Council Members

Jonathan X. Cote, Chair Mayor of the City of New Westminster

First elected in 2005, Jonathan X. Coté served three terms on New Westminster City Council before being elected as Mayor in 2014. In 2018, he was elected for a second term as Mayor. Jonathan resides in the city with his wife Alix and their three daughters Renee, Leah and Violet. As the Mayor of New Westminster, Jonathan has earned a reputation as a strong leader around issues such as transportation, affordable housing and urban planning. Jonathan is a chair of the TransLink Mayors’ Council and a member of the TransLink Board. He represents New Westminster on several Metro Vancouver Committees as well. Currently he serves as chair of the Regional Planning Committee. Locally Jonathan leads a number of Task Forces working on tackling some of the most challenging issues facing his community. Outside of council, Jonathan supports the work of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation and is a member of their Redevelopment Steering Committee. Prior to being elected, Jonathan completed his Master’s Degree in Urban Studies/Planning at Simon Fraser University and worked as a litigation adjuster in the insurance industry.

Jack Froese, Vice-Chair Mayor of the Township of Langley

Elected to office in 2011, Mayor Jack Froese is currently serving his third term as Township of Langley Mayor. For 40 years, Mayor Jack Froese has lived, worked and raised a family in Langley. He is the successful owner of a family run business. Through responsible, accountable leadership, Mayor Froese works in cooperation with Council, other elected officials, and members of the community to ensure the Township of Langley remains a thriving residential and business destination. With a vision for enhanced economic activity and job creation, improved transportation, and safe, well-serviced communities, he is dedicated to providing an exceptional quality of life for those who live and work in the Township, now and in the future. Jack serves the community as: Director, METRO Board of Directors

Member, METRO Mayor’s Committee

Member, Metro Regional Planning Committee

Vice-Chair, Langley Healthier Community Partnership Steering Council

Board Member, E-Comm 911

Member, Canadian Pacific Rail Community Advisory Panel Jack owns and operates a turkey farm and turkey wholesale business with his family. Jack is also a retired Police Officer from the Vancouver Police Department.

Gary Ander Mayor of the Bowen Island Municipality

Prior to being elected as Mayor in 2018, Gary Ander served as Municipal Councillor for Bowen Island during the 2014-2018 term. Gary has been actively involved in the Bowen community for over 25 years, serving on various municipal and community organizations. A full time resident for the past 26 years, and part time resident previous to that for another 20 years, Gary brings a wealth of knowledge of Bowen Issues and a deep passion for island living. A dedicated family man, Gary is the father of 5 great kids, who grew up building forts in the woods and swimming at the beach on Bowen. Previous to local politics, Gary flew for Air Canada for 35 years, retiring as Captain at Age 60 in 2010. During his years on Bowen, he was partner in a successful contracting company and built many homes for Bowen residents. Currently he enjoys building on a part time basis. Gary is a collaborative team player and natural leader with a positive can-do attitude and a common sense approach. He feels very strongly that through our inevitable period of growth that we must be very cautious to not lose what makes Bowen – “Bowen”! A measured, balanced approach to all aspects of governance, that above all else, maintains the sanctity of our precious, natural Bowen Island and the caring, passionate community within.

Chief Ken Baird Chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation

Chief Ken Baird’s ancestral name is Sweneset passed down from his maternal grandmother. His mother was a Member of Tsawwassen First Nation and his father was from Agassiz. Chief Baird was elected Chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) on April 6, 2019. Prior to that, he served a term as a Member of Executive Council and two terms as a Legislator of the Tsawwassen Government. During his second term in Legislature he was elected Squiqel (Chair). Baird also worked for the TFN Government in a variety of capacities since 1999. From 1999 – 2005 he worked at the Wastewater Treatment Plant as an “operator” in 2006 he was promoted to Supervisor. In 2010 he moved to the Public Works Department as a Supervisor until he was elected Chief. He is committed to prioritizing youth and elders programming. Mainly focusing on education and assisting and guiding the developments of policies that ensures the communities needs and priorities are met. Chief Baird is often quoted “Not one Member will be left behind”. Chief Baird represents TFN on the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors, the Indigenous Relations Committee as Vice-Chair, the Climate Action Committee, the Industrial Land Strategy Task Force, the Water Committee and the Mayor’s Committee. He is also a representative on the Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation, and the Finance and Governance Committee, Board of Directors and holds a Director position for the Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council. Chief Baird is happily married and the father of 6 children and 3 grandchildren. He is an avid fisherman harvesting traditional foods such as salmon and crab, ensuring his family and community are provided for. He takes to the waters whenever the opportunity arises.

