‘Tickety-boo’ Colwood mayor confirms spot in election race

Mayor Doug Kobayashi’s campaign will centre on council’s track record

‘Tickety-boo’ Colwood mayor confirms spot in election race Published 11:30 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026 He calls it “the worst-kept secret in Colwood,” but for folks not hooked up to the city grapevine, Mayor Doug Kobayashi has made it official. The incumbent mayor will seek a second term in the upcoming election this October.

Before committing to potentially another four years as mayor, Kobayashi says he had a few boxes to check, starting with receiving a clean bill of health from both his cardiologist and family doctor. “I had a bit of a health challenge last year,” he says. “It didn’t knock me down very long, but I wanted to make sure everything was tickety-boo – my health comes first.”

He also wanted to talk the decision through with his family. His wife, he says, is “100 per cent behind him,” asking what her husband would do with his time if he weren’t mayor. “I would probably drive her nuts because I have to have something to do,” he said with a laugh.

Above all, Kobayashi says he wanted to be sure he was putting his name in the ring for the right reasons. “This is not about ego for me, I’m past that now,” he says. “I’ve had the joy of making a big difference in people’s lives in the community.

“We as a council have done some great things for the community, and we’re really proud of it ... we’ve worked together exceptionally well and so I just want to continue what we’re doing right now.”

Kobayashi says his campaign will centre on council’s track record over the current term. “If you like what we’ve done, we’re going to continue and actually improve on it, because I’m that much of a better mayor now after four years,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot of lessons, I’ve made mistakes, but I certainly have learned from them; and I don’t make them twice, I can tell you that.”

With several major projects in the pipeline or already underway, Kobayashi says he wants to see them through and ensure the city delivers on its commitments. Among them is the long-awaited multi-use waterfront pathway connecting Esquimalt Lagoon to the Beachlands development. He also points to the municipal-run medical clinic, which opened in January 2025 and already has capacity for 3,750 patients.

The project has already been so successful, the city is eyeing expansion, on the hunt for a location for a larger clinic. “That’s something we’re very proud of,” says Kobayashi. “We set a new way of doing business as far as family doctor care, and it’s being copied all throughout British Columbia.”

Community safety also remains a priority. Kobayashi says he will continue supporting RCMP funding requests while building on the city’s work in emergency preparedness and neighbourhood livability. “I just want to continue that and have a better plan,” he adds.

Other campaign priorities include protecting Colwood’s natural environment, maintaining what he calls equitable taxation and a disciplined budget process, and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with the city’s growth. “This isn’t just planning, it’s implementing,” says Kobayashi. “In our roads, in our transportation, in our facilities – we’ve done a great job, but there’s so much more to do, and we’ve got to do this equitably and smartly.

“We can’t do it all at once. We have to make sure that it’s well planned out.” Whatever happens come October, one thing is clear: Kobayashi has enjoyed his time as mayor.

“This is what gets me up every day, he says. “I love serving my community, and that’s true blue, because there’s certainly not a financial incentive to do this, you really have to have your heart in this. “And I truly believe it, I love my community.”