Vacation Alert

I will be taking some time off and will be back blogging on Monday, August 31st.

MNP LLP to Lead Langley City Effectiveness and Efficiency Review

Since I was first elected to Langley City Council in 2016, the City's population has grown from 27,000 to 35,000, a 30% increase. We also have SkyTrain under construction with a planned opening in late 2029. All this to say that Langley City is transforming from a mid-sized city to a larger city by BC standards. While I believe we have a good foundation in Langley City’s finances and operations, we know that the City will continue to need to make large investments in services and infrastructure, especially once SkyTrain is operating. We want to ensure that the foundation is rock-solid as we continue to plan for growth.

The City has completed internal efficiency reviews, but we’ve never had an external efficiency and effectiveness review. With any organization, it is always good to have a fresh set of eyes look at how we do things and offer feedback on how we can improve. I’m extremely pleased that Langley City has proactively launched this review.

Langley City has engaged MNP LLP to undertake an external effectiveness and efficiency review. The review will examine services, processes, and ways of working to identify opportunities to strengthen coordination, reduce bottlenecks, improve service delivery, and leverage technology to make the best use of available resources.

The City selected MNP LLP through a competitive and public bidding process. MNP LLP's report will be completed this winter for a future council to review.

If I have the honour of being re-elected this fall, I will do my part to support implementing recommendations from this review. I do want to be clear that this review isn’t about laying people off or reducing service; we need to increase our service levels. The review is about ensuring we have the structure and processes in place to manage the City well over the next decade and to ensure every nickel of taxpayer money is used as effectively as possible.

For more information, please visit Langley City’s website.

Map of Langley City Roadwork Projects 2023 - 2026

As I posted last month, Langley City Council approved the tenders for several roadwork projects. The budget for these projects was approved last year. The City has compiled a list with a map of all significant roadwork projects completed between 2023 and 2025, as well as the project slated for completion this year.

Map of Langley City roadwork projects from 2023 through 2026. Select the map to enlarge.

2026 Projects

1. Logan Avenue and 204 Street Paving
2. 198 Street Paving
3. Brydon Crescent and 199A Street Paving
4. Fraser Highway Paving
5. Langley Bypass Paving and Multiuse Path
6. 208 Street Paving

2023 - 2025 Projects

7. Fraser Highway Bike Lanes
8. Douglas Avenue Paving
9. Fraser Highway One-Way Renewal
10. Park Avenue Watermain and Paving
11. Downtown Bike Lanes
12. Fraser Highway Paving
13. Fraser Highway Watermain and Paving
14. 56 Avenue Underground Utilities and Paving
15. 55A Avenue Paving
16. Michaud Crescent Watermain, Bike Lane, and Paving
17. 202 Street Underground Utilities and Paving
18. 46 Avenue Storm Sewer and Paving

You can find a list of other City’s significant capital projects on its website.

2026 Data Shows Langley City has the Third Lowest Property Taxes & Utility Fees for Detached Homes in Metro Vancouver

When people look at their property tax bill, it contains charges from the province, School Board, TransLink, Metro Vancouver Regional District, and their municipality.

In some municipalities, you get a combined property tax and local government utility bill (water, sewer, garbage). In other municipalities, you get separate property tax and utility bills.

You’ll hear a lot about property taxes expressed as percentages. This isn’t very useful: a 7% increase of $9 is less than a 7% increase on $10.

Because it can be useful to compare what people pay in property taxes and local government-controlled utility fees, the provincial government releases an annual “Taxes & Charges on a Representative House” report which compares the “all in” taxes and fees for an average-priced detached home in each municipality.

The province recently released its 2026 data. You can download the full dataset from the provincial government's website, but I thought it would be interesting to show the “all in” value for all municipalities in Metro Vancouver.

Municipalities	Typical Detached House Value	Total Residential Property Taxes & Charges
Port Coquitlam	$1,391,709	$6,713
Pitt Meadows	$1,137,132	$7,108
Langley City	$1,269,858	$7,240
Langley Township	$1,470,866	$7,242
Maple Ridge	$1,237,833	$7,425
Delta	$1,433,759	$7,449
Surrey	$1,599,454	$7,729
Coquitlam	$1,700,545	$8,304
Burnaby	$2,066,751	$8,472
Richmond	$1,910,200	$9,010
City of North Vancouver	$2,056,556	$9,081
District of North Vancouver	$2,200,711	$9,793
Port Moody	$1,855,611	$9,819
White Rock	$1,864,503	$10,015
Belcarra	$1,943,328	$10,912
Vancouver	$2,508,938	$10,977
Bowen Island	$1,618,730	$11,387
Lions Bay	$2,218,574	$12,076
New Westminster	$1,621,483	$12,467
Anmore	$2,595,128	$12,736
West Vancouver	$3,514,285	$14,403

As a note, New Westminster is higher in part because they also have their own electrical utility, while the rest of us are on BC Hydro.

I also want to note that while the province doesn’t provide the typical “all-in” value for attached housing, Langley City normally does. Langley City is a bit of an exception in BC, as nearly 80% of households live in attached homes (apartments and townhouses). We don’t have attached housing 2026 data yet, but we typically have the lowest or second-lowest in the region. I expect this to be maintained in 2026.

