So who is the other name that can win?
A climate record you can look up.
Will Cole-Hamilton has spent two terms on Courtenay council and three years as chair of the
Comox Valley Regional District. Long before he was a candidate for anything provincial, he was
organizing local politicians around climate action.
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From day one
Built a national climate network for local leaders
He was on Climate Caucus’s steering committee from the outset, then served as vice-chair and later chair of the board. The non-partisan network now connects more than 1,000 mayors, councillors and other local elected officials across Canada working on climate policy. He also led its B.C. campaign, Help Cities Lead.
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Courtenay council
Climate built into every stage of the city’s plan
He moved that climate change be considered at every stage of Courtenay’s Official Community Plan update, the document that shapes how the city grows for decades.
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Comox Valley Regional District
Went after landfill methane
He pushed for an emissions management plan at the regional landfill. Its emissions were estimated at about 15 times all of the regional district’s other corporate emissions combined.
“Given the scale of the methane emissions from our landfill, this is a really significant step forward.”
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Vancouver Island
An Island-wide EV charging network
His resolution passed unanimously. Nine municipalities, four regional districts and the Wei Wai Kum First Nation then applied together for provincial funding to build chargers across the Island.
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Courtenay council
E-bikes for people who can’t easily afford one
He co-wrote the resolution with fellow councillors to subsidize e-bikes for low-income residents.
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Comox Valley Regional District
Deconstruction, not demolition
He helped move the regional district toward taking old buildings apart for reuse instead of sending them to the landfill.
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National
Retrofits people can actually afford
He is described as a founding figure in Canada’s PACE program, which lets homeowners pay for energy retrofits over time through their property taxes.
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Puntledge River
McPhee Meadows
He championed plans for a 4.6-hectare green space along the Puntledge River that would protect and restore riparian and wildlife habitat.
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Courtenay council
UNDRIP as the planning framework
He moved that Courtenay adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the reconciliation framework for its Official Community Plan.
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November 2023
Elected chair of the regional district
The board he chairs lists the climate crisis among its five strategic drivers. He also sits on the Regional Parks and Trails Committee and the AVICC Climate Leadership Steering Committee.
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January 2026
A 70-action regional climate strategy
Under his chairship, the regional board adopted a Climate Action Strategy developed over two years with staff, environmental groups, community partners and First Nations. It includes coastal resilience work at Dyke Road Park and wildfire kits for residents in high-risk areas.
“The Climate Action Strategy focuses on practical and structural actions to prepare residents for a changing climate.”
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A note for Green voters
Plenty of Green voters disagree with parts of the NDP’s record. The Green candidate, Jay Van Oostdam, has
25 years in environmental health science and has been sharply critical of the NDP’s forest
policy. He’s a serious candidate.
His profile
The ballot on October 24 asks something narrower than “which party do I agree with most.”
Of the two people who can realistically win here, it asks which one you want carrying the
Comox Valley’s voice on climate in Victoria.