Premier David Eby boosted NDP candidate Ravi Parmar's byelection campaign on Wednesday with a visit to Sooke.
 
Eby spent about an hour in the downtown core mainstreeting with Parmar outside Village Food Markets, Serious Coffee, and at a Sooke Road bus stop before meeting with the media.
 
Sooke councillors Al Beddows and Dana Lajeunesse discussed housing with Eby.
 
The province announced recently that the district is among 47 municipalities in B.C. that need to speed up home construction or face penalties if those targets still need to be met.
 
Beddows said the province needs to look at the big picture regarding housing.
 
"We are building houses, and then we're put on a list with those who aren't. Metchosin is pretty much anti-development," Beddows told Eby.
 
Lajeunesse agreed housing needs to be built faster.
 
Still, the issue should be around making home ownership affordable.
 
"We need all cities to be on the same page," Eby said.
 
Parmar said later that the province has spent "record amounts" of money toward housing and infrastructure under Eby and former premier John Horgan.
 
The Langford-Juan de Fuca riding became open when Horgan stepped down as an MLA in March after previously stepping down as premier in November.
 
Four other candidates are also running in the byelection, Camille Currie B.C. Green, Mike Harris Conservative, Elena Lawson B.C. United, and Tyson Strandlund Communist.
 
The byelection is 24 Jun 2023.
 
Kevin Laird.