Call to Artists: Design Langley City’s Fall 2027 Banner

Langley City has a seasonal banner program in our downtown core and neighbourhood banners near elementary schools throughout our community. These banners need to be refreshed from time to time as outdoor elements degrade them. Langley City has issued a call for artists to design the 2027 fall downtown core banners.

The banner design can explore themes of connection, belonging, story, landscapes, arts, culture, recreation, and shared experiences as they specifically relate to Langley City.

The banners themselves should be:

• Bold and visually engaging
• Suitable for a public and family-friendly environment
• Designed to be viewed from a distance

In Langley City, we believe that artists should be paid for their work, and the selected artist will receive $1,000.

The City will require two complementary banner designs, which can be created in any medium.

The deadline for submission is October 29, 2026, at 3:30 pm. For more information, please visit the Langley City website.

Recycling Compressed Gas Cylinders and “Whipping Cream Chargers”

Earlier this year, I posted about large nitrous oxide cylinders entering the waste stream in our region in significant quantities. While nitrous oxide is used for food processing and auto racing, it is also known as laughing gas and provides a sense of calm and euphoria when inhaled. These cylinders have caused explosions at the Metro Vancouver Waste-to-Energy facility, damaging equipment and jeopardizing worker safety.

Post Combustion Nitrous Oxide Cylinders. Select the image to enlarge.

As a result, the Metro Vancouver Regional District provides free recycling for all single-use valved cylinders (not just nitrous oxide), whether gas-filled or empty, at its recycling and waste facilities.

As I posted, the Regional District would like to see the federal government prohibit the import and sale of large single-use valved nitrous oxide cylinders.

As you may know, most of the recycling programs in BC are funded by industry through the BC Extended Producer Responsibility program. For example, curbside recycling for detached homes and non-strata townhomes in Langley City is managed by Recycle BC.

Currently in BC, you can recycle empty aerosol spray containers used for cosmetic/beauty, health products, food, afresheners, and cleaning. An example would be shaving cream. The provincial government is expanding the Extended Producer Responsibility program to include more types of aerosol spray containers, small propane cylinders, and spray foam canisters. The Metro Vancouver Regional District would like to see nitrous oxide cylinders added to this expanded program.

Right now, it costs the regional district about $60 to recycle a nitrous oxide cylinder. Based on a quick Internet search, the cost of recycling is about the same as the price of a new, filled, larger-sized nitrous oxide cylinder.

I’m hoping that the province will add nitrous oxide cylinders to an expanded Extended Producer Responsibility program.

92% of Metro Vancouver Regional District Board Support Single Sewer Area Charge

One of the strengths of our region is that we work well together and share resources where it makes sense. For example, we all pay the same regional tax rates and fees for transit, water, solid waste, and parks. The only area where we pay different rates is for sewer; it is based on where your liquid waste is processed. This all stemmed from a decision in the mid-1990s about how to pay for a significant project to improve wastewater treatment at the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment, which serves most of Metro Vancouver by area.

Because of our geography and history, the North Shore, half of Lulu Island (Richmond), and most of the City of Vancouver each have their own wastewater treatment facility.

Map of Metro Vancouver Sewerage Areas. Select the map to enlarge.

We all know the story of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment plant. Unfortunately, because of how we fund sewage services in our region, North Shore residents and businesses got stuck with a massive increase in sewer fees through no fault of their own.

This is the breakdown of typical household charges for regional sewer service in 2026.

Fraser Sewerage Area: $795
Lulu Island Sewerage Area: $825
North Shore Sewerage Area: $1,315
Vancouver Sewerage Area: $1,024

Langley City is in the Fraser Sewerage Area. All the sewage treatment plants and pipes in our region need upgrades to keep them in a state of good repair and meet modern wastewater treatment standards. Given that treatment plants aren’t based on population but on geography, the experience of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment plant costs distribution, and future sewage projects, 92% of the current Metro Vancouver Directors want to switch to a single sewage area. This would help spread the cost of these necessary sewage upgrades across all people and businesses in our region. It is a fairer approach and will reduce future spikes in sewage rate increases. While the Fraser Sewage Area currently has the lowest rate, it also has major sewer projects planned in the coming years.

I’m pleased to see that most elected people are working together for the benefit of all people in Metro Vancouver, and I look forward to seeing one sewerage area.

A Quick Tour of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Guideway Segment Factory

Over 4,400 segments are required to build the guideway for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension to Langley City. Last week, I got a chance to tour where these segments are made.

Council Approves Tenders Worth $6.8 million for Road Repaving and New Multiuse Paths

On December 15, 2025, Council approved the 2026 Langley City Budget, which included funding for road repaving and repairs. It also included funding for improvements along the Langley City-controlled portion of the Langley Bypass. (The Langley Bypass between the Surrey border and Glover Road is the responsibility of the provincial government.)

