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“It is time for a fresh start in Burnaby,” said Keithley in a statement announcing his campaign. “(Current mayor Derek) Corrigan and the (Burnaby Citizens Association) council have been pushing their same old agenda for the last 30 years. As your mayor, I will take a common sense approach and work for all of our citizens.”

The Burnaby Civic Green Party will run a full slate for all elected positions in Burnaby.

As mayor, Keithley says he will increase affordable housing and rental units, freeze property taxes for a minimum of two years, and halt demo-victions in the Metrotown area. He also plans to institute term limits for elected officials, distance citizens’ committees from the mayor’s office and make Burnaby a more sustainable and greener city.

Keithley also says he will “do whatever it takes to stop potential harm to the citizens and the environment of Burnaby” while opposing the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.

“People distrust politicians, and I would say with good reason, because they don’t listen to the voters,” he said. “I will fight for and demand that everyone’s voice is heard.”

Last year, Keithley ran to become Burnaby-Lougheed MLA as part of the B.C. Greens. He came in third behind the NDP’s Katrina Chen and the Liberals’ Steve Darling.

Keithley is an author, award-winning musician, a business owner and a union supporter for more than three decades. In 2016, he was inducted into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame. He has also coached youth soccer, baseball and lacrosse, while raising three kids with his wife of 30 years in Burnaby.

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