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Tavish Found: Over 3 years after the election, Victoria Councillor Matt Dell has now been compelled by Elections BC to finally submit Abstract CEO Tavish Rai’s full name as a campaign donor.

By Sasha Izard
Dec 5, 2025


In September of 2025, I wrote the following article: Who is Tavish? Victoria City Councillor Matt Dell reported to Elections BC, a Tavish as having provided $500 for his 2022 election campaign, yet Dell did not provide a last name for him to Elections BC. – CRD Watch Homepage

In that article, I predicted that the mysterious Tavish, is none other than Tavish Rai of Abstract developments. Abstract, like Dell, have been a strong proponent of so-called missing middle housing. The Missing Middle Housing Initiative was quickly adopted by the city of Victoria after the 2022 general local government election, being advanced primarily by the 5 on the council, and mayor, that were supported by the third party election advertising sponsor, Homes For Living during the election. Homes For Living is a political pressure group that advances a development agenda.

During the runup to the election, I had a dialogue with of Adam Cooper of Abstract, while he was the Chair of the UDI Capital Region a registered lobbying organization for development and real estate, that was advancing missing middle housing to multiple levels of government at the time. Cooper informed me that the Missing Middle Housing Initiative (MMHI) is not intended to deliver affordable housing

Zoomed detail:

Above: A 2022 Facebook post by Abstract’s Adam Cooper, while he was the Chair of the UDI Capital Region. Under the image of Eby, Cooper’s text mentioned that Eby was encouraging Stephen Andrews (who was running for Mayor in Victoria in the 2022 election) to support missing middle (something the UDI had been lobbying to government at the provincial and local/regional level of government).  Cooper’s text though appears inaccurate.  The person Eby was discussing with was not Stephen Andrews, it was the so-called ‘Condo King’ in Vancouver, Bob Rennie.

David Eby Before and After: How David Eby’s former criticisms of the political influence of the so-called ‘Condo King’ of Vancouver Bob Rennie, when Eby was a member of the opposition; turned once in power, to Eby becoming Rennie’s political follower.             – CRD Watch Homepage

The David Eby Confession:  Premier Eby talking to the ‘Condo King’ Bob Rennie, finally spilled the beans in front of the camera, on how UDI lobbying played key role in the creation of the Provincial Housing Bills. – CRD Watch Homepage

How the Development and Real Estate Lobby Pressed Mandatory Housing Targets, Mass Upzoning, Captured Official Community Plans, and Made the Shutting Down of Public Hearings the Norm in British Columbia Under the NDP Government – CRD Watch Homepage (The article includes much documentation about how the UDI advanced missing middle behind the scenes to multiple levels of government at that time).

Cooper also wrote (image detail bottom left): “Sasha Izard yup thank goodness we have everyone in our pockets!”

Cooper’s words, can be contrasted to Dell’s statement on the record at a meeting of Victoria Council in September of this year, in regard to a council members motion advanced by Councillors Hammond and Gardiner that he City should discontinue its paid membership in the UDI lobby:

“We are in the pocket of trying to build more housing in the city” – Councillor Dell

See: Letter to Councillor Dell in regard to your comments during the deliberations regarding the City’s membership in the Urban Development Institute at the City of Victoria Sept 4 Committee of the Whole – CRD Watch Homepage


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I reported Dell’s clear omission to Elections BC, and after being in dialogue with them on these issues, I was finally informed by them through email on Dec 2, 2025:

Hello Sasha Izard,

Thank you for taking the time to notify Elections BC regarding potential misreporting on the disclosure statement of Matt Dell for the 2022 General Local Elections. Our Electoral Finance Audit and Assessment team contacted Matt Dell’s campaign, and an amended version of the disclosure statement has now been published on our website.

I have included a link below to our Financial Reports and Political Contributions page where you can view disclosure statements and their amendments.

FRPC – Local Elections Disclosure Statement Listing

Sincerely,

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Now Dell has finally disclosed the last name of Tavish on his second amended disclosure of campaign contributions.

Sure enough, Tavish’s last name was Rai. Tavish Rai is the CEO of Abstract Developments.

Here is the original version submitted to Elections BC by the Dell campaign:

Here is Dell’s second amended version after being contacted by Elections BC over 3 years after the election:

That’s all it took. Just 3 letters, after 3 years.

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I replied to Elections BC today:

Have any penalties been made by Elections BC to Matt Dell, or his financial agent?

If not, will any penalties be made by Elections BC to Matt Dell or his financial agent?

Has Dell or his financial agent returned the prohibited contribution to Tavish Rai?

Thank you again,
Sasha

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See also: Index of Articles and other Material regarding Local Government Elections, and Elections BC – CRD Watch Homepage

The BC Local Elections Campaign Financing Act is a Farce. Like a yo-yo, it allows donors, who made prohibited election contributions, to get their money refunded to them after the election. – CRD Watch Homepage

Who is Tavish? Victoria City Councillor Matt Dell reported to Elections BC, a Tavish as having provided $500 for his 2022 election campaign, yet Dell did not provide a last name for him to Elections BC. – CRD Watch Homepage

List of campaign donations made by those involved in development and real estate to the campaigns of those who were elected to Saanich council in the 2022 election. – CRD Watch Homepage (Tavish Rai and other Abstract Executives) were among the donors.

Money still skewing local elections – Commentary – Focus on Victoria (2020)

Excerpt: “An astute reader emailed me right after the posting of the disclosure statements to show me how nine people who worked in some capacity with Abstract Developments had given donations totalling $23,400 to various Oak Bay, Saanich, and Victoria candidates. All perfectly legal. Helps’ campaign got a total of seven $1,200 donations from Abstract employees and associates, so $8,400.”

Index of Articles regarding Jet Flights for City of Victoria Staff to development lobby events, that were charged to the City. – CRD Watch Homepage

Plane Flights and Helijets, where taxpayer dollars go from the City of Victoria, for Development Lobby Events – CRD Watch Homepage

An Expensive Party: Victoria Employee flew to Nashville and back, to hang out with developers at their “Social Event”. Cost to the taxpayer: almost $2000 – CRD Watch Homepage