On Monday, Council approved tenders for repaving the following sections of road:

• 198 Street - from 54A Avenue to 56 Avenue
• 208 Street - from Newlands Drive to 48 Avenue
• Fraser Highway - from 207 Street to 208 Street
• Brydon Crescent and 199A Street
• Logan Avenue - from 200th Street to 203rd Street
• 204 Street - from Logan Avenue to the Overpass (including repairing the dip)

These projects span two tenders with Amrize Canada Inc. for $1,179,763.00 and Grandview Blacktop Ltd. for $584,016.93 (both excluding GST). The projects include a $180,000 contingency, as our road network is old; even with the best planning, there can be surprises. R.F. Binnie and Associates Ltd. will provide construction support services for $23,330 (excluding GST).

56th Avenue between 200th Street and 203rd Street was repaved in 2024.

TransLink, through both its per capita and competitive grant programs, provides funding to municipalities to maintain the major road network and to build sidewalks and separate bike lanes on municipal roads. TransLink does not provide funding to repave or expand roads outside of the major road network. The major road network in Langley City includes all of 200th Street, the City-controlled section of the Langley Bypass, some sections of Fraser Highway, and 203rd/204th Street between Fraser Highway and the Township. If TransLink funds a road expansion program on the major road network, it must include sidewalks and separated bike lanes.

Over the last several years, TransLink has been providing funding to support the renewal of the City-controlled section of the Langley Bypass. This renewal will include enhancements for pedestrian safety, particularly for students and others travelling to and from Langley Secondary School, traffic signal upgrades to improve intersection efficenicy, repaving the Langley Bypass between Fraser Highway and 57th Avenue, repaving the City-part of 56th Avenue between the Langley Bypass and Township borders (the north side of 56th Avenue is actually in the Township too), and new multi-use paths on both sides of the Langley Bypass between Fraser Highway and 56th Avenue, and a new multiuse path to Twin Rinks. Except for the traffic signal upgrades, not a nickel of Langley City property tax is paying for this project.

Council approved the tender for this project to BA Blacktop Infrastructure Inc. for $5,049,262.73 (excluding GST). R.F. Binnie and Associates Ltd. will provide construction support services for $127,070 (excluding GST). There is also a $505,000 contingency.

In the past, there was a delay of up to one year between Council's approval of the budget for road repaving projects and their actual implementation. This delay occurred because you can only repave roads during certain parts of the year, and Council used to approve the budget in late winter/early spring, which didn’t leave enough time to issue tenders for the summer paving window. Because Council moved the budget approval process earlier, starting in this current budget, we can now complete repaving projects in their approved budget year.

Construction for all these projects will start in August.

July 27 Council Notes: Firehall Repair and Other Matters

Langley City’s Fire Hall is over 20 years old. Back in 2024, the City began an assessment of the building due to leaks. The assessment noted that the building envelope, especially in the brick facade and roof, was failing. As such, Council approved a budget last year to undertake repairs.

Langley City Firehall Back in 2005. Source: Johnston Davidson Architecture

This Monday, Council approved a tender to Hodgson King & Marble Ltd. for $1,245,257 (excluding GST) to replace select exterior wall sections and the entire roof. The tender also included improvements to roof access, electrical, and lighting.

Council gave final reading to the 2027 Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw. You can learn more about this in a previous post.

Council also received a letter from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, which asked what Langley City is doing to support cooling in rental units, increase the tree canopy, establish public cool centres, and incentivize heat pumps in existing buildings, among other things. Council directed staff to respond to the organization.

Council also approved a request for the Manager of Engineering and Parks Operations and the Tradesman responsible for water meters to attend the 2026 Neptune CONNECT Users’ Conference in Minett, Ontario, from October 26 to 28, 2026. The travel cost is $2,500.

July 27 Council Notes: Murals, the Downtown Langley Business Association and Discovery Langley City

Last night, Langley City Council heard a presentation from the Downtown Langley Business Association (DLBA) and Discovery Langley City, which the DLBA operates under a contract with the City.

Both organizations support efforts to grow the local economy in Langley City. The DLBA does this by encouraging people to visit Downtown Langley City and shop at local businesses. Discovery Langley City does this by encouraging people to stay overnight in Langley City and enjoy our many amenities.

Chris Parsons, who is the Executive Director of the DLBA, outlined some of the ways that the DLBA supports local businesses, including holding events to draw people to the Downtown, programs that help businesses spruce up their storefronts, the Downtown Dollar program, and the street cleaning team.

Taryn Antalek, the Operations Manager for Discovery Langley City, discussed how they promote experiences in Langley City, including activities and dining options. She was very excited about the upcoming Langley Christmas Market and the opportunity to encourage people to visit and stay in Langley City.

Both Mr. Parson and Ms. Antalek highlight the murals in our community as a major draw for people to visit Langley City and as a key part of both their marketing efforts.

The DLBA is funded by a special business property tax within the Business Improvement Area, as shown in the following map. Discovery Langley City is funded through a tax applied to all hotel and short-term accommodation providers in the City. Council also gives community grants to the DLBA, including a $16,935.00 grant this year to support the Art Alive Festival. In the past, the City also partnered with the DLBA to partially cover the cost of some projects, such as the aerial display in McBurney Plaza.

