Jason Cook is one of four candidates running in Courtenay-Comox in the Oct. 24 provincial election.
The CentreBC candidate has family ties to the Comox Valley and recently retired after a 25-year career in banking and finance.
“I spent about 25 years in finance and banking including senior leadership roles,” said Cook. “Most of my career was spent dealing with businesses identifying complex financial problems and finding practical solutions.”
Cook is new to politics and said that could be an advantage because he does not view issues through a political lens.
He said there have been positive developments in the riding over the past two years, including new housing projects and infrastructure improvements.
“I think Courtenay has made substantial progress on housing supply,” Cook said. “I think since 2021, we’re nearly at 1,700 [new] homes, that also indicates that we’re seeing significant growth in the Comox Valley.”
Cook said health care remains an issue in the riding, particularly access to primary care and emergency department wait times.
“Access to primary care, emergency department pressures, wait times, clinical capacity, I think these are all areas we could probably do better,” said Cook.
He also identified the cost of living and public safety as issues that need to be addressed.
If elected, Cook said he would focus on delivering measurable results and ensuring British Columbians get fair value for their tax dollars.
“In my career, it wasn’t enough to just spend money on initiatives,” said Cook. “You had to know what you’re trying to accomplish.”
His other priorities include increasing the housing supply, maintaining and building infrastructure, and ensuring support is available for people dealing with mental health and addiction issues and homelessness.
The provincial election is Oct. 24.
