Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie will not seek reelection after 25 years
“I have appreciated the steadfast support that I have received over the years from the various City Councils and entire organization of City staff, as well as our active volunteer base,” said Brodie in a statement today.
“My entire family has always been very enthusiastic in supporting my role in the community and that has proven invaluable. The various agencies and businesses in the community have always been instrumental in the success of the City. I am very grateful to all and will leave office fully confident that the mayors and city councillors of the future will preserve the legacies built over the years while they enhance the stature of Richmond as an important urban centre in the province.”
Brodie has overseen Richmond’s immense change over the past quarter-century, including influencing the design and completion of the project to build SkyTrain’s Canada Line, guiding the transit-oriented development densification of the No. 3 Road corridor near the SkyTrain stations, and the municipal government’s partnership and ownership of the Richmond Olympic Oval.
The Mayor was also highly vocal in his opposition to the previous project to build a new 10-lane bridge to replace the aging and bottlenecked George Massey Tunnel, as well as the project’s associated Highway 99 corridor widening and new major interchanges. Construction was supposed to begin in 2017 for completion and opening in 2022.
Brodie and the City strongly advocated to the provincial government to cancel the previous bridge project in favour of a new eight-lane immersed tunnel crossing, which could begin construction in 2026.
But he warns of headwinds over the City’s future.
Housing affordability and supply continue to be “complex issues,” with the mayor also specifically mentioning rising homelessness, suggesting that the “City must support those who have no home through assistance in various forms while supporting neighbourhoods.”
The municipal government also faces growing pains and aging infrastructure, coupled with rising costs due to inflation, which adds pressure to raise property taxes.
Brodie suggests the need for expanded community amenities to serve the growing population, particularly a new community centre in north Richmond, where the city has seen the most high-density urban growth. This 35,000 sq. ft. facility is expected to be integrated into local developer Viewstar’s future mixed-use residential development on the Fraser River waterfront near SkyTrain’s new Capstan Station.
The mayor emphasized the recent Supreme Court of B.C. decision that granted the Vancouver Island-based Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title to a 732-acre parcel in southeast Richmond, encompassing Fraser River waterfront lands that include industrial sites, residential properties, agricultural lands, port and airport facilities, and municipally owned lands. The City, the provincial government, and the Musqueam Indian Band have confirmed they will appeal the ruling.
“The process relating to the court’s Cowichan aboriginal title declaration needs to be pursued as the result of the real threat it poses to homeowners in Richmond and throughout the province,” said Brodie.