Neil Belenkie Mayor of the Village of Belcarra

Neil Belenkie has spent his professional career creating partnerships between people; ensuring that everyone wins every time. A Business in Vancouver Top 40 under 40 Award winner, Neil’s corporate experience includes co-founding and leading the GrowthPoint Group, a professional services firm in Vancouver. Neil was CEO of Sirona Biochem (Vancouver) and TFChem (Normandy, France), together listed on the TSX-V, OTCQX and Frankfurt public exchanges. Neil’s international experience also includes being retained by the Flanders Government in Belgium to lead international economic development. Neil’s current roles include CEO of The $2,000 Coffee and co-founder of Sploda Technologies. In the community, Neil has been a volunteer firefighter with the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department for 9 years. He is married to his wonderful wife Bronwen Belenkie and they are parents of four young children.

Mary-Ann Booth Mayor of the District of West Vancouver

A long-time resident of West Vancouver, Mary-Ann Booth has worked in municipal government for over a decade and brings experience, vision and passion to her new role as West Vancouver's mayor. Serving on Council from 2011–2018, she was also a school trustee with the West Vancouver Board of Education from 2005–2011, the last three years as Chair. Holding both Commerce and Law degrees from the University of British Columbia, Mary-Ann practised law for almost 20 years, holding positions as a civil litigator, business law lecturer, Provincial crown prosecutor and in-house counsel. Mary-Ann is driven by a desire to make West Vancouver as livable, vibrant and inclusive as possible.

Malcolm Brodie Mayor of the City of Richmond

Malcolm Brodie has been a member of Richmond City Council since 1996. Following a by-election, he was sworn in as Mayor on October 29, 2001 and was re-elected in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2018. Mayor Brodie has been appointed as First Director to the Board of Directors of Metro Vancouver since taking office in 2001. He is currently the Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Zero Waste Committee and also serves on the Intergovernmental & Finance Committee, the Mayors' Committee, the Regional Parks Committee, and the Industrial Lands Strategy Task Force. He has represented Metro Vancouver on the Municipal Finance Authority as a Trustee since 2006, Vice Chair from 2009-2015, and Chair since March 2015. Mayor Brodie was appointed by UBCM to the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee from 2013-2017. He was also UBCM's appointee to the PRIMECorp Board of Directors from 2013-2014. The Mayor was a Director on the Board of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink) from 2002-2007 and served as Chair in 2006-2007. Since then, he has been a member of the TransLink Council of Mayors. Mayor Brodie is the Chair of the City’s General Purposes Committee and the Finance Committee. In addition, the Mayor is an ‘ex officio’ member of the remaining four Standing Committees of Council. Before election to Council, Mayor Brodie was a practising lawyer and had a long record of service to Richmond in the volunteer community. In honour of his contributions and achievements in the community, Mayor Brodie was a recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (1992), the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and the Canada 150th Anniversary Medal (2017).

