New Westminster residents will be going to the polls, along with the rest of B.C., to vote in the general local elections on Oct. 15.
In New Westminster, voters will have a chance to mark their ballot for one mayoral candidate, six city council candidates and seven school trustee candidates.
New Westminster has candidates running from two elector organizations: the NDP-affiliated Community First New Westminster and the New Westminster Progressives Electors Coalition Society, as well as just one independent candidate for council and one independent mayoral candidate.
(Biographical snippets below are not intended to reflect the full breadth of candidates’ resumés. To find out more about each candidate, check out Q&As — linked at the right-hand side of our election page. and individually below.)
Who's running for New Westminster mayor in 2022
Ken Armstrong, New West Progressives: Ken is a lawyer and longtime sports volunteer — including serving as a Little League coach, umpire and board member — living in Queensborough.
Patrick Johnstone, Community First: Patrick is a two-term city councillor and professional geoscientist who lives in the Brow of the Hill neighbourhood.
Chuck Puchmayr, independent: Chuck was first elected as a city councillor in 1996, a post he held until becoming MLA in 2005. He stepped down from provincial politics in 2009 and then, in 2011, ran again for council, where he's served ever since.
Who's running for New Westminster city council
Daniel Ampong, independent: Daniel was born in Ghana and moved to Canada in 1994, settling in New Westminster. He is a local business owner and is active with a variety of youth sports teams.
Karima Budhwani, New West Progressives: Karima is a Kenyan-born lawyer and advocate for access to justice who has worked in the non-profit sector for 20 years. She lives in Queen's Park.
Ruby Campbell, Community First: Ruby works at Simon Fraser University as director of advancement and alumni engagement for the faculty of arts and social sciences, with extensive experience in intergovernmental relations and community organizing.
Chinu Das (incumbent), Community First: Chinu has served one term on council and has spent 30 years dedicated to community work in support of families, seniors, newcomers and children.
Rick Folka, New West Progressives: Folka was born and raised in New Westminster and raised his family in the city. He’s a professional accountant and the former chair of the St. Mary’s Hospital board.
Daniel Fontaine, New West Progressives: A Quayside resident, Daniel is taking his second run at a city council seat. Fontaine has worked in senior roles for several high-profile non-profit organizations, as well as in the private sector.
Tasha Henderson, Community First: Tasha is raising her young family in New Westminster and has a professional background tackling issues such as poverty, housing and equitable policy development.
Bereket Kebede, Community First: Bereket is a community organizer, originally from Ethiopia, who has lived in New Westminster for seven years.
Jiayi Li-McCarthy, New West Progressives: Jiayi is a former champion cyclist who was part of the Chinese national cycling team and previously worked as the manager of business development for Jiahao Commercial Buildings in Shenyang, China. She has worked at the Royal Square Safeway for the past 15 years.
Jaimie McEvoy (incumbent), Community First: Jaimie is a four-term city councillor and New Westminster resident for more than 25 years, and the current director of the Hospitality Project at the New Westminster Food Bank.
Paul Minhas, New West Progressives: Minhas is the owner of Begbie’s Pub and the former Heritage Grill. He was also involved in helping to kick start New Westminster’s annual Pride Week, the Royal City Show & Shine and the food truck festival.
Nadine Nakagawa (incumbent), Community First: Nadine is an award-winning organizer and activist who has served one term on city council.
Who's running for New Westminster school board
Marc Andres, Community First: Marc is a New Westminster resident and high school English teacher in Surrey, where he also coaches sports. He’s also a journeyman Red Seal carpenter.
Dee Beattie (incumbent), Community First: Dee is a one-term trustee, foster parent and former learning tutor who worked for 25 years as an education assistant.
Kathleen Carlsen, New West Progressives: Kathleen, a longtime parent volunteer and outgoing chair of the New Westminster district parent advisory council (DPAC), will be on the ballot with the New West Progressives. She teaches dance, movement and music classes and has worked in the parks and recreation department of the City of New Westminster for the past 32 years.
Danielle Connelly (incumbent), New West Progressives: Danielle is a one-term trustee and parent with past experience serving on parent advisory councils and the New Westminster Minor Hockey Association executive.
Gurveen Dhaliwal (incumbent), Community First: Gurveen was first elected to the board in 2018 and is serving her second year as board chair. She’s a member of the Queensborough community.
Teo Dobre, New West Progressives: Teo is a downtown resident who has lived in New Westminster for the past five years. The Romanian-born resident is a librarian, a published author and an active volunteer and organizer with the Romanian community.
Maya Russell (incumbent), Community First: Maya is in her first term as a school trustee. She works for a mental health organization leading community engagement and is an active parent volunteer with the New West Salmonbellies Minor Lacrosse.
Elliott Slinn, Community First: Elliott was born and raised in the Queen’s Park neighbourhood and was named the city’s fifth (and youngest) poet laureate in 2021. He has worked in schools including Lord Kelvin and F.W. Howay elementary schools and Douglas College.
Cheryl Sluis, Community First: Cheryl, who moved to New Westminster from Winnipeg about six years ago, has a background in project management, strategic planning, and program evaluation. She lives with her partner and two school-aged children in Sapperton.
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