Public safety, recreation, infrastructure, housing, and growth appear throughout the responses.
The bigger difference is how candidates would prioritize spending. Should the City invest sooner in new amenities, focus on maintaining existing infrastructure, or place greater emphasis on controlling costs?
Click on each candidate’s name to read the response to questions about issues, improvements and priorities:
1. What are the three most important issues facing Abbotsford today, and what would you do about them as a City Councillor?
I don’t think Abbotsford’s challenges can be reduced to just three issues. We are a growing community, and need infrastructure, services and amenities to keep pace while maintaining safe, vibrant neighbourhoods. Most importantly, residents should help shape our direction, while Council listens, prioritizes and delivers.
Abbotsford’s biggest issues are public safety, and parks and recreation. We need safer neighbourhoods and a downtown where residents and businesses feel supported. At the same time, our growing community needs modern recreation facilities, fields, pools, courts and parks. We must address these gaps and plan ahead for future generations.
The three most important issues facing Abbotsford today:
The potential for further destructive flooding on Sumas Prairie with its serious impact on the agriculture sector and the lives of families and workers.
The tragedy of homelessness and the unfortunate consequences of mental illness and addictions. We need greater support from our provincial government.
Crime and violence are causing concern. I am gratified with our police department and the important work they are doing to address this troubling issue.
The three most important issues facing Abbotsford are responsible growth, housing and homelessness, and accountability. As our community grows, development must be properly planned so infrastructure, transportation, schools, and public services keep pace while protecting agricultural land and neighbourhood character. We also need to address homelessness by supporting affordable and supportive housing, mental-health and addiction services, and collaboration with established local organizations. Finally, taxpayers deserve integrity and transparency, including careful budgeting, maintaining existing infrastructure, and clear public reporting on major projects, costs, timelines, and results. Through community, integrity, and collaboration, we can build a stronger, more inclusive Abbotsford.
Recreational facilities, transit infrastructure, and development processes.
Our transit and recreational service lag behind our growing population. I will push to expand existing recreation facilities and acquire the land needed to meet future demand. To ease traffic, I will advocate for expanding our bus network and upgrading intersections for better throughput. Finally, I want to streamline development procedures to reduce bureaucratic delays, while ensuring final design lock in early. This keeps approvals moving smoothly for builders while protecting residents from unexpected changes to projects in their neighborhoods.
I think Abbotsford’s biggest challenges are keeping up with growth, improving public safety, and making sure our amenities keep pace with our population.
We need to get ahead of infrastructure instead of fixing problems after they happen. I want our downtown and commercial areas to feel safe and welcoming for families, customers and businesses. And I think we’ve fallen behind when it comes to recreation.
For me, it comes down to setting priorities and actually getting things done. We already know where a lot of the problems are. I want to spend less time talking about them and more time fixing them.
It is difficult to list a top three response to this question due to many complexities. However, I would like to keep city safety a top priority, creating as much of a barrier free city for businesses as possible, and to support the health and wellness of our city. I commit to being a persistent voice, who asks a lot of questions, focused on gathering data needed to bring clarity to decision making at the table.
Affordability: Abbotsford is becoming increasingly less affordable. Property taxes have compounded nearly 24% over four years, outpacing average wage increases. If elected, I would focus on reducing costs and growing revenues.
On the cost reduction side, Council should instruct the City Manager to examine every department for operational efficiencies, matching employees to departmental needs, skills and qualifications.
On the revenue side, I would focus on attracting investment, retaining local businesses and expanding sectors such as aerospace, manufacturing and agri-business.
Recreation: We need more recreation space, pursued through private investment and
partnerships, with municipal borrowing used judiciously.
Homelessness: We need stronger advocacy with the Province to reduce encampments on
Provincial land in Abbotsford.
I believe the three key issues are responsible growth, community safety and recreation infrastructure. Abbotsford is growing quickly, but in some areas, we are already behind community needs. I would ensure growth is matched with transportation, infrastructure, parks and services. I would support effective policing, prevention and community partnerships to improve safety. On recreation, I would push for faster action on aging facilities and growing demand, while remaining fiscally responsible. After 18 years on the School Board and experience with major infrastructure projects, I would bring practical, accountable leadership to Council.