Linda Buchanan Mayor of the City of North Vancouver

Mayor Buchanan’s values and passion for our City come naturally to her. Her late father, Jim Buchanan, was a popular high school principal whose memory is celebrated with the annual Buchanan Bowl football game. Her mother, Verna, was a nurse and remains a long-time community volunteer. Mayor Buchanan states both her parents provided a deep foundation to the value of family, deep times to our community and an understanding of the diverse people who live here. After graduating from Carson Graham Secondary School and the University of British Columbia (Honors), Mayor Buchanan pursued her family’s commitment to people and community through a career in nursing, providing preventative health services working with the Squamish Nation; health promotion to children, youth and families; and working in schools and community clinics. As a past School Trustee Mayor Buchanan played a leadership role in the revitalization of the City’s schools. She is one of the founding members of the Ridgeway Heritage Committee and is proud of their success in having Ridgeway Elementary, one of the most significant heritage buildings in North Vancouver, restored. People who know Mayor Buchanan describe her as an exceptional leader, a collaborator and a strong advocate for our community. Mayor Buchanan is the principle author of the North Shore Child and Family Friendly Charter and as a Councillor championed the creation of the Child, Youth and Family Municipal Strategy and the Dementia Friendly Action Plan. She is a strong supporter of improving the quality of living for residents that focuses on programs and services, the public spaces, arts and culture, and infrastructure that makes our City, a people place. Mayor Buchanan lives with her husband and their four children. She is a proud hockey mom, an avid walker, tennis player, and jazz music enthusiast.

Bill Dingwall Mayor of the City of Pitt Meadows

Bill has lived in Pitt Meadows since 1984 and was extremely honoured to be elected as Mayor in 2018. Prior to this term, Bill served Pitt Meadows citizens as City Councillor from 2014-2018. Bill has enjoyed extensive careers in the public service, including 36 years with the RCMP where he served in a variety of operational roles, including four years as Ridge Meadows Chief of Police. In the last eight years with the RCMP he held executive leadership roles, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent. Bill has a Bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University, a Law Degree (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Ottawa and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR). Bill has a been actively involved in a variety of volunteer and charitable activities over the years, including Cops for Cancer, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, mission relief renovation work for victims of Hurricane Katrina in Alabama, and participating in the walk for Crossroads Hospice Society. He was also referee-in-chief for Ridge Meadows Hockey Association, referred hockey, was a member of Rotary and coached hockey and competitive fastball. Bill met his wife, Erna, in high school and they’ve been together ever since. They have two married children (daughter and son), four grandchildren, and are thrilled their families live in Pitt Meadows. Bill’s hobbies include “the kids and grandkids,” gardening, camping, golf, carpentry/renovations and enjoying their recently restored 1970 Challenger originally owned in high school.

George Harvie Mayor of the City of Delta

Mayor Harvie, a long-time resident of South Delta, was appointed Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Delta in 2001. Before this appointment, he was employed with the City of Burnaby where he served over 30 years in a number of positions including Deputy City Manager, Director of Human Resources and Manager of the Environmental Health Department. For his outstanding community service, he was recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. A strong advocate for the Delta community, he was successful in bringing together senior levels of government to resolve local issues and bring significant benefits to Delta. With his vision and leadership, he transformed Delta’s financial management to place Delta as one of the best managed municipalities in British Columbia. With 45 years of local government service, he provided leadership to all departments to ensure they meet their responsibilities and that Council’s directions and policies were carried out. Mayor Harvie has a B.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University, an Administrative Management Special Certificate and an Environmental Health Diploma of Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He also studied Advanced Management at Dalhousie University.

Mike Hurley Mayor of the City of Burnaby

I was born in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, in 1958 and came to Canada in 1983 at the young age of 25. Music and Gaelic football dominated my youth as did soccer which advanced me to a semi-professional league. I first settled in Vancouver and moved to Burnaby in 1988. My wife, Jennifer, and I met in 1998 and we have three boys who are in elementary school. And, I have a daughter, who is attending Simon Fraser University. I joined the Burnaby Fire Department in 1988. Throughout my career, I’ve held many positions – driver; technical rescue team member; hazardous material specialist; instructor; Lieutenant, Captain and Acting Assistant Chief. I was the Vice-President of the Burnaby Fire Fighters Association from 1996 – 2001 and the President from 2001 – 2009. I was also the President of the BC Provincial Fire Fighters Association from 2008 – 2016. As President of the Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, I led the effort to raise $15 million to build a facility that accommodates families and burn unit outpatients for Vancouver General Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital. My second “home” is with the Burnaby Fire Fighters Charitable Society. The Society raises money for community groups and non-profit organizations which supports more than 50 charities. Over $800,000 annually is given for bursaries and they operate a Nutritional Food Program that benefits kids at 26 elementary schools, four high schools and four youth centres. I was honoured to receive the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012

