Richmond, B. C., has a new mayor for the first time in 25 years.
According to , former Richmond councillor Rob Howard has won a closely contested election against former councillor Alexa Loo.
With all polls counted, Howard secured victory over Loo by 880 votes, while third-place candidate Kash Heed trailed significantly with more than 8,500 votes behind.
“To the newly-elected members of council, regardless of political affiliation, I extend my hand in cooperation – the campaign is over, now it’s time to come together and govern for all of Richmond,” Howard said.
“Our commitment to responsible spending, safer streets, and a more vibrant Richmond remains as strong as ever. The work begins tomorrow, and Richmond’s future is worth working together for.”
The mayor’s position became available when eight-term mayor Malcolm Brodie decided not to seek re-election earlier this year.
Both Howard and Heed previously served as MLAs under the former B. C. Liberal government, while Loo was a candidate for that party.
Issues like homelessness, drug policy, and supportive housing played significant roles during the campaign.
Throughout the last council’s term, there were numerous protests and rallies led by groups against new supportive housing and supervised drug consumption sites due to concerns about safety in neighborhoods and public disorder.
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