Municipal Courage with Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto

What happens when the province doesn't move fast enough and people in your city can't wait? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Marianne Alto, Mayor of the City of Victoria, recorded live at the AVICC convention. Victoria isn't just BC's capital city, it's a mid-sized municipality shouldering an outsized share of the region's housing pressures, homelessness, and mental health and addiction challenges, all while the provincial legislature sits in its front yard. Mayor Alto talks candidly about what it looks like when a city decides to stop waiting: building 97 new shelter and transitional housing spaces, creating a first-of-its-kind Community Safety, Wellbeing, and Partnerships department, and funding nonprofit service providers when senior governments can't or won't. She also shares what she's learned about courage, accountability, adaptability, and why standing in a room full of people yelling at you is sometimes just part of the job. Listen in for: How Victoria exceeded its provincial housing targets — and why Mayor Alto was "jumping up and down" to be picked first Why Victoria carries more than 80% of the region's social services — and what she's doing about it The story behind the Dollar Place facility: two public meetings, hundreds of angry residents, and a decision she'd make again How the city's Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan is funding nonprofits to do what the province hasn't What she told her council on inauguration day: "Listen, think, and then do good work" Advice for elected officials deciding whether to run again — including a frank conversation about vitriol in public life 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line. 🎵 Theme music: "Cruising" by Sky Gienger via Uppbeat | License: JNRTTK70QSW4XR8V