Everything is important to someone, so listening with an open mind is essential, using sustainability principals to balance the environment, economy and social needs, developing comprehensive plans to ensure they are all addressed. If I had to pick three with some urgency, they would be food security/protecting agriculture, flood mitigation and careful financial management due to volatile and unprecedented economic times. Advocacy to senior levels of government, pursuing grants and other creative funding to advance infrastructure needs would be part of that.
The three issues I hear about most are public safety, managing growth, and affordability.
First, people need to feel safe in their homes, neighbourhoods, parks and businesses. I will continue supporting our police, fire and bylaw services, while working with other levels of government to address the underlying challenges of homelessness, mental health and addictions. Municipal government cannot solve these issues alone, but we have a responsibility to be a strong advocate and an active partner.
Second, Abbotsford is growing quickly, and our infrastructure, housing and services need to keep pace. That means continuing to improve permitting, increasing housing choices, planning ahead for roads, water, sewer and transportation, and making sure growth does not come at the expense of the qualities that make Abbotsford a great place to live.
Third is affordability. Families, seniors and businesses are all feeling the pressure of rising costs. At City Hall, that means treating every tax dollar with respect, keeping taxes as reasonable and predictable as possible, attracting investment and jobs, and ensuring residents receive real value through the services and amenities they rely on.
The three most important issues facing Abbotsford are responsible growth, recreation and public safety. As Abbotsford grows, infrastructure such as roads, transportation, utilities and community services must keep pace with residents’ needs. We need to plan 10–15 years ahead by expanding recreation infrastructure, including parks, sports fields, ice arenas, gyms, aquatic facilities and multi-purpose spaces, while maintaining and modernizing existing facilities. Public safety is also a priority. I would support practical improvements such as better lighting, safer sidewalks and traffic-calming measures to help make neighbourhoods and public spaces safer for everyone.
a. A small city mindset when Abbotsford is the fifth largest city in BC. What that looks like in practical terms is a seeming unwillingness to ensure that our city’s infrastructure keeps up with the population growth.
b. Affordable housing which the city needs to continue to seek ways to work with developers to create new types of housing that meet our residents’ needs.
c. Forging relationships with all levels of government to ensure that the city does not have to fight natural disasters such as Sumas flooding on its own
3 important issues facing Abbotsford is Homeless, low-income housing, Services. We will work hard with Province for more funding.
One: addressing street disorder and crime by supporting our police, lobbying the Province to clean up unsafe sites, and supporting drug recovery and treatment options, not more injection sites.
Two: pursuing federal and provincial funding for flood prevention;
Three: catching up on our recreation facilities, while being transparent with taxpayers on how we will fund it, and the impact on taxes.
My three priorities are safer streets, better recreation infrastructure, and a more efficient City Hall. People should feel safe in their neighbourhoods and business districts, and we need to keep working on crime, repeat offending and community safety. Abbotsford has also fallen behind its growth when it comes to sports and recreation, and we need more facilities and better maintenance of what we already have. At City Hall, I want to see permits and approvals move faster, with clearer timelines and better communication so residents and businesses aren’t left waiting unnecessarily or looking elsewhere to invest.
Safety, infrastructure (roads to recreational spaces to flood mitigation), and housing – both unhoused and affordability. As your city councillor I will use my voice to raise these issues as priorities and look for a majority to find solutions that are new. Over the next four years I plan to raise these issues for our community.
With conservative fiscal experience I will bring that mindset to the table with a solution-based perspective, and work with locals to problem solve.
I have experience working will all levels of government and will bring that experience to the table.
We need more businesses and good jobs. Too many people no longer feel safe in their neighbourhoods. And taxes keep going up while our roads, water systems, recreation facilities and transit fall further behind. We need to use the money we already have more carefully. Residents cannot keep paying more while basic infrastructure fails to keep up.
2. What is one specific change or improvement you would like to see the City make over the next four years, and how would you work to make it happen?
