Shows
The PulseParksville Downtown Revitalization with Teresa Cooper"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks: The Pulse Edition, Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Teresa Cooper, Executive Director of the Parksville Downtown Business Association, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Parksville downtown revitalization on Vancouver Island.(10:15) The conversation explores the Imagine Parksville Downtown initiative, a multi-phase, six-to-ten-year plan to breathe new life into Parkville's community core.(11:55) The trio discusses the classic chicken-and-egg dilemma facing Parksville downtown revitalization: restaurants won't extend hours without customers, and customers won't...
2025-11-2533 min
Nonpartisan HacksShiny Objects v. Heavy Can: Reconciliation After the Cowichan Decision with Adam OlsenWhat happens when short-term politics collides with long-term obligations?
Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with former MLA Adam Olsen to break down what the Cowichan Tribes decision actually means for British Columbia and why the province keeps deferring the same structural problems.
The conversation traces the pattern: governments chasing headlines, grant cycles built for ribbon-cutting, and a land system held together by avoidance. Olsen lays out how exclusion shaped B.C.’s foundations, why litigation produces lose-lose outcomes, and what responsible negotiation should look like when title is already established in law.
...
2025-11-141h 07
The PulseSean Wood’s Parksville Mayoral Candidacy & Inside Parksville's Federal Advocacy"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks: The Pulse Edition, Parksville Councilors Sean Wood and Joel Grenz take listeners behind the scenes of municipal advocacy work that directly impacts Vancouver Island taxpayers.(25:50) The episode features Sean Wood's announcement to run for mayor of Parksville in October 2026. His campaign platform centers on respectful governance, collaborative decision-making, and creating a council environment where diverse perspectives strengthen community outcomes.(06:45) Fresh from his trip to Ottawa for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Advocacy Days, Sean Wood...
2025-11-1135 min
Nonpartisan HacksDe-stigmatizing StigmaWhat’s the difference between shaming people and shaming harmful behaviour?
Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood take on one of the trickiest words in modern politics: stigma.
From anti-smoking campaigns and seatbelts to vaping, littering, and impaired driving, this episode explores how culture and policy have worked together to steer society, using stigma as a tool for good.
And with B.C.’s legislature debating whether schools should promote stigma against drug use, the conversation turns to where compassion ends and accountability begins.
🎧 Listen in for:
Why stigma isn’t a...
2025-10-3123 min
The PulseBreaking Down the Housing Crisis on Vancouver Island"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks: Pulse Edition, Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood break down one of the most talked-about issues in local government: housing.What's the difference between market and non-market housing? Why is non-market housing so hard (and slow) to build? Who actually pays for it? And what does the "Vienna Model" have to do with Vancouver Island's housing future? From permissive tax exemptions to project delays at BC Housing, this episode pulls back the curtain on how housing decisions actually get made—and wh...
2025-10-2835 min
Nonpartisan HacksUBCM 2025 Review: The Big Conversations Shaping B.C. PoliticsFrom street disorder and involuntary care to a record-setting provincial deficit and party leadership reviews, this year’s UBCM had no shortage of debate …or drama.
Hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down on the deck (yes, with fingerless gloves) to unpack the biggest stories and sessions from the 2025 Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria.
They dig into the shifting tone on addiction and public safety, Premier David Eby’s acknowledgement of policy missteps, and the growing conversation around stability, leadership, and what “compassionate” policy really means.
🎧 Listen in for:
The evolv...
2025-10-1847 min
The PulseWhat’s next for Vancouver Island’s rail corridor?"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of NonPartisan Hacks - Pulse edition, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Thomas Bevan, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF), to talk trains, trestles, and the tangled politics of one of Vancouver Island’s most unique public assets.Bevan shares what it’s like to work with every level of government—federal, provincial, regional districts, municipalities, and 14 First Nations—while trying to reimagine a 290-kilometre corridor that runs through the backyards of about 80% of island residents. From Scotch broom removal and firebrea...
2025-10-1451 min
Nonpartisan HacksAuthenticity as Currency: Media, Politics, and Trust with Rob Shaw at UBCMWhat separates functional government from frustrated government?