Business improvement area in blue. Select the map to enlarge.

When asked by a member of Council about the Fraser Highway renewal project, Mr. Parsons noted that it has been a positive for the Downtown and has encouraged people to rediscover Downtown Langley City, supporting local businesses.

What Is Langley City’s “Resilient Neighbourhood Networks”?

One of the key recommendations from Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety and Well-being is to establish Resilient Neighbourhood Networks in our city. These networks bring together residents, business owners, non-profit community organizations and service providers, and government services to improve community safety and well-being. At the end of June, the City announced that this program has launched in the Nicomekl neighbourhood and will launch in the Douglas neighbourhood later this year.

Linwood Park Social Streets Pop-Up in June

Resilient Neighbourhood Networks will directly enable people to learn practical skills in safety and emergency preparedness and to help lead or take part in neighbourhood safety initiatives. One of the outcomes will be getting to know other people in your neighbourhood.

I’ve had some people ask for a bit more information about Resilient Neighbourhood Networks. The following is from a presentation to Council.

Rather than responding only after problems occur, Resilient Neighbourhood Networks help neighbourhoods:

• Build stronger neighbour-to-neighbour relationships
• Improve communication
• Access shared skill and learning opportunities
• Increase emergency preparedness
• Reduce social isolation
• Connect people to community safety and local services
• Create opportunities for participation and volunteering
• Support inclusion and belonging

In many ways, this is like a super-charged Block Watch program.

If you’d like to get involved with Resilient Neighbourhood Network, you can apply on Let’s Chat, Langley City!

You can also save the date for Friday, September 4th between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm at Rotary Centennial Park, as the City will be holding a free, family-friendly Social Street pop-up with entertainment, food, and an opportunity to learn more and get involved with the Resilient Neighbourhood Networks.

Ballot Questions Released for Pool and Timms/Performing Arts Centre Expansions

As you may know, during the fall Langley City municipal election, people who are eligible to vote will also be able to take part in a Community Opinion Vote. This vote will inform the next City Council on whether they should continue planning for building two significant projects, an expanded Timms Community Centre with a Performing Arts Centre and an expanded Al Anderson Memorial Pool, or put one or both of them indefinitely on hold.

Over the years, there have been calls to build these expanded facilities, so it is important to understand whether the community wants the City to invest in them.

Render of the proposed Al Anderson Memorial Pool expansion. Select the image to enlarge.

An Al Anderson Memorial Pool expansion would include:

• Steam room and sauna
• Hot tub
• Indoor leisure pool
• Change rooms
• Relocated spectator seating

Render of the proposed Timms Community Centre and Performing Arts & Cultural Centre expansion. Select the image to enlarge.

A Timms Community Centre and Performing Arts & Cultural Centre expansion would include:

• Expanded existing fitness & recreation area and half-gym
• 500-seat performance theatre with concession
• Multipurpose rooms
• Gallery and exhibit space
• Commercial spaces
• Outdoor plaza
• Underground parking

These projects will also have property tax implications, as an expanded Al Anderson pool would cost $73 million to build and an expanded Timms Community Centre and Performing Arts & Cultural Centre would cost $107 million.

The City recently released the ballot questions on Let’s Chat, Langley City! You can learn more about these projects, the cost implications, the ballot questions, and how to vote on Let’s Chat, Langley City! There are also frequently asked questions.

I’ve lived in Langley City for over 20 years, and this is the first time I can recall Langley City Council giving eligible voters a direct say in how to move forward with significant projects. I’m very excited about this process, and I hope that this encourages people to get out and vote this fall!

People Have Been Doing Their Part to Conserve Water in Metro Vancouver

As you know, the Metro Vancouver region was under Stage 2 water restrictions on May 1st and Stage 3 water restrictions on June 8th to help manage the demand for water. There were two primary reasons for that: the first was that the First Narrows Crossing, a collection of three water mains under the Barrard Inlet, was out of commission, reducing the maximum amount of water available on any given day; and because of a reduced snowpack and forecasted drought, which places a constraint on the water reservoirs.

The good news is that the First Narrows Crossing was fully restored to service, and on July 16, the region moved back to Stage 2 water restrictions. While the City of Surrey did not take part in Stage 3 water restrictions, every other part of the region did. People did their part to conserve water, as shown in the following graph from Metro Vancouver.

Total water usage between May 1st and July 7th this year. Select the graph to enlarge.

As you can see, water usage was significantly down, including during the hottest days in June.

Total water storage in the Metro Vancouver water system. Select the graph to enlarge.

Water reservoir levels are on the lower end of the typical range, which is also good news.

For as long as I’ve been around, the region has moved through water restriction stages together and consistently. The Metro Vancouver Regional District plans to engage its member jurisdictions in the fall to review and update the Drinking Water Conservation Plan with, I’m sure, the goal of ensuring a consistent approach to water management.