Mike Little Mayor of the District of North Vancouver

Mike Little was elected Mayor of the District of North Vancouver in 2018, having previously served three terms as a Councillor from 2004 to 2015. Mike is a lifelong resident of the District of North Vancouver with a long record of volunteer and leadership roles within his community. Mike began volunteering with the Rotary Club in the 1990s and has since served on over 15 community boards across North Vancouver. Passionate about his community and accessibility issues, Mike served for seven years on the Advisory Committee on Disabilities Issues, a tri-municipal board committed to removing barriers for persons with disabilities. An avid historian, Mike chaired the North Vancouver Heritage Commission where he helped preserve the pioneer home of Mollie Nye for public use in Lynn Valley and established an inventory of the community’s historical buildings. As a former Councillor, Mike was appointed to several regional boards including Metro Vancouver Parks and Environment Committee, Port Cities Committee, and the Greater Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau. Prior to serving as Mayor, Mike chaired the North Vancouver District Public Library board, where he advocated for unfettered public access to high quality public resources. Mike holds a degree in political science and has had a successful career working in international shipping. He lives in the Seymour area with his wife and four school-aged children.

Doug McCallum Mayor of the City of Surrey

Doug McCallum was elected to his fourth term as Mayor on October 20th, 2018. Mayor McCallum and Surrey City Council are focused on delivering the initiatives residents have called for. On November 5th, immediately following their Inauguration Ceremony, Mayor and Council went straight to work unanimously passing a motion to cancel the Surrey Newton Guildford LRT project and to begin work on extending the existing SkyTrain network in Surrey from King George Station to Langley City. Council also unanimously approved a motion to create a Surrey Police Department and serve notice to the federal and provincial governments that the City of Surrey is terminating its contract with the RCMP municipal police service. A third key priority is to pause rapid expansion while creating smart development guidelines to ensure infrastructure keeps up with growth. Mayor McCallum’s substantive history of service to the City speaks to his determination and drive to achieve meaningful results for Surrey residents. Elected to Surrey City Council in 1993, he served as Chair of the Finance Committee and sat as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Library Board. Throughout the course of three mayoral terms from 1996 to 2005, Mayor McCallum provided leadership to the region through his service on the GVRD TransLink Committee, he succeeded in keeping property taxes low for Surrey residents, and left the city in a solid financial position with a $300 million dollar surplus and no debt.

Jen McCutcheon Director, Electoral Area A

Jen McCutcheon was elected as the Director for Electoral Area A in June, 2019. She has lived in the greater Vancouver area for 11 years, five of which have been in the UBC/UEL area (which constitutes the bulk of the Electoral Area A population). Jen has 20 years of professional experience, working first as a physiotherapist in various hospitals across greater Vancouver, and then as a public health professional managing complex global health projects, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. She holds four degrees, including a doctorate in public health, and is skilled at providing leadership and technical support to organizations and government entities ranging from small non-profits to multimillion-dollar health projects in low income countries. Jen lives on the UBC campus with her husband and two school-aged children. She is very active in her community, volunteering time at her children’s school, coaching, and in the community. She is an avid runner and biker, and her family spends a great deal of time outdoors. Jen is committed to sustainable regional transportation planning to enhance the livability of the region and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

John McEwen Mayor of the Village of Anmore

John McEwen was first elected to the Village of Anmore Council in 2008, and elected Mayor in 2014. During his tenure on Council, John has chaired various Committees within his municipality and has been appointed to Regional Parks, Performance and Audit, and Regional Planning at Metro Vancouver. Over the past four years John has been appointed to the Mobility Pricing and Finance Committees at TransLink. John’s business background has helped assist the Village of Anmore to eliminate its approx infrastructure deficit of close to 11 million dollars through strong fiscal management. John currently owners and operates a small business Save On Laser located within Port Coquitlam. The business remanufactures laser printer cartridges for resale, as well as services and sells printers in an effort to minimize impact on the landfill. As a former College Basketball player, John still plays recreationally and volunteers his time coaching youth in the Tri City Basketball League. John is married Kerri, and we share three teenage kids pursuing various academic paths, and three amazing dogs.