I would like us to restructure our council committee makeup and mandate as the feedback I am getting is that they are not as productive and effective as they could be.
I would like City Hall to improve transparency and accountability by listening to residents, responding promptly, and showing that their concerns matter. Residents shouldn’t have to wait long periods for replies from councillors or city staff.
More opportunities for communication with residents, particularly young people, with important issues such as long-range planning, recreation and transportation. (Our voter turnouts unfortunately are much lower than senior levels of government.)
Abbotsford’s permit and event application process should be clear, accessible, and predictable. The current website is not user-friendly, with information spread across multiple checklists and limited guidance about what happens after an application is submitted. Applicants should have one centralized resource, plain-language requirements, a clear explanation of approval timelines, and regular status updates. By working collaboratively with staff, event organizers, and residents, we can improve the process while maintaining integrity, accountability, and public safety. I will advocate for an acknowledgement or initial status update within five business days and public reporting on service standards.
Improving our transit network. I routinely meet residents who would prefer to take the bus to work, but cannot due to poor schedules and limited route coverage. Shifting drivers to transit reduces congestion for everyone while providing mobility and independence for non-drivers. Additionally, with rising gas prices, a strong bus network helps combat the rising cost of living. To achieve this, I will work with city staff to identify and fill service gaps in the existing network and simplify routes & schedules to facilitate easy trip planning.
I’d like to see Abbotsford make a significant investment in sports and recreation.
I look at this as about much more than fields and courts. Recreation helps build a healthier community, gives our kids positive places to spend their time, and creates opportunities for people to connect. Done properly, it will also attract tournaments and events that bring visitors into Abbotsford, which supports our hotels, restaurants and local businesses.
I’d push to improve what we already have, find ways to use existing City-owned spaces for more activities, and move forward with a larger long-term recreation plan.
One specific change or improvement I would like to see the city make over the next 4 years is acceleration of our sports and recreation strategic plans, and I would like to be a voice at the table to represent the many conversations I’ve had about this specific issue to advocate for this need.
I would like to see a faster, more predictable City approval process for business and building permits.
I support published service standards, including working toward a 90-business-day target for complete, OCP-compliant applications as suggested by the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce.
In order to achieve this, I suggest a single custodian for an application accompanied by a thorough initial, comprehensive review of submitted documentation by all responsible departments such as planning, engineering, utilities, etc. We must eliminate duplicated efforts or a piecemeal review of applications.
I would also push for public transparency including a quarterly review of service standards cross referenced with actual results, all to be published for review by the public.
I would like to see recreation infrastructure move much faster over the next four years. Abbotsford has grown significantly, while many recreation facilities have not kept pace with community needs. I would work with Council, staff, recreation organizations and community partners to establish clear priorities, timelines and funding plans. My 18 years on the School Board included involvement in major infrastructure projects costing tens of millions of dollars, delivered on time and on budget. I would bring that experience to City Council: plan carefully, move faster, control costs and deliver the facilities our growing community needs.
It is vital that we get funding from provincial and federal governments to complete the flood mitigation efforts. I would support all advocacy efforts already underway and use my voice at every opportunity with colleagues in all levels of government.
One improvement I want to see over the next four years is real, visible progress on recreation infrastructure.
Abbotsford has grown significantly, but our recreation infrastructure has not always kept pace. Families should not have to leave the community to find ice time, sports fields, swimming opportunities or other recreation programs.
A lot of planning work has already been done. Over the next term, I want to see that planning translated into projects residents can actually use. That includes advancing additional arena capacity, aquatic facilities, sports fields and community recreation space.
My approach would be to establish clear priorities, identify realistic sites and timelines, pursue provincial and federal funding wherever possible, explore responsible partnerships, and make sure we have a financial plan that does not place the entire burden on property taxpayers.
Recreation is not simply an extra. It contributes to healthier children, stronger families, active seniors and a more connected community. As Abbotsford grows, our community amenities need to grow with it.
Make City processes more efficient by improving coordination between departments, reducing unnecessary delays in approvals, and creating clearer timelines and communication, while maintaining appropriate standards, transparency and accountability. Having worked as a realtor for over two decades, I have seen firsthand how delays and inefficient processes can impact residents and businesses.
