagan.

All candidates have been given the same questions, and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity when needed. An interactive database of Okanagan candidates, including previous questionnaire stories, is available here and is being updated daily.

Election day is Oct. 15.

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Zachary Poturica: Osoyoos council candidate

Why would you make an effective town councillor?

I believe I’m a listener and decision maker, For 17 years I’ve worked alongside elected officials and staff at all levels of government and for 11 years worked with Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen as a firefighter and deputy fire chief.

In your view, what is the number one issue facing Osoyoos today, and how would you deal with it, knowing Town Hall only has so much power?

Housing- Osoyoos suffers from a shortage of long-term rental housing. As a result many young families and residents on lower incomes have been forced to leave town to find housing options. Osoyoos currently has a zoning bylaw that is supposed to eliminate short term rentals, This bylaw is poorly enforced and lacks any deterrent.

If elected I would work with council and staff to develop a new bylaw that could be modelled after other successful municipalities to help keep long term rentals available so families can continue to call Osoyoos home.

How would you make Osoyoos more affordable?

Osoyoos continues to become a popular real estate investment location which has caused land prices to soar. We struggle from a lack of accessible land due to the narrow size of the valley and the ALR boundaries which has made the viability of affordable housing options scarce. The town has land available and if elected, would engage with community partners to explore development opportunities to offer a variety of affordable housing opportunities.

What is one example of a time you agreed with Osoyoos council over the past term, and one where you disagreed?

Agreed – The hiring of a new CAO in 2022.

Disagreed – The suggestion of prioritizing the installation of water meters prior to dealing with the current water crisis Osoyoos is faced with.

If you had $1 million to spend on anything for Osoyoos, how would you spend it?

Unfortunately $1 million doesn’t pay for much for a municipality these days, however if given the opportunity, I would spend the funds to improve accessibility within the community. We currently have sidewalk letdowns that don’t align crosswalks and have many areas of town where sidewalks are deteriorating and preventing those with mobility issues to access them safely.

Picture Osoyoos 20 years from now. What are the key aspects that are making it thrive?

20 years from now, we have the ability to protect our drinking water, a number of housing solutions that allows families to continue to grow and remain here and a community that is forward thinking and innovative.