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.

Reducing Property Crime, Vandalism, Disorder - New Provincial Program in Langley

When you look at most communities in BC, you will see that a small number of people are responsible for a disproportionate number of calls for service to the police, bylaws, and other public safety officials. In Langley, for example, about five people had over 500 calls for service to the police over a year.

These people find themselves in and out of the courts and jail, and many of them experience homelessness, mental health challenges, and problematic substance use. These people need help.

In 2023, the provincial government launched the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative, which is successfully addressing the small number of people who commit a disproportionately high number of violent crimes. Based on this model, the provincial government is launching the Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative to similarly address the small number of people responsible for a significant share of vandalism, street disorder, and property crime.

This new program, funded by the provincial government, has 12 hubs, including one in Langley. These hubs will have a coordinated team of crown prosecutors, police, probation officers, correctional supervisors, community integration specialists, and mental health workers. The program will also include housing and substance-use supports.

In Langley City, I know some of the people who will likely be candidates for the Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative by name. I’m encouraged that this program is now in our community, as it will have a positive impact, reducing repeat property-crime-related activity.

For more information about this program, please read the provincial government's news release.

Project Black Feather - Helping Youth Exit Unhealthy Influences and Habits

Over the last little while, I've been posting about Project Black Feather. This program received its initial funding from the federal government through its Building Safer Communities Fund in partnership with Langley City and Township. The program is for students in the Langley School District who are at a high risk of becoming vulnerable to unhealthy influences and habits. Such influence could include gangs, and habits could include problematic substance use. Langley City Council previously received a presentation on the number of students helped and the positive outcomes. Last week, Council heard more, including about an outcomes report based on eight program participants who were followed for about a year.

The key outcomes for reducing vulnerability for young people in the program include:

• Crisis prevention through surge capacity: The program provided the right support when needed. Knowing that sometimes little support is needed, and sometimes a lot of support is needed.
• Trust durability exceeds expectations: Young people stayed connected to the program, where traditional programs would fail.
• Capacity-building, not dependency: Young people acquired transferable skills and reliance as part of the program to remain sober and stay employed.
• Youth began learning to set healthy boundaries on their own: Young people left harmful peer connections.
• Family stabilization enabled youth stabilization: The program also worked through coaching and supporting young people’s caregivers.
• Workplace integration emerged as a high-leverage pathway: Young people who got connected at their workplaces developed positive connections.
• Youth moved from being service recipients to contributors: Several young people in the program became peer leaders and even volunteered to support other program members.
• Partner corroboration confirmed distinctive reach: Other organizations and government ministries noted that Project Black Feather was reaching young people that they would otherwise be unable to reach.

The program's success is based on how it works. Its foundation is to build trust with young people participating in the program, which means being reliable and there for a young person whenever. The report noted that bringing a sandwich to a young person helped them become fully engaged in the program. The program is also wrap-around, and if the young person needs to connect with another service provider, the Project Blackfeather team would make the arrangements, including transport, and be with the young person during appointments if required. The program also directly engaged the young person’s caregivers.

It was really encouraging to hear about the good work of Project Black Feather and how it is having a positive impact on young people in Langley.

Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue 2025 Annual Report

Langley City was part of the now-defunct Central Fraser Valley Regional District, along with the Township of Langley and what is now Abbotsford. There are a few vestiges of this past, including the fact that Langley City has received services from the Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue Society since 1978.

Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue Society Vehicles. Source: Facebook

The Society covers Langley City, Township, and Abbotsford, and its recently released annual report noted that its volunteers responded to 38 incidents in 2025, with about 2 in Langley City. When you think of search and rescue, you likely picture wilderness areas or natural disasters, and while the Society's largest response was to the Sumas Prairie flooding in December 2025, they also search for people who go missing in urban settings like Langley City.

The Society is 100% volunteer run with about 31 active members on average. Its 2025 total expenses were $134,904, funded through all three municipalities, among other sources.

The two capital projects in 2025 were for a new water rescue boat and savings for a new command vehicle.

Beyond search and rescue operations, the Society also does public outreach, including at community events and through its wilderness survival education for young people.

For more information about Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue Society, please visit their website.