Address the infrastructure gap by finding quick wins in areas such as recreation facilities, cultural activities and housing. For example, why is the Sevenoaks mall site continuing to languish when other cities around us have found ways to redevelop their indoor mall spaces to meet current demands? It is a mystery to me that City Hall can approve the new pool and ice sheets in principle but then acknowledge that it will take a minimum of five years before they may be in use.
To improve by working together and checking all the work after it done.
Moving faster on planning/consultation, permit times, and approval processes. We can make it happen by Council setting timelines on planning projects, establishing performance targets for permits, and giving the departments the resources needed.
One improvement I would like to see is a faster, more accountable permitting and approvals process at City Hall. I would support a single point of contact for business and development applications — someone who can guide applicants through the process, coordinate between departments and help identify delays early. I also think we need clear timelines and better communication so people know where their application stands. Over four years, I would work with staff and Council to improve the process, track results and make sure Abbotsford remains a competitive place to invest and do business.
The most prominent voices right now want more amenities for parks and recreation when that is the easier part; ensuring that this next council addresses the missing pieces of the already approved facilities and works to revise the plans to meet the needs of the community. Additionally, I commit to working to expedite master plans, in a fiscally responsible manner, to bring more spaces in an advanced timeframe.
Permit delays need to end. I want Council to set a firm 90-business-day target for complete applications. If a permit cannot be finished within that time, the applicant should be contacted directly, told exactly what is holding it up and given clear steps to move it forward. No more chasing City Hall for answers.
3. City Council must make difficult choices about taxes, services, infrastructure and growth. When priorities compete and money is limited, how would you decide what comes first?
Listen to community and think long-term, not short-term.
Abbotsford residents should help guide council’s priorities and spending decisions. Council works for the people, and that needs to be reflected in how decisions are made.
It is always a challenge to set priorities with a limited budget. My main objective would be to support a cautious approach which would be sensitive to seniors and young families, for example, and, at the same time, provide a high standard of municipal core services without assuming those best offered by other governments.
When money is limited, I would prioritize essential services, public safety, and maintaining existing infrastructure before considering new expansion. My financial priorities are responsible, transparent, and focused on long-term value for taxpayers. Abbotsford should maintain existing roads, buildings, utilities, and other infrastructure before pursuing expansion not supported by clear community need. Budgets should reflect community needs, affordability, and measurable outcomes. By working with residents, staff, local organizations, and businesses, Council can make informed spending decisions. I support annual public reporting on major projects, including costs, timelines, and results, so taxpayers can see how money is being used.
These priorities are deeply interrelated. Services and infrastructure act as the catalyst that drives growth and development. In turn, development and densification yield a fiscally productive tax base that provides the municipal revenue to sustain and expand those very services.
Therefore, I would prioritize investing in high-quality services and generative infrastructure, as they are the driving inputs to the system. My second priority would be directing growth toward high-yield developments, ensuring new projects generate the long-term tax productivity required to cover their own infrastructure footprint.
I come at this from a business perspective. When money is limited, you take care of the things you need first, and then look at where your investment will give you the best return.
For the City, core services and infrastructure have to come first. Beyond that, I want us asking what we’re actually getting for the money we spend. Will it attract investment? Support local businesses? Create jobs? Improve quality of life?
We can’t do everything at once, but if we spend wisely, we can make decisions today that create opportunities and strengthen Abbotsford for years to come.
A balanced approach is required of course. Everyone wants a slice of the pie, but I think it’s important to look at what has been prioritized over the last few years and perhaps give other areas a chance to be prioritized.
My order: first, the City must fund essential services: safe, clean water, reliable sewers,
transportation and public safety, including police and fire. Second, we must maintain the infrastructure we already own, because deferring repairs costs more later. Third, we should grow our tax base by making Abbotsford attractive to businesses, developers and families, including
through parks, recreational facilities, sports fields and the arts. We should look to private investment and partnerships while limiting municipal borrowing wherever possible.