Ron McLaughlin Mayor of the Village of Lions Bay

Ron McLaughlin has been a 40-year resident of the Village of Lions Bay and has served the Community as a two term Councillor from 2011-2018 before becoming Mayor by acclamation in 2018. The Village of Lions Bay, located in super natural Howe Sound is rural in nature, is tiny in size at 2.53 square kilometers, and has a vibrant residential community of 1,350 friends and neighbours. It is a self-sufficient municipality that is not part of the Metro Vancouver Water District or the Sewerage and Drainage District. Lions Bay’s fixed costs are high, its economies of scale are low, and with an insignificant commercial component to its tax base the homeowners bear most costs to live in this distinctive Community. Ron’s platform was focused on infrastructure and transparent communication with identified time lines for goal achievement. After graduating from UBC Ron worked for a Schedule A bank for 32 years, before retiring. His focus as a senior corporate banker was large corporate lending, and sophisticated cash management, or foreign exchange solutions. Ron is also a past 10-year board member of The Salvation Army and during this time was the Chairman of its largest corporate fundraiser, The Hope in the City Breakfast. As mayor of a Metro Vancouver municipality, he is a director on the Metro Vancouver Board, and a member of the 23-member Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation. Ron is the proud dad of 3 adult sons, the husband of Mary, and the notional alpha male to 2 independent minded cats. Ron is an avid winter skier and summer boater and golfer.

Mike Morden Mayor of the City of Maple Ridge

Mike has lived in Maple Ridge for over 30 years and was honoured to be elected as Mayor in 2018. Mike has been married to Hilary for 38 years, a researcher and sessional instructor at SFU. Prior to this term, Mike has served two terms as a City Councillor, two terms at the Union of BC Municipalities and three years as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee. In addition Mike is the past President of the Chamber of Commerce. Mike is an honest, passionate and hardworking problem solver. He is a successful business owner, as well a career volunteer who dedicates his spare time in the service of others to make our community a better place. As your Mayor, Mike is serving on the TransLink Mayor’s Council and Mobility Pricing Committee, ECOMM Board, Metro Vancouver Mayor’s Board, Regional Housing and Performance and Audit Committees. Mike understands complex social problems, sees opportunity and has a proven track record of leadership and taking action. Mike is resolved to bring us a safe and connected community, closure of tent city, strong advocacy with senior government by working together for our needs, great recreation, a vibrant downtown, a strong local economy and a local government that listens and acts for the majority of the people.

Kennedy Stewart Mayor of the City of Vancouver

Kennedy Stewart is the 40th Mayor of Vancouver and the city’s first independent Mayor in three decades. Born in Nova Scotia, Stewart moved to Vancouver in 1989 and earned a Masters degree in urban politics and policy at Simon Fraser University before completing a Ph.D on world cities at the London School of Economics in the U.K. In 2011, Stewart was elected as a Member of Parliament where he served for seven years. A tenured SFU policy professor, Stewart lives in Vancouver with his wife Dr. Jeanette Ashe.

Richard Stewart Mayor of the City of Coquitlam

Before becoming Mayor, Richard was a City of Coquitlam Council member and private sector communications consultant specializing in government relations and consumer housing issues. He is bilingual (English and French) and has lived all his life in Coquitlam. Richard studied economics and business administration at Simon Fraser University. From 1985 to 1994, he was publisher/editor of a trade magazine, was a building technical consultant, and a consultant in government relations, corporate communications and public relations. From 1994 to 1998, Richard was the Director of Corporate Communications for BC's largest builder of single-family homes. He has also served as Chair of the National Housing Economic Research Council in Ottawa, and as President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia. He was elected MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville in 2001 and was the appointed MLA Responsible for Francophone Affairs, member of the Government Caucus Committee on the Economy, and Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Education. Richard was elected as Coquitlam City Councillor in 2005 and as Mayor in 2008, and currently sits as a director for Metro Vancouver. He has recently served as a director for the Lower Mainland Local Government Association and for the GVRD labour Relations Bureau.