Langley-Maple Ridge Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Configuration Open House

Earlier this week, I posted about TransLink’s planning work for a new Bus Rapid Transit line connecting from the Willowbrook Mall area, along 200th Street, and up to Haney in Maple Ridge. Bus Rapid Transit is similar to RapidBus, but with dedicated bus lanes to prevent it from getting stuck in traffic.

TransLink is hosting a series of in-person open houses, including in Langley City. You can drop in anytime and stay for as little or as long as you want.

The details are as follows:
Date: Sunday, February 1st
Time: Noon – 4pm
Location: Timms Community Centre (20399 Douglas Crescent)

According to TransLink, you can “learn more about the proposed Langley-Haney Place Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Meet the project team, ask questions, and share your feedback on program features and route options.”

For a list of other open houses for this BRT, please visit TransLink’s website.

Provide Feedback on Langley-Maple Ridge Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Configuration

As part of last year’s approved TransLink’s 2025 Investment Plan, the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation approved advancing detailed planning for two new bus rapid transit lines in the South of Fraser along King George Boulevard and between Haney and Willowbrook.

We currently don’t have bus rapid transit in Metro Vancouver, but the key feature is that buses travel in dedicated lanes and have priority at intersections. It shares other features similar to RapidBus.

Between the SkyTrain expansion and new bus rapid transit lines, the following map shows the proposed future state of rapid transit South of the Fraser and in Maple Ridge.

Map of future rapid transit lines in the South of Fraser and Maple Ridge. Select the map to enlarge.

Bus rapid transit between Willowbrook SkyTrain Station and Carvolth Exchange will take between 16 and 18 minutes, faster than driving during peak periods.

Currently, TransLink is gathering feedback on the proposed travel lane reconfiguration to support bus rapid transit and is providing more information about the bus rapid transit corridors. You can visit their bus rapid transit webpage to take a survey, learn more about the corridors, and find out when and where in-person engagement opportunities are occurring.

While bus rapid transit is not running on Langley City roads, the Willowbrook Mall area is partially in the City. It will also hopefully improve access to and from the rest of Langley City, depending on how well it integrates with the local bus network.

The Langley Christmas Wish Breakfast - Supporting the Langley Christmas Bureau

The Langley Christmas Wish Breakfast is an annual tradition hosted at Newlands Golf & Country Club. This event supports the Langley Christmas Bureau, which provides Christmas hampers to people in Langley City and Township.

Members of Langley City Council, Santa, and Mrs Claus. Select the Image to Enlarge.

The Bureau is 100% volunteer-run and relies on the generosity of individuals and businesses, with back-office support and space provided by Langley City.

With everything going on in the world these days, it is heartening to see people coming together to ensure that everyone in Langley can have a Merry Christmas!

If you’d like to support the Langley Christmas Bureau, please visit https://www.langleychristmasbureau.com

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Langley

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The federal and provincial governments established this statutory holiday in response to one of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This day is “to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”

Reconciliation Langley is hosting what is now an annual event in our broader community at Derek Doubleday Arboretum from 5 pm until 8 pm on Tuesday, September 30th. The event includes an educational story walk, which you can go at your own pace, drummers, speakers, and a candlelight vigil. For more information, you can visit the Reconciliation Langley Facebook page or email reconciliationlangley21@gmail.com

If you are unable to attend an event in person, I encourage you to learn the history of residential schools. A very good virtual resource is the Witness Blanket by artist Carey Newman and hosted by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Latest Point-in-Time Homelessness Count Report Insights. Next Steps.

The Homelessness Services Association of B.C. released preliminary data for the 2025 Metro Vancouver point-in-time homeless count in July and recently released its finalized report.

One key note about the study is that it does not capture everyone experiencing homelessness. The data represents the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness. That being said, it is extremely valuable to show the trend in the number of people who are experiencing homelessness.

Unsurprisingly, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to grow in Metro Vancouver. About 70% of people experiencing homelessness are in Vancouver and Surrey. Places that traditionally have had a limited number of people experiencing homelessness, such as Delta and White Rock, are also seeing increases, though at a much lower rate. In total, 5,232 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in the 2025 point-in-time count.

The following chart shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Langley City and Township over the years. Data split by municipality is not available in the report.

In total, 243 people, 5% of the total count in Metro Vancouver, were experiencing homelessness at the time of the count in Langley City and Township. 138 people were unsheltered, meaning they weren’t temporarily sheltered in places like the Gateway of Hope.

