Meet the Mayor & Council

 

View Royal Town Council is composed of one Mayor and six Councillors:

Mayor Sid Tobias

Mayor Sid Tobias MSM, CD, MA was first elected as the Mayor of View Royal in 2022. He is View Royal’s fifth Mayor. Mayor Tobias serves as chair to the Finance and Administration Committee for the Town's Committee of the Whole. He is the Town's representative to the Capital Regional District's Board, Hospital Board, and Housing Trust Fund Commission. He also serves as the Town's liaison to the Capital Region Housing Corporation Board, Westshore Chamber of Commerce, Westshore Policing Advisory Committee, and the Te'Mexw Treaty Advisory Committee. Prior to being elected, Mayor Tobias served on the Town's Planning and Development Advisory Committee in 2015 and was nominated Chair in 2016.

Mayor Tobias is the Director of Digital Services with the Environmental Assessment Office of the Government of British Columbia. He has been a public servant with the Government of British Columbia since 2015. He works on building agile teams that build innovative solutions to enhance public access to information and engagement for the public. He also builds solutions to enhance data-driven decision-making in government. He teaches Digital Leadership and Complexity Theory with the public service and is frequently called upon to deliver keynote speeches at national and international conferences.

Mayor Tobias served in the Royal Canadian Navy for over 24 years retiring as a Chief Petty Officer First Class Naval Combat Information Operator.  He was trained by US Joint Forces as a Joint Interface Control Officer specialist. He has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), and the Inaugural South West Asia Medal (SWASM) by the Governor General. He has also been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration with bar, the Operational Service Medal Expedition (OSM-EXP) and the Command Commendation by the Commander Joint Task Force South West Asia. He was also awarded the Assistant Deputy Minister Information Management’s Nova Award for Leadership, as well as, various leadership awards as Chairman of the NATO Data Link Working Group and the Air and Space Interoperability Council (ASIC).

He is a graduate of Royal Roads University with a Master of Learning and Technology (MALT) and a Graduate Diploma in Knowledge Management. Mayor Tobias continues to work and research applications of complexity theory, decision-making and continuous improvement.

Mayor Tobias believes that View Royal is a gem because of its natural beauty and the sense of neighbourhood and community made up of residents who are passionate about living here.  He highly encourages neighbours to get to know each other and welcome new neighbours. He enjoys walking his dog around the block and it takes four times longer due to unplanned conversations with neighbours. He admits now that as Mayor these dog walks take even longer but very much enjoys the conversations and that it galvanizes his sense of purpose. He is quick to accept opportunities to discuss the town and the future with groups such as strata councils or groups of neighbours.

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Mayor Tobias can be contacted at:

Email: mayortobias@viewroyal.ca 

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor Don Brown

Councillor Brown was elected to the Town of View Royal Council in 2022. He chairs the Protective Services Committee as a member of Council's Committee of the Whole. He is the Town's representative for Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications Inc. (CREST) and the South Island Prosperity Partnership.

Councillor Brown has lived in View Royal since 2003. He is married and has 2 children, 4 stepchildren, and 9 grandchildren. He was born in New Westminster and raised in Burnaby, Ottawa and Edmonton. After graduating from high school he joined the R.C.M.P where he served for 32 years in Regina, Quesnel, Prince George, Vanderhoof, Vancouver, Surrey, Westshore, Victoria, Nanaimo, Richmond, Burnaby, and finally as the Staff Sergeant in charge of Sooke Detachment. After retiring from the R.C.M.P., Councillor Brown worked as the Chief Bylaw Officer for the Capital Regional District where he retired in 2021.

While working for the R.C.M.P., Councillor Brown attended the University of Victoria where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with majors in History and English. He also completed two years of distance education from Dalhousie University and was awarded a Masters of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. He also worked part time instructing Criminology courses at Kwantlen University and Vancouver Island University.

Councillor Brown has been active in every community he has lived in. He played, coached, managed and officiated several sports including box and field lacrosse, soccer, basketball, football, baseball, slow pitch and curling. He helped establish the Rotary Club of Westshore and was the Charter President. He served as a School Trustee for 6 years in the Nanaimo/Ladysmith School District 68. He was also a School Trustee for the Sooke School District 62 for 6 years (3 years in Milnes Landing zone and 3 years in the Belmont zone).

Councillor Brown looks forward to serving View Royal as a Councillor.

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Councillor Brown can be contacted at:

Email: dbrown@viewroyal.ca 

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor Damian Kowalewich

Councillor Kowalewich was re-elected to the Town of View Royal Council in 2022. He chairs the Parks and Recreation Committee as a member of Council's Committee of the Whole. He is the Town's representative on the Joint School District/Municipal Committee and the Westshore Parks and Recreation Board.

Councillor Kowalewich has lived in View Royal for 14 years with his wife and children. He and his family love exploring nature, playing sports, travelling, and spending time in the community. Councillor Kowalewich also enjoys hockey, tennis, cycling, hiking and reading.

Councillor Kowalewich is active in community service and is passionate about giving back and helping the younger generation to feel connected to their community through sports. He coaches and referees minor hockey, and has cherished his role as a Special Olympics charity event coordinator. He is the past President of the Saanich Volunteer Services Society and past Chairperson of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Federal Corrections. Councillor Kowalewich is a serving peace officer in the CRD and instructs at Dalhousie University.  