New Audit: 15% of Buildings in Metro Vancouver Parks Slated for Removal

The Metro Vancouver Regional District Parks System is one of the jewels of our region. There are 354 buildings within regional parks with a total assessed value of $267 million that are maintained by the regional district. Another 40 are managed by other organizations within regional parks. Some of the buildings are for public use, such as washrooms, picnic shelters, and concessions. Others support park operations, and others are special-purpose, such as caretaker homes, heritage buildings, or vacant buildings. The regional district recently completed an audit of all buildings they managed within their parks.

There is a cost to maintaining buildings, and the park system's goal is to protect nature and connect people with nature. With this in mind, the regional district considered which buildings should be maintained, kept for now, or removed through sustainable deconstruction practices. The regional district assessment found that 74% of its buildings should be maintained, 11% should be put on the keep-for-now list, and 15% should be removed.

Example of a derelict barn that is slated for removal.

Some buildings support wildlife, including bats, barn owls, swallows, swifts, river otters, and skunks. For any building slated for deconstruction that supports this wildlife, additional measures will be implemented to ensure the wildlife isn’t affected, including providing replacement habitat, such as owl nesting boxes.

For example, in Aldergrove Regional Park, the following buildings have been slated for removal in the audit:

• Barn
• Horse Feed Storage Shed
• Louck's Big Barn
• Main Barn Rental Outbuilding
• North Shed Rental Outbuilding
• Rental House Rental House
• Storage Shed Rental Outbuilding
• Storage Shed 1
• Rental Outbuilding
• Storage Shed 2
• Tackroom Shed

As for next steps, the audit will help guide the maintenance of buildings within the parks and also which buildings will be removed over time.

July 13 Council Notes: School Site Acquisition Charges, Regional Land Use

Langley City and Township are in the same school district. School Districts can apply a district-wide School Site Acquisition Charge to all new residential housing projects to help offset the cost of purchasing land for new schools to accommodate student growth. There cannot legally be a separate rate for Langley City and the Township of Langley. As required by provincial law, the School District No. 35 Board of Education must prepare an annual School Site Acquisition Charge report that outlines student population growth over the next decade, the school sites to which the funds will be allocated, and the charge rate. This must be approved or denied by both Langley City and Township Councils.

In the most recent report, the City is expected to see 785 additional students over the next decade, and the Township is expected to see 6,561 additional students.

The School Site Acquisition Charge will be used to help purchase the following sites:

• South West Latimer Sport Field/Playspace - 5 ac
• North East Gordon (Jericho) Sport field/Play space - 5 ac
• Williams Elementary - 10 ac
• Smith Elementary - 10 ac
• Willoughby Slope Middle - 15 ac
• Brookswood Fernridge Middle - 4.6

These sites are in the Willoughby and Brookswood areas of the Township. The School District believes that the additional student in Langley City can be accommodated on existing school sites in the City with expansions, such as the recently completed 200-student expansion at Nicomekl Elementary.

In the long term, the City believes that a new school site will be required in the northwest section of our community due to the SkyTrain. The City will work with the Board of Education to identify a potential future site.

For each new unit of housing, the School Site Acquisition Charge is as follows:

Apartments - $600-$800*
Townhouses - $900
Detached Houses - $1,000

Langley City Council approved the School District No. 35 Eligible School Sites Proposal.

Any change to regional land-use requires the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board to consult with all local governments in the region. The City of Surrey is looking to remove 2.7 acres of Employment land near the Pacific Highway Truck Crossing to accommodate 20 single-detached houses. The Board sent a letter to Langley City Council noting this. Council asked City staff to send a response back.

*The lower number of units per hectre, the higher the rate.

New Mural Coming to Douglas Park Washroom Building

Over the years, the City has installed murals on several park washroom buildings throughout our community, such as the Inturban-themed mural in Linwood Park and two murals in Rotary Centennial Park. On Monday night, Langley City Council approved $12,000 from the City’s Public Art Fund to install a mural on the new Douglas Park washroom building.

The City will now put out a call to artists. The mural should illustrate the diversity of park users, events, and activities that take place at Douglas Park, and it should wrap around the four sides of the building.

Still on the topic of murals, Langley City regulates private murals in our community that would be of a more commercial nature. A Bread Affair currently has a mural on its building on the Langley Bypass and is looking to have it repainted with a fresh design. As per the City’s bylaws, it must be reviewed by the Arts, Recreation, Culture and Heritage Committee and approved by Council. On Monday, Council approved the mural. As this is a private mural, it is not funded by the City.

Langley City Council Gives Approval in Principle to $661,601 in Property Tax Exemptions to Non-Profits and Houses of Worship for 2027

There are two ways that Langley City Council provides financial support to non-profit organizations in our community. One is through our community grant program, and the other is through permissive property tax exemptions.

The community grant program is funded through casino revenue, while the permissive property tax exemption program is funded through property taxes. On Monday, Langley City Council gave approval in principle to grant $661,601 in permissive tax exemptions for the 2027 tax year. Without these exemptions, the City would be able to lower property taxes overall by about 1.5%.

While Council has not contemplated removing a non-profit organization's permissive tax exemption, it has not approved any additional permissive tax exemptions since 2022. Personally, I consider this a legacy program and am not supportive of its expansion.

