Meet Jeremy

Dr. Jeremy L. Caradonna

Partner and Father

I have an incredible wife, Hannah, and two wonderful daughters, Stella and Mia. My youngest daughter attends South Park Family School and my older daughter attends Late French Immersion at Central Middle School. I have been an active PAC dad over the years and have led several campaigns in School District 61, notably campaigns to save music education and keep Late French Immersion at Central.

Public Servant

I work full time as a policymaker with the Province of B.C, where I work on issues related to climate, green building, and environment. 

Sustainability Educator and Author

I hold a PhD in the history of scientific, environmental, and political thought and teach part time in the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. I've written several books on sustainability, most notably Sustainability: A History (Oxford Univ. Press, 2014/2016/2022), that is read and used in classrooms worldwide. 

Former Small Business Owner

From 2014-2016, my wife and I ran a successful $500,000/year organic produce company called Share Organics. I care very much about the small business owners in Victoria, in part because I have been one. 

Avid Gardener

We've turned our small urban garden into a food production oasis. In 2019, more than 400 people visited our home during Victoria’s Urban Garden Tour. We have a greenhouse, hens, bees, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. 

 

As a city councillor, I will bring an extensive background in leadership positions. My breadth of experience allows me to represent multiple points of view and to work through complex issues. 

I care deeply about social wellbeing, sustainability, climate change, social justice, public education, affordability, liveable cities, and democracy, and those values always guide my personal and professional life.

 

Here is my extended biography.....

Educator and Author

I received my PhD in History from the Johns Hopkins University. I have taught full-time and part-time in academia. I spent nine years in the Departments of History at the Univ. of Alberta, and have taught part time for many years in the School of Environmental Studies and the Human Dimensions of Climate Change at UVic. I have also taught courses on running small businesses and guest teach courses on corporate sustainability at schools across North America. Recently, I have been teaching evening courses at Uvic on sustainable food systems, climate and energy politics, settler-colonial history in B.C., and other topics. 

I have published many articles and three books -- one on the European Enlightenment, one on the history of sustainability, and one on organic agriculture. I also write for magazines and newspapers, including many opinion pieces on politics, culture, and history. As a sustainability expert, I value simple and direct communication that can be read and accessed by everyone. 

Policymaker

I work full time at the Province of B.C., where I have worked on projects related to green building, climate change, waste reduction, and more. 

PAC member, Public School Advocate, and Father

My wife and I have two amazing daughters -- Mia and Stella. Mia is graduating from South Park Family School in 2022 and Stella is in grade 7 at Central Middle School. I have been very active at South Park since 2014. I have volunteered extensively in the classroom and take an active role in my kids' education. I also chaired the garden committee for many years and successfully applied for a grant that financed a new vegetable garden and permaculture orchard on South Park's campus. 

I have been active in causes at the school-district (SD61) level. I fought to keep South Park a district-wide, non-catchment alternative public school, and I successfully lobbied the school district (twice!) to keep late French immersion at Central Middle School. More recently, I have been involved in efforts (2021, 2022) to save music education within the district. My daughter is in multiple bands at Central and our family is firm believers in the value of music education. 

As a parent who lives in this city, I will be a voice for young and new families in Victoria -- families who want safe access to schools, better parks and green spaces, and robust programming at our public schools. 

Past Business Owner

Between 2014 and 2016, I owned a local organic food distribution company in Victoria called Share Organics. It was a great experience, and it taught me about the challenges of running a small business. I understand the adversities that small businesses face and I would bring a pro-small-business perspective to municipal government. Small businesses have been devastated by the pandemic and we need strong support for local business owners to get people back to livable incomes. 

Community-Builder and Organizer

I have volunteered with many local causes, initiatives, and community organizations, gaining essential leadership skills in the process. A sampling of my activities includes:

  • member of the Water Advisory Committee of the CRD's Water Supply Commission
  • elected member of the Board of the Fernwood Community Association
  • co-founder and volunteer manager of CASA (Conestoga Hut initiative) 
  • volunteer manager of a community garden (Spring Ridge Commons)
  • volunteer director of the the local biodiesel co-op
  • PAC member 

Urban Farmer

I keep chickens and bees at my property in Fernwood, grow many fruits and vegetables, and have a greenhouse in my front yard. I sell my surplus goods from an urban food stand to my local community. 

As a city councillor, I will advocate for the large community of gardeners and farmers who value good food, resilience, food security, and organic agriculture. I will work tirelessly to increase our local food supply, support ecological farming, and end food insecurity in our region. No person in Victoria should go without food, and we should prioritize a local food system that creates self-sufficiency. 

My personal and guiding principles

  • Honesty, integrity, and accountability
  • Deliberative democracy
  • Social justice
  • Commitments to reconciliation and anti-racism
  • Feminism 
  • Ecological wisdom 
  • Reconciliation
  • Triple bottom-line thinking, sustainability, and resilience
  • Positive, collaborative, and functional political culture
  • Good listening skills
  • Creativity and cultural vibrancy
  • Respect for all forms of diversity, inclusivity, points of view, and accessibility 
  • Open-mindedness and the ability to evolve my views as new evidence emergences