Councillor Kowalewich values life-long learning. With a Masters's Degree in Communications, a bachelor's Degree in English, and post-bachelor certificates in Leadership and Public Administration, he regularly uses his knowledge for the benefit of the town.

Councillor Kowalewich is honoured to have been elected 3 times by View Royal residents. He will continue to meet with residents, employees, and stakeholders in View Royal and will remain fully engaged during his term.  

"My wife and I are proud to be raising our family in View Royal. My goal is to ensure that I represent this community fairly and to genuinely listen to residents from all walks of life."

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Councillor Kowalewich can be contacted at:

Email: dkowalewich@viewroyal.ca

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor Gery Lemon

Councillor Lemon was elected to her first term on Council on October 20, 2018. She serves as chair to the Arts and Culture Committee for the Town's Committee of the Whole. She is the Town's representative to the Capital Region District's Arts Commission and is the Town's liaison to the Greater Victoria Public Library and View Royal Reading Centre.

View Royal has been home to she and her husband, Graham Hill, since 1992, and for much of that time she has been a close observer of Council and the interests of the people of View Royal.

As a communications professional, Councillor Lemon provides communications advice and services to government and organization leaders and became interested in local government while covering municipal councils as editor of several British Columbia newspapers.

She has volunteered her time and services as former communications chair of the Help Fill a Dream Foundation and in helping B.C.’s Seniors Advocate gather information about the living conditions of seniors in care.

“I am deeply interested in the interests and concerns that affect people where they live. That’s the beauty of local government.  I’m honoured to serve the people of View Royal and look forward to engaging with residents.”

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Councillor Lemon can be contacted at:

Email: glemon@viewroyal.ca
Cell Phone: 250-508-5065

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor Alison MacKenzie

Councillor MacKenzie was elected to Town of View Royal's Council in 2022. She chairs the Environment Committee as a member of Council's Committee of the Whole. She is the Town's representative on the Capital Regional District's Climate Action Inter-municipal Task Force and the Town's liaison to the Parents' Advisory Committee.

Councillor MacKenzie has worked in the Federal Canadian Public Service, the UK Civil Service, and currently the B.C. Provincial Government. Her roles have been in people policy and labour market policies.

She completed an undergraduate degree in Business at the University of Ottawa, a Master’s of Comparative Social Policy at the University of Oxford, and is a Chartered Professional of HR. Alison has sat on the board of directors for a number of non-profits in the Greater Victoria Area, and is a former member of View Royal’s Board of Variance.

Councillor MacKenzie has lived in Germany, Switzerland and the UK, as well as a number of cities across Canada. She can be found walking or cycling around View Royal, or spending time on the water – paddle-boarding, rowing and swimming. 

Councillor MacKenzie looks forward to representing a broader perspective on Council.

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Councillor MacKenzie can be contacted at:

Email: amackenzie@viewroyal.ca

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor Ron Mattson

Councillor Mattson served as View Royal Councillor from 1990 to 2005 and 2011 to 2014 and has been re-elected for another term in 2022. As a member of Council's Committee of the Whole, he chairs the Planning, Development and Engagement Committee. He is the Town's representative on the Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee and the Esquimalt Harbour Advisory Committee.

Councillor Mattson has lived in View Royal with his wife, Linda, and daughter, Sarah, since 1978. Ron has over 25 years of experience in Project and Program Management, and Policy Analysis. His education includes a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, and certification as a Professional Project Manager.

Aside from spending time with his family, Councillor Mattson's hobbies include wood-working (a member of the Island Woodturners Guild), cycling, hiking, and home maintenance.

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Councillor Mattson can be contacted at:

Email: rmattson@viewroyal.ca
Residence Phone: 250-479-7754

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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Councillor John Rogers

Councillor Rogers has served as View Royal Councillor since 1996. As a member of Council's Committee of the Whole, he chairs the Public Works and Transportation Committee. Councillor Rogers is the Town's representative on the Capital Regional District's Regional Water Supply Commission and serves as the Town's liaison to the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission and Friends of Cole Island Society.

Councillor Rogers has lived in View Royal for 43 years. He and wife, Maureen, and daughter, Emily, have lived on Prince Robert Drive since 1986. He earned a Bachelor's of Science from degree the University of Victoria. Before retiring in 2010, he had worked as a Systems Analyst for the Solicitor General (20 years) and a Probation Officer (15 years). He was awarded the Corrections Exemplary Services Award in 1998. Aside from spending time with his family, John's hobbies include walking, kayaking gardening and researching local history.

"I am proud of our community," Councillor Rogers says, "As a team player, I believe in a collaborative approach with staff, council, residents, developers, municipal neighbours, and others. I am readily available to listen, consider any resident's suggestions and research the issues that are important to our community."

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Councillor Rogers can be contacted at:

525 Prince Robert Drive, Victoria BC V9B 1C9
Email: jrogers@viewroyal.ca
Residence Phone: 250-727-7736
Cell Phone: 250-514-5770

or

c/o View Royal Town Hall
45 View Royal Avenue, Victoria BC V9B 1A6
Email: mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Phone Messages: 250-479-6800
Fax Messages: 250-727-9551

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