City property taxes have risen roughly 24% over four budgets, so each increase must answer: what does it buy, what could wait, and who pays? I’d publish those trade-offs before Council
votes.
I would listen, understand the facts, look at the numbers and consider the long-term consequences. My 18 years on the School Board, including serving as Finance Committee Chair, taught me that resources are limited and every decision has consequences. I would prioritize essential services, community safety, infrastructure required to support growth, and investments that provide clear value to taxpayers. I would also consider future operating and maintenance costs, not just the initial price. Fiscal responsibility does not mean doing nothing. It means making disciplined investments, setting priorities and ensuring taxpayers receive good value for every dollar spent.
The most urgent infrastructure fundamental to life should be taken care of such as water and sewer services which currently need upgrades, facilitating movement of goods and services by road upgrades, flood mitigation. Documenting all needs, creating plans with timelines as we’ve done with our strategic plan and master plans has been critical so they all get addressed, but along with that, we need to aggressively pursue other funding options to move the timelines sooner.
I would start with a simple question: What does the community need most, and where will taxpayers receive the greatest long-term value?
Public safety, core infrastructure and essential services have to come first. We need functioning roads, water and sewer systems, police and fire services, and the infrastructure required to support a growing city. At the same time, we cannot continually defer investments in recreation, parks and other amenities until they become much more expensive problems in the future.
I would look at the evidence, long-term costs, available funding from other levels of government, and whether a project is a need or something that can reasonably wait. I also believe we need to listen to the people paying the bill.
That is one reason I give residents my personal phone number and make myself directly accessible. You cannot make good decisions from inside City Hall alone. I want to hear from families, seniors, businesses and neighbourhoods about what is affecting them.
Being fiscally responsible does not simply mean spending less. It means spending wisely, planning ahead, avoiding unnecessary costs and making sure every tax dollar delivers value to the community.
I would prioritize essential services, infrastructure and public safety first. For other projects, I would consider the need, number of residents served, long-term costs and opportunities for grants or partnerships. With Abbotsford growing, Council needs to think long-term, make responsible decisions and ensure today’s investments prepare our community for tomorrow.
When it comes to taxes, City Hall has taken tremendous pride in its low tax rate plus the minimal level of debt the city currently holds. Unfortunately, that attitude or approach comes at an ironic cost. When a city delays spending money on projects that it clearly needs, costs go up in the waiting period. Just look at the Massey Tunnel project for example. Although the city has sought input into creating a community plan around infrastructure additions or replacements, it needs to be bolder in executing it rather than waiting on the right conditions.
When priorities compete and money is limited, services is always come first.
When there are competing priorities, I would not pick winners and losers. We have to balance various priorities, and that means we can’t do everything at once. We can cover our operating budget, but when it comes to building new amenities that’s where we probably have to take on some debt. I’m open to that, as long as we are transparent with the public.
When money is limited, I would start with the things people rely on most — public safety, core services and infrastructure that keeps the city functioning. After that, I would look at which projects benefit the most residents, what the long-term cost of delaying them would be, and whether there are other ways to fund them through grants, partnerships or sponsorships. I don’t think good decisions are always about spending less; they’re about spending wisely, planning ahead and making sure taxpayers are getting real value for their money.
Elected officials rely on staff to bring the best possible information and solutions based on that same information. But ultimately those decisions reside at the Council table. I commit to asking the best questions that I can with the interests of our residents in mind.
I will weigh the evidence, offer solutions, and challenge the status quo if needed. I will press for decisions based on weighted decisions and considering all the factors involved. Public consultation will be necessary.
I want the best for all of Abbotsford and will make each decision based on that.
Infrastructure comes first. Roads, water, sewer, recreation and transit must serve the people already living here. We cannot keep approving growth and hope the infrastructure catches up later. If we want more homes, we need a clear plan and the money to provide the services they require. Build the needed infrastructure alongside growth, not years afterward.
Editor’s Note: All candidates were invited to participate. Responses are published from those who replied by our editorial deadline. The Patrika does not endorse any candidate, and the analysis above reflects the responses received, not the positions of every candidate running in the election.
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