Rob Vagramov Mayor of the City of Port Moody

Mayor Rob Vagramov is among the youngest leaders ever elected to serve Port Moody. He has a passion for public service, a commitment to good government that serves the entire community, and a bold vision for the city's future. Rob is committed to keeping Port Moody's amazing quality of life front and centre as the city grows. Rob grew up in Port Moody, and has lived in the Seaview, Moody Centre, and North Shore neighbourhoods. Seeking freedom and a fresh start, Rob's family settled here in the 1990s, having escaped Ukraine during the Soviet collapse. This experience sparked Rob's political interests early in life, and drew him to study Business Management and Political Science at the University of Ottawa. As a business professional, Rob has built expertise in digital technology and media. Over the last eight years, he has worked for a Vancouver-based technology firm, operating as an independent contractor - a one-man small business. Providing media services to a local NGO has given Rob the opportunity to combine his professional skills with his commitment to positive social change. At City Hall, Rob has chaired or vice-chaired a broad range of civic committees, including the Community Planning Advisory Committee, the Environmental Protection Committee, the Youth Focus Committee, the Seniors' Focus Committee, the Master Transportation Plan Steering Committee, and the Transportation Committee. During his time on Council, Rob brought important local initiatives to the table, including: investigating the divestment of city investments from risky fossil fuel markets

protecting and expanding the city's key park assets (Bert Flinn Park, and Rocky Point Park)

using City owned lands for community uses

fast-tracking the phasing out of single use plastics

investigating the removal of Ioco Road from Translink's Major Road Network to restrict thru traffic With a steady eye on Port Moody's future, Rob brings his own fresh perspective to the challenges that come before City Council. He strives to stay open to new ideas – especially those coming from the community – and never hesitates to stand up for what he sincerely believes.

Val van den Broek Mayor of the City of Langley

Mayor van den Broek was first elected as a Langley City Councillor in 2014 and, after just four years on Council, she was elected as mayor on October 20, 2018. Val has been a proud resident of the community for almost 20 years. She has worked in an administrative role within the Federal RCMP and Corrections agencies for 20 years, including as Coordinator at the Langley City Community Police Office for 8 years, and 10 years at the Langley RCMP Detachment. She is a Langley RCMP Auxiliary Constable and the former Vice President of the Langley Crime Prevention Society. This immense experience has given Val invaluable insights which afford her a clear perspective on the social issues facing communities today. Val and her husband Rob love to travel, and as an avid photographer she has thousands of photos which tell the stories of her “off the beaten path” adventures. Closer to home, they can often be seen walking their two rescue dogs on the amazing trail systems within the community. Val is passionate about her community and embraces her role as mayor as an opportunity to work closely with Council and with other levels of government to continue to move this community forward!

Darryl Walker Mayor of the City of White Rock

Darryl Walker was elected to the Office of the Mayor, for the City of White Rock, on October 20, 2018 and has been a resident of White Rock since 1970. Mayor Walker’s public service career began over 40 years ago when he first joined the BC Public Service, in 1973, as a Health Care Worker at the Riverview Hospital/Forensic Institute, until his retirement in 2014. Throughout his career, Mayor Walker was also active with the BC Government and Service Employees Union, where he served as Provincial Vice President (1999 to 2008) and President (2008 to 2014), prior to his retirement. In addition to his extensive career in public service, Mayor Walker believes in giving back to the community. For example, he has coached many kids’ sports and was a recent member for the City of White Rock’s Economic Investment Committee and Environment Advisory Committee.