In Richmond, B.C., a new mayor has been elected after 25 years. Rob Howard, a former Richmond councillor, has won the mayoral race in a closely contested battle against former councillor Alexa Loo. Howard secured victory with 880 more votes than Loo, while third-place candidate Kash Heed trailed behind by over 8,500 votes.
In his victory speech, Howard reached out to all newly elected council members, emphasizing the need for unity and collaboration in governing Richmond. He highlighted key priorities such as responsible spending, enhancing public safety, and fostering a more dynamic city. Howard expressed his eagerness to start working toward Richmond’s future collectively.
The mayoral seat became available when long-serving mayor Malcolm Brodie opted not to seek re-election earlier this year. Both Howard and Heed have backgrounds as MLAs in the former B.C. Liberal government, with Loo having run as a party candidate.
During the campaign, issues like homelessness, drug policies, and supportive housing took center stage. Richmond had experienced significant activism against new supportive housing and supervised drug consumption sites in the past term, citing concerns about community safety and public order.