Nonpartisan Hacks
By Joel Grenz and Sean Wood
Categories: Government, Society & Culture, Politics, News
Hosted by two Parksville city councillors, Nonpartisan Hacks brings you behind the scenes of how government really works — without the spin, the shouting, or the partisanship. We dive into the practical, the absurd, and the oddly inspiring world of local government, while mixing in the occasional provincial and federal twist. Expect real talk about decision-making, budgets, bylaws, and political hot potatoes (with a helping of humour and honesty).
33 episodes indexed on PodSearch.
Recent episodes
- All Snapped Out: BC’s Back-to-Back Elections
What happens when a snap provincial election lands in the middle of BC's local elections? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Parksville councillor Sean Wood and former councillor Joel Grenz sit down for their first conversation since the votes were counted. Both had planned on a Parksville…
- Chair and Chief Councillor John Jack
Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with John Jack, known in his own language as Sayaač̓atḥ, who runs two governments at once: he's Chief Councillor of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, a modern treaty nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and the elected Chair of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional…
- On the Rails with Thomas Bevan of Island Corridor Foundation
What does it actually take to bring 289 kilometres of century-old railway back to life? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood take the show on the road — or rather, the rails — recording aboard a high rail vehicle rolling from Parksville to Coombs with returning guest…
- Scared to Live, Not Scared to Die: Shayla Day on Addiction and Recovery
Shayla Day was homeless from age 11 to 21, addicted to narcotics by 16, and overdosed 44 times. Today she's helping to lead a regional response to homelessness. In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Shayla Day, founder and CEO of Day Homes Society, a…
- Decoding Your Property Tax Bill
Your city council raised taxes 5.8% this year. So why did your bill go up 13%? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood pull apart the property tax bill that lands in every homeowner's mailbox each spring, and explain why it's really six or seven different bills stapled into…
- Municipal Courage with Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto
What happens when the province doesn't move fast enough and people in your city can't wait? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Marianne Alto, Mayor of the City of Victoria, recorded live at the AVICC convention. Victoria isn't just BC's capital city, it's…
- When Democracy Becomes Dangerous with Marianne Meed Ward
What happens when serving your community means risking your personal safety? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, recorded live at the AVICC convention in Victoria, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Marianne Meed Ward — Mayor of Burlington, Ontario and co-founder of Elect Respect — to talk…
- Bring the Bill: Rob Shaw on First Reading, DRIPA, and the Erosion of Debate
What happens when a government starts blocking bills before anyone gets to read them? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome back BC political reporter Rob Shaw — host of Political Capital and co-author of the bestselling A Matter of Confidence — for the "Criterion…
- So You’re Thinking of Voting in an Election
Nobody teaches you how to vote well. Maybe they should. You already know how to mark an X on a ballot. But do you know what you're actually voting for? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood — two City of Parksville councillors — break down the overlooked civics of actually choosing who to vote for. From how…
- The Most Expensive Building Material with George Anderson
In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville, former Nanaimo city councillor, commercial lawyer, and Parliamentary Secretary for Transit. Anderson shares what it was like being the youngest person at the council table by…
- Pulling Every Lever: Advocacy from the Local Level Up
What does it actually take to get something into a government budget? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood go behind the scenes on Sean’s multi-year advocacy journey to increase the Volunteer First Responder Tax Credit — first at the federal level, then provincially in…
- From Council Table to Caucus Room: Peter Milobar’s Governance Playbook
20 Years of Lessons from Local Government to the Legislature In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre and BC Conservative leadership candidate. Milobar's political résumé spans city councillor, three-term mayor, regional…
- Public Engagement Isn’t Broken, It’s Misunderstood
Two city councillors break down how public hearings, emails, and civic engagement actually work Public hearings, council emails, Facebook rants — everyone has an opinion on how to make their voice heard in local government. But most people have no idea how any of it actually works from the other…
- The Art of Mayoring with Nicole Minions
What does it actually mean to be mayor? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Mayor Nicole Minions of Comox to talk about leadership at the municipal level, and how governing really works when you move from being one vote at the table to chairing the meeting…
- How Citizens Can Get Big Things Done with Donna Hais
How do citizens turn frustration into outcomes, without picking a party or burning bridges? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Donna Hais, longtime community leader, business executive, and chair of the Fair Care Alliance, to unpack how advocacy really works inside complex municipal…
- Out of the Blue with former Conservative Party of BC leader John Rustad
Lessons on leadership inside British Columbia politics after 20 years in the Legislature. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with former Conservative Party of BC leader and longtime MLA John Rustad for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, governance, and the forces reshaping provincial…
- No Gavel Required: Running Meetings the Right Way with Tyler Brown
How does effective chairing turn a room full of strong opinions into real decisions? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Nanaimo councillor and former Regional District of Nanaimo board chair Tyler Brown to unpack what it really takes to run meetings that work, keep a 19-member board aligned…
- Shiny Objects v. Heavy Can: Reconciliation After the Cowichan Decision with Adam Olsen
What 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…
- De-stigmatizing Stigma
What’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…
- UBCM 2025 Review: The Big Conversations Shaping B.C. Politics
From 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…
- Authenticity as Currency: Media, Politics, and Trust with Rob Shaw at UBCM
What 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…
- Super Bowl of Advocacy: Making the Ask with Jeff Ferrier at UBCM
What 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…
- Resolutions, Reality, and Running for Mayor with Pete Fry at UBCM
What 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…
- The Price of a Door: Market vs. Non-Market Housing
In 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?…
- The Next Leader of the BC Green Party with Adam Bremner-Akins, Dr. Jonathan Kerr, and Emily Lowan
The 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…
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