In this special episode recorded amongst the hustle and bustle of the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with political reporter Rob Shaw (CHEK News, Business in Vancouver, Political Capital) to explore what makes governments succeed or stumble.
From the tension between local and provincial priorities to the challenge of maintaining trust in an age of cynicism, Shaw shares insights from years of covering B.C. politics and the people behind it.
🎧 Listen in for:
Wha...
2025-10-1135 min
Nonpartisan HacksSuper Bowl of Advocacy: Making the Ask with Jeff Ferrier at UBCMWhat do speed-dating meetings with ministers, lobbyist myths, and Shania Twain’s brother have in common? Government relations.
In this second of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with strategist Jeff Ferrier to talk about the “Super Bowl of advocacy.” From how to frame a winning ask in just ten minutes, to why local governments should pick one priority and hammer it relentlessly, the conversation digs into what actually works when trying to get a yes from the Province.
🎧 Listen in...
2025-10-0332 min
Nonpartisan HacksResolutions, Reality, and Running for Mayor with Pete Fry at UBCMWhat do 275 resolutions, municipal downloading, and a possible mayoral race have in common? Councillor Pete Fry.
This is the first of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria. In this installment, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Vancouver Councillor Pete Fry on a patio next to a beautiful but somewhat noisy fountain. Discussion ranges from the reality behind UBCM resolutions, to the mental health toll of public office, to the question on everyone’s mind: will Pete run for mayor in 2026?
And yes, partway through ou...
2025-09-3039 min
Nonpartisan HacksThe Price of a Door: Market vs. Non-Market HousingIn this milestone 10th episode, Parksville councillors Sean Wood and Joel Grenz break down one of the most talked-about issues in local government: housing.
What’s the difference between market and non-market housing? Why is non-market housing so hard (and slow) to build? Who actually pays for it? And what does the “Vienna Model” have to do with any of this?
From permissive tax exemptions to project delays at BC Housing, this episode pulls back the curtain on how housing decisions actually get made—and who carries the cost. Featuring a fiery quote from Courtenay councill...
2025-09-1233 min
Nonpartisan HacksThe Next Leader of the BC Green Party with Adam Bremner-Akins, Dr. Jonathan Kerr, and Emily LowanThe BC Green Party is about to pick a new leader, and the three candidates joined Joel and Sean on the deck to make their case. Adam Bremner-Akins (political science student and party secretary), Dr. Jonathan Kerr (Comox councillor and family doctor), and Emily Lowan (climate organizer and researcher) sat down for an unfiltered conversation about strategy, ideology, and what it takes to grow beyond two seats.
Should the BC Greens court centrist voters or build a "Fight the Oligarchs" coalition? How would they tackle BC's deficit, and what role government should play in subsidizing the energy...
2025-09-041h 04
Nonpartisan HacksVancouver Island’s Forgotten Corridor with Thomas Bevan of ICFWhat’s next for Vancouver Island’s rail corridor? Is just a relic of the past, or the backbone of its future?
In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Thomas Bevan, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF), to talk trains, trestles, and the tangled politics of one of Vancouver Island’s most unique public assets.
Bevan shares what it’s like to work with every level of government—federal, provincial, regional districts, municipalities, and 14 First Nations—while trying to reimagine a 290-kilometre corridor that runs through the backyard...
2025-08-2850 min
Nonpartisan HacksMeet me in the Middle: Karin Kirkpatrick on CentreBCBC’s political landscape seems to change by the week... new parties, shifting allegiances, and plenty of noise. But what about the voters in the middle who just want good government?
In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome Karin Kirkpatrick, leader of CentreBC and former MLA for West Vancouver–Capilano. From her time as Shadow Minister for Housing, Childcare, and Families to her leadership in the non-profit sector, Karin brings a unique perspective on how government can serve people better, without the partisan dogfights.
The conversation covers:
Why...
2025-08-1959 min
Local News UpdateParksville council finds some objections to local brewery application to extend hoursA local Parksville brewery is looking for support from the City of Parksville for their application to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch to change their hours of liquor services.Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company is applying to change their current licensed liquor service hours from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.Parksville city council discussed feedback they received at a council meeting on April 15, from residents after a previous city council meeting on March 4 when brewery owner Matt Hill presented to council about the need to extend...
2024-04-1706 min