Houses of Worship receive a statutory property tax exemption from the provincial government for the land on which their physical buildings occupy. The City also grants a permissive tax exemption for the remaining portions of the land they own.

The following table lists the permissive tax exemptions for the 2027 tax year.

Organization	Amount
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver	75,196
Vineyard Christian Fellowship	68,617
Langley Seniors Resource Society	62,168
Langley Lawn Bowling	52,358
Langley Care Society	41,650
Town & Field Church	41,396
Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary	40,547
Vancouver Global Mission Church	40,170
Anglican Parish of St Andrew's	36,006
Church of the Nazarene Canada Pacific District	32,365
Langley Community Music School	29,658
Encompass Support Services Society	27,709
Inclusion Langley Society	23,965
Bridge Community Church	23,620
Langley Food Bank	23,097
Langley Community Services Society	13,101
Langley Stepping Stones	11,532
New Apostolic Church Canada	9,088
Langley Hospice Society	5,784
Council of the Salvation Army	3,574

Council will need to adopt the 2027 permissive tax exemptions at its next meeting.

Langley City Joins the Call to Action for Renewing Flood Protection in the Lower Mainland

With climate change, flooding events are becoming more common in the Lower Mainland. In Metro Vancouver, about half of the dikes that protect us from flooding “are in a poor state of repair, and most do not meet modern flood protection standards.” These dikes also do not meet seismic design standards, which is critical as our region is in an earthquake zone.

The 2021 Fraser Valley flooding resulted in $675 million in insurance claims and disrupted the movement of goods and people from the Lower Mainland to the rest of Canada. This is significant given that the Port of Vancouver is Canada's largest port. All this to say that our region is a trade corridor of national significance.

The provincial government has created a B.C. Flood Strategy, which is pending implementation.

Langley City Council received a presentation last night from the Lower Fraser Floodplains Coalition, which includes First Nation and local governments in the area. Their report noted that “a single major flood in the Lower Fraser could wipe out over $350 billion in economic value.”

With that in mind, they are calling on First Nation and local governments in the Lower Mainland to sign onto a joint statement which includes calling on the federal and provincial governments to:

Recognize the Lower Fraser’s resilience as a matter of national and provincial significance: urgently requiring attention, but manageable with practical measures, and essential for the long-term safety, and the cultural and economic well-being of all communities, the province and the country;

Recognize that collaboration, not competition for piecemeal funding, is the foundation for resilience in the Lower Fraser, and that enabling First Nations and local governments to work together to meet responsibilities to their communities that flow from title and rights and jurisdictions, is part of that foundation.

Address federal and provincial responsibilities to ensure the resilience of critical infrastructure essential for the region, for British Columbia and for Canada; and

Develop a sustained, long-term investment program for the Lower Fraser adequate to support collaborative work across federal, provincial and local governments, First Nations and the private sector to achieve regional floodplain resilience that works with nature, not against it.

Langley City Council approved the City's signing onto this joint statement last night. Other local governments that have signed onto the joint statement include the Metro Vancouver Regional District, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Port Coquitlam, and the Township of Langley.

Each New Resident Requires $80,039 in New Public Infrastructure in Metro Vancouver

When building a new home, there are costs for construction, including land, materials, and labour. There is also the cost of providing public infrastructure to the home and the people who live in it. The Metro Vancouver Regional District recently commissioned a study to determine the amount of provincial and local infrastructure required per household and per capita to support population growth in our region.

The per capita cost is $80,039. The per-household cost varies by density. For lower-density housing, such as detached homes, the new infrastructure cost is $272,568 per unit. For medium-density housing such as townhomes, the new infrastructure cost is $242,339 per unit. And for higher-density housing such as apartments, the new infrastructure cost is $152,535 per unit.

Local governments in our region are responsible for about 60% of the infrastructure required for new homes, with the remian 40% delivered by the provincial government.

In Langley City, we charge fees for each new housing unit to help cover some of these infrastructure costs. The total local government fees and contributions for a new apartment are around $50,000 per unit. For a detached home, it is around $80,000 per unit. The costs are nowhere near the cost of providing the infrastructure.

Table of infrastructure considered in the study. Select the table to enlarge.

A simple suggestion might be to increase the fees for building new homes. For example, to reach a break-even point, the City and region would have to charge an additional $40,000 in fees per new apartment unit, raising the fee from $50,000 to $90,000 per unit. Of course, this would affect housing affordability.

Local governments do rely on property taxes and user fees as well. We also have aging infrastructure in all municipalities. Generally, property taxes and user fees are used to fund the renewal of existing infrastructure and to support ongoing municipal operations, such as police officers, firefighters, and people who maintain our parks.

Another suggestion might be to increase property taxes and user fees to pay for new infrastructure. This would also have affordability implications.

While property taxes, user fees, and municipal fees charged for each new housing unit will need to increase, the federal government has a role to play. They really do need to step up and increase federal funding for the infrastructure required to support population growth.

There are some limitations to the data, including regional variations in costs. For more information, please read the Regional Planning Committee Regular July 2, 2026 agenda starting on page 168.