Some other notes are that Indigenous people are overrepresented in the population of people experiencing homelessness as a result of intergenerational trauma, residential schools, and colonial practices.

Another alarming trend is that the length of time people are experiencing homelessness is increasing. Up until 2020, about half of the people were experiencing homelessness for more than a year. In 2023, this increased to 69%; by this year, it was 75%. This trend means that people who are experiencing homelessness do not have pathways out of homelessness.

About 2/3rds of people experiencing homelessness have mental health and substance challenges from the point-in-time data.

So, what does this mean, and where do we need to go?

The provincial government must continue to invest in long-term mental health care with housing. This is essential. They must also increase treatment options for people with substance use issues. With these options in place, people will have a path off the streets or emergency shelter services. Expanding and investing in these areas will help a large number of people who are currently experiencing homelessness.

New Report: Langley City and White Rock Most Affordable Places to Live in South of the Fraser

There is an old saying, “drive until you qualify,” when it comes to housing in urban regions. The thought being that the cost of living is lower the further you get from core urban areas.

Back in 2015, Metro Vancouver Regional District staff challenged the assumption in their report, “The Metro Vancouver Housing and Transportation Cost Burden Study – A New Way of Looking at Affordability.” I posted about it over 10 years ago, and you can read more about that first report. It challenges the assumption that it is cheaper to live further out.

The cost of transportation is similar to the cost of housing for many people, which is why, when evaluating affordability, you need to consider both housing and transportation costs.

The short of it is that it found that when considering housing and transportation costs, it was actually most cost-effective to live in places like New Westminster than in Delta.

A lot has changed in the last decade, and Regional District staff have updated this report for 2025. One of the significant differences in the report is that it provides a more fine-grained mapping of affordability. So instead of “the Langleys” or the North Shore, you can go down to the neighborhood level in this 2025 update.

Combined housing and transportation costs by neighborhood in Metro Vancouver. Select the map to enlarge.

What becomes apparent is that the total cost of housing and transportation is lower in areas with higher densities and good transit access, no matter where you are in the region.

Map of Urban Centres and Frequent Transit Development Areas. Select the map to enlarge.

To drive the point home, the following table from the report shows this. The northern part of Langley City is an urban centre.

Combined housing and transportation costs by area type, UCB = Urban Containment Boundary ($ thousands)

At a municipal scale in the South of Fraser, the most affordable communities to live in for housing and transportation costs, from most to least, are:

• Langley City and White Rock: $38,000/year
• Surrey: $43,000/year
• Delta and Township of Langley: $47,000/year

For more information, please read the full report, “Housing and Transportation Cost Burden Study - 2025 Update.”

Langley Animal Control and Shelter Potential Separation

Since 2003, Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) has provided animal control and shelter services to Langley City and the Township of Langley. Both the City and Township have separate contracts with LAPS.

Cooper at Campbell Valley Park by Robin Horn

In September of last year, Township of Langley Council asked their staff to investigate providing animal control services in-house and having LAPS operate a Township-only shelter. The Township of Langley owns the land and the current Patti Dale Animal Shelter, which houses animals from both municipalities.

Langley City and Township have received great value from LAPS as a volunteer-led and donor-driven organization. For example, both municipalities receive cat services at no cost as donors fund the LAPS cat program entirely. Langley City received $36,968 annually in no cost cat services, such as sheltering and care.

Currently, the City pays $129,554 to LAPS annually for animal control and sheltering services.

Langley City provides 15% of the operating funding for contracted animal control and shelter services to LAPS. LAPS animal control officers allocated 7% of their time to City files and patrols. 4% of animals admitted to LAPS care as part of the contracts are from the City. This results in a subsidy for the Township contract.

I hope that LAPS can continue to provide services to both communities, as providing these services in-house will drive up costs for both municipalities due to the reduction in volunteer and donor support.

On May 12, Langley City Council asked City staff to explore different operating models and develop an implementation strategy to maintain animal control and sheltering services for our community if Township Council does decide to change its animal control and shelter model to exclude the City.

Official Release: City of Langley Responds to Termination of Shared Policing Agreement

I wanted to repost the following official media release from Langley City.

As expected, on May 10, 2025, the Township of Langley terminated the City of Langley and Township of Langley Police Capital and Operations Cost Sharing Agreement, which has been in place since 1