In some ways, New Westminster might have the most straightforward election in Metro Vancouver this October: an incumbent mayor seeks re-election by saying the good work the city is doing has to continue, while emphasizing certain political values. 

“I don’t think we need a big change. I think we need to continue the momentum that we’ve got,” said Mayor Patrick Johnstone, at an event earlier this month where he announced his re-election bid with Community First New West, which holds a majority on council. 

“The majority of council has voted to support affordable housing. The majority of council has voted to support climate action, youth empowerment … and been able to support these progressive actions.”

Meanwhile, a high-profile councillor with a different set of politics says it’s time for a change.

“The one that I hear from the public all the time is that city hall isn’t listening,” said Coun. Daniel Fontaine, who seeks a promotion to the top job with his New West Progressives Party (NWP). 

“It doesn’t matter whether it has to do with bike lanes or the issue of homelessness or housing affordability or taxes … it’s not listening to our concerns, and it’s not taking those concerns and then adapting them into public policy.”

On the surface, it’s somewhat generic — but underneath, there’s a level of passion that could result in much higher turnout than the 29 per cent of New West voters who showed up four years ago.

Third time a charm?

In 2018, Fontaine finished in seventh place in his bid for the six spaces on New Westminster council, as voters continued their historic pattern of electing local politicians exclusively from those endorsed by the New Westminster & District Labour Council on the left of the political spectrum. 

In 2022, NWP failed in their mayoral campaign, but Fontaine and fellow candidate Paul Minhas managed to break through and take seats on council. In the four years since, they’ve used their perch to put forward dozens of opposition motions on topics big and small, and make many more points of order or personal privilege that have lengthened meetings and caused considerable tension.

Debates play out in Facebook groups and Reddit threads devoted to different sides, with supporters of Community First New West often portraying Fontaine’s actions as overly political and grandstanding. 

“I think this campaign for my opponent has been going on for about three years now,” said Johnstone. 

“But I think we can have a good healthy debate about the direction of this city.”

At the same time, supporters of NWP have said their work has been about providing alternative viewpoints and a voice to more residents, and argue more people are becoming receptive to their message.  

“The previous campaigns, I’ll admit, it was a challenge to get people to run with the NWP,” said Fontaine. 

“This campaign, we had an abundance of candidates who wanted to run. So, you can feel that energy on the ground.”

‘This city is changing’

While Fontaine wants a change in city hall, he’s less interested in talking about policy changes he would make if he wins and NWP get a majority on council. 

“We’re actually listening right now. Rather than coming out with a bunch of policies at this stage … we’d rather hear from the community,” he said, promising a platform will eventually be released, and rejecting the idea that New Westminster would be reluctant to vote for more right-wing ideas. 

“People said that in the last federal election this was an NDP town … and two-thirds of the voters [voted] for federal Liberals and federal Conservatives. This city is changing.”

New Westminster faces the same conflicts as many of B.C.’s higher density population areas, with concerns over housing affordability, homelessness, and whether downtown cores have sufficiently rebounded from the pandemic. 

Johnstone argues that things are improving — though it will be up to voters to decide in October whether they feel the same way. 

“The trends are all going in the right direction in the city,” he said. “So we need to keep that momentum, not change pace right now.”