Langley City’s 2025 Annual Report Out

Local governments deliver services every day that people rely on, from running water and sewer services to parks and streets. When an emergency occurs, local police and fire services are on hand. I created an infographic many years ago that shows the various public services and the level of government that delivers them.

The City completed the Fraser Highway Oneway Renewal Project last year.

One of the things I’ve always found interesting is that voter turnout and overall levels of political engagement are lower for local government than for provincial or federal governments, considering the significant impact local government has on people’s day-to-day lives. Though with some exceptions, local government work tends to be “boring”. Approving the upgrade of a 450mm sewer pipe to 900mm, while critical, isn’t headline news.

Local governments do reflect the communities they serve. For example, some communities might focus more on recreation services while others focus on parks and trails. Some communities have libraries open 7 days a week; others do not. Some communities may focus on creating a walkable community, while others focus on industrial development.

In BC, all municipalities are required to produce an annual report. This report outlines what a municipality accomplished in the reporting year and its priorities for the upcoming year. In Langley City, our report reviews these by department. It can be an easy way to learn about your municipal government.

For example, last year the City completed a comprehensive inventory of all trees in our community and adopted a new tree protection bylaw; this year, the City is planning to replace its Operations Centre.

The annual report also included information on permissive tax exemptions granted, community grants awarded, and the annual financial statements.

If you get a chance, please flip through Langley City’s 2025 Annual Report, especially the “Department Overviews” section.

June 29 Council Notes: Proposed Increase to RCMP Officers. Pleasantdale Creek. Other Housekeeping Matters

Langley City Council addressed several matters at its June 29th meeting. I posted about some of the items over the last week, and wanted to follow up with the remaining items.

Because the federal budgeting cycle for the RCMP differs from the local government budget cycle, we need to signal to the federal government the maximum number of RCMP members (officers) we are considering hiring per year. The federal government pays 10% of RCMP member costs. In discussions with the Officer in Charge of the Langley RCMP Detachment, City staff recommended that Council consider hiring two new members in 2027. As such, Council approved a letter to the federal government known as an “approval in principle”. Council will have the option to approve or deny funding for these two new positions as part of the 2027 budget process, which will start this fall.

If Council moves forward with two new members, contracted policing costs would rise from $16.5 million this year to $16.8 million in 2027 for our City.

Council also adopted changes to the Election and Assent Voting Procedure and City of Langley Sign Bylaw in preparation for this fall’s local government election. You can read more about this in a previous post.

Council approved the City’s Manager of Communications and Public Engagement attending the Municipal Communications Conference in Toronto, Ontario, which runs from November 30th to December 2nd.

Finally, Council received a presentation from the Nicomekl Enhancement Society about proposed enhancements they would like to see to improve salmon habitat in Pleasantdale Creek. This comprehensive presentation was forwarded to Council’s Environmental Sustainability Committee for consideration.

Upgrading Storm Sewer Near Linwood Park

Storm sewers are what route runoff from buildings, streets, and parks into watercourses. Newer storm sewers will have passive systems that reduce suspended sediment and oils, though whatever goes into a storm drain eventually ends up in a river.

The current storm sewer around Linwood Park is undersized for today’s storm events and needs upgrading. During some storm events, the current system cannot handle the flows.

The following map shows the proposed upgrade.

Map of Storm Sewer Improvement Project around Linwood Park. Select the map to enlarge.

Last Monday, Council approved issuing a tender to Blackline Site Works Ltd. for $789,329.13 for this project, and ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. for $49,768.00 to provide construction management services for the project. Council also approved an $85,000.00 contingency, as we are an old community, and even with the best planning, surprises can arise when replacing underground infrastructure.

This project is scheduled to start this summer and finish up in the fall. This project was approved in the 2025 Langley City budget.

The costs do not include GST.

2025 Council Remuneration & Expenses and Other Annual Disclosures

Every year, all public sector organizations need to produce their Statement of Financial Information. This reporting includes year-end financial statements, the total compensation of elected (or appointed) representatives, the names, salaries, and expenses of employees who earn over $75,000 per year, and the names and amounts of supplies with an annual value over $25,000.

Langley City procured $83.3 million in goods and services in 2025. The City had $18.0 million in employee salaries and expenses in 2025. Total compensation for Langley City Council was $648,915 in 2025, as shown in the following table.

Elected Official	Remuneration	Expenses	Benefits	Total
Pachal, Nathan J.	$155,841	$5,737	$36	$161,614
Albrecht, Paul E.	$75,063	$7,423	$5,154	$87,640
James, Teri L.	$70,388	$53	$5,141	$75,582
Mack, Delaney	$75,323	$4,813	$4,577	$84,713
Solyom, Michael	$70,128	$517	$36	$70,681
Wallace, Rosemary H.M.	$72,725	$7,749	$5,154	$85,628
White, Leith	$72,725	$5,165	$5,154	$83,044

When looking at Council compensation, it is important to note that we rotate the Deputy Mayor role among Councillors on a two-month cycle. You will notice slight discrepancies in the remuneration of some Council members because of when their Deputy Mayor service falls. Some members of the Council may choose not to receive health or dental benefits because they are covered under a family plan with their spouse or another employer.

