Jenn Demo makes water, responsible spending and sustainable growth central to council campaign

Osoyoos council candidate Jenn Demo says safe drinking water, responsible municipal spending, sustainable growth and stronger communication between Town Hall and residents would be central to her work if elected.

Demo has lived and worked in Osoyoos for almost 10 years. She said the community is where she has chosen to build her life and where she hopes her adult children, two grandchildren and other local families will be able to build their futures.

“I care deeply about our community and its future,” Demo said. “I am committed to helping ensure it remains a thriving, welcoming and sustainable community for generations to come.”

Her background includes service in the Army Reserve, a decade working at a funeral home and her current role with the provincial government.

Demo has also served for three years on the Osoyoos Child Care Centre Board of Directors, including the past two years as president. Her other volunteer involvement has included the Navy League of Canada, Mid Island Deaf Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Army Cadets Parent Advisory Committee.

She described Osoyoos as being at a critical crossroads, with decisions made by the next council likely to affect the town’s affordability, livability and quality of life for years to come.

Demo said she is seeking a seat on council because she believes elected representatives must listen to residents and carry their concerns into Town Hall.

“This campaign is not about advancing a personal agenda or promoting isolated ideas,” she said. “It is about ensuring that your concerns, perspectives and needs are genuinely heard and accurately represented at Town Hall.”

Three connected priorities

Demo identified three central and equally important areas of focus: fiscal responsibility and smart growth, reliable infrastructure and safe drinking water, and collaborative leadership and community health.

She said these priorities should not be viewed separately or ranked against one another, noting that decisions involving municipal spending, development, infrastructure and public services are closely connected.

Fiscal responsibility and smart growth

Demo said local households have faced increasing pressure from municipal taxes and utility fees and called for a detailed, line-by-line review of Town spending.

The purpose of that review, she said, would be to determine whether tax dollars are being managed responsibly and whether municipal services are being delivered as efficiently as possible.

Demo said growth should strengthen Osoyoos without placing an unsustainable burden on water, sewer and other essential infrastructure. She also connected growth with the shortage of suitable and affordable housing for people employed in the community.

“Smart growth also means ensuring that the people who work in Osoyoos have the opportunity to live in Osoyoos,” she said.

Demo pointed to teachers, health-care workers, child-care providers, tradespeople, hospitality and agricultural workers, small-business employees and public-sector workers as examples of people who may work in Osoyoos but struggle to find appropriate housing within the town.

“They should not be forced to live in neighbouring communities simply because they cannot find suitable and affordable housing here, only to commute to Osoyoos for work,” she said.

Demo said the Town should pursue housing options that allow working people and families to establish roots in Osoyoos. At the same time, she said new development must remain balanced, sustainable and within the capacity of the community’s infrastructure.

She also emphasized the importance of supporting the small businesses, wineries, agricultural producers and tourism operators that contribute to the local economy.

Reliable infrastructure and safe drinking water

Demo said protecting Osoyoos’ drinking water is a top priority and no less important than the other central issues identified in her campaign.

“Protecting Osoyoos’ drinking water is one of my highest priorities because access to safe, reliable water is fundamental to every resident and every business in our community,” she said.

She said the discussion must acknowledge the work that has already been done, the commitments that have been made and the decisions that remain about where the community goes from here.

Demo said continuing water-quality advisories demonstrate the need for lasting infrastructure improvements rather than temporary responses.

She called for a proactive approach to planning and appropriate long-term capital investment in the Town’s water treatment and distribution systems. That planning, she said, must account for future population growth as well as increasing pressures associated with changing climate conditions.

“Our community deserves a secure and dependable source of clean drinking water, not just today, but for generations to come,” she said.

Collaborative leadership and community health

Demo said she wants to establish a more transparent, two-way relationship between residents and Town Hall, with meaningful public consultation taking place before major decisions are finalized.

If elected, she said she would listen to professional and expert advice while working with residents, neighbouring local governments, First Nations and community organizations.

She also identified the protection of local health services as an important concern requiring cooperation among governments and community partners.

Demo described herself as approachable, analytical and collaborative. She said she would be prepared to ask difficult questions, examine practical options and work toward consensus at the council table.

“I am prepared to listen, ask tough questions, seek practical solutions, build consensus and always put the well-being and clear direction of our community first,” she said.

Demo is campaigning under the message: “Strong Leadership. Safe Drinking Water. Sustainable Growth.”

“It would be an honour to earn your trust and your vote for Osoyoos Town Council,” she said.