Expenses will also vary for Council members. Council members can attend the Lower Mainland Local Government Association AGM and Convention, the Union of BC Municipalities Convention, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Convention. Not all members of Council attend all conferences. Councillors Albrecht, Wallace, White, and I also went to Ottawa last fall on an advocacy mission to the federal government. You can learn more about this mission in a previous post.

The New Langley Innovation District Brand

As I posted about previously, Langley City adopted an economic development plan in late 2024. One of the pillars of the economic development plan is supporting food technology businesses, which aligns with existing businesses in our community and with programs at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Langley City campus. Expanding food technology is a priority for the federal government as well, with its focus on Canadian food sovereignty. This essentially means that, as a nation, we can produce, process, package, and deliver food without relying on other nations. A delegation of Langley City Council went to Ottawa last fall to meet with federal politicians and federal government staff about food technology and the role that Langley City can play. You can read more about this in a previous post that I wrote.

Langley City Council also recently adopted the Glover Road Innovation District Plan, which outlines what the City needs to do to support our economic development plan, with a focus on land use, including zoning, transportation, and business incubator facilities. I posted about this plan, which Council adopted last month.

To help promote food technology and the innovation district, the City has developed the Langley Innovation District brand with its own logo.

The brand’s mission is captured by the half-moon design.

The half-moon represents innovation in motion. It is not a finished circle, but a form in transition, signalling growth, experimentation, and continuous evolution. The shape subtly references the natural cycles that underpin food systems while also evoking a contemporary architectural dome or lid - ideas incubating, energy building, transformation underway. It reflects the fusion of agriculture and technology, science and craft, soil and software. The half-moon is both horizon and shelter: a mark of emergence and a symbol of a district designed to cultivate what comes next.

Last fall, the City, in partnership with KPU and the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce, held its first food technology forum. With the Innovation District plan complete, the City will be hosting its second forum this fall to continue to centre Langley City as a food technology hub that will attract jobs to our community.

Langley City Council Calls for Expanded Affordable BC Bus Pass Program

While Langley City is one of the most affordable places to live by Metro Vancouver standards, I know that the cost of housing, transportation, and food is a challenge for many people. A Metro Vancouver report noted that for most people, transportation expenses are about the same as housing expenses. Many households have two or more vehicles. Investing in high-quality, fast, and frequent transit supports lowering transportation costs as people can then have the option of reducing the number of vehicles they own and operate.

Transit is also linked to better social well-being and health outcomes, providing access to essential services and reducing social inequities.

TransLink has a reduced-fare program that applies to seniors and younger people. The provincial government has the BC Bus Pass Program, a low-cost transit pass limited to low-income seniors and people receiving disability assistance from the Province of British Columbia.

Metro Vancouver is one of the few major regions in Canada without a low-income transit pass for all ages and abilities—Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Calgary each offer reduced-fare transit passes.

Many people who would qualify for BC Housing-funded or below-market rental housing would not qualify for the BC Bus Pass Program. Expanding this program would allow more people in Metro Vancouver access to opportunity, boost the regional economy, improve equity, and reduce fare evasion and its associated enforcement costs.

I’m happy to say that Langley City Council unanimously passed the following motion at its meeting last night.

THAT Council direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Provincial Minister of Transportation and Transit, requesting that the Province of British Columbia expand the eligibility requirements for the BC Bus Pass Program to include low-income households in Metro Vancouver.

Staying the Course with the Mayors’ Council’s Transportation Vision

Transport 2050 and Access for Everyone are TransLink's long-term and 10-year plans, respectively, which were approved by the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation before the last local government election in 2022. Transport 2050 must be reviewed every 5 years. These plans take a significant amount of time to develop and update, so if a major update to either of these plans were required, TransLink staff would need to get working on it now.

Map of Priority Transit Improvement from Access for Everyone. Select the map to enlarge.

At last week’s Mayors’ Council meeting, TransLink staff asked the Council to re-endorse both plans without change.

Since 2022, there have been significant changes in finances, with rising inflation and general purse-string tightening in government, especially at the federal level. This means that both Transport 2050 and Access for Everyone will likely take longer to implement than originally envisioned, as federal and provincial capital funding is lower than expected and construction costs are higher.

Even with this in mind, both plans outline what is still required to keep our region moving and are still very valid. As a note, recent TransLink trip surveys find that about 30% of trips in the region are by walking, cycling, or transit, which is good news, but other factors, such as the affordability of our transportation system, are not on track.

Given the reduced capital funding available from the federal and provincial governments, TransLink staff recommended that the Mayors’ Council also approve a reduced number of projects from these plans to move forward within the short term. The intention is to work with the Mayors’ Council to select these projects over the coming months. Given that there is a local government election this fall, these projects would need to be confirmed again by the incoming Mayors’ Council.

The Mayors’ Council approved these next steps, except for the Mayor of the City of Surrey, who was not in favour.

I would expect that in September, the Mayors’ Council will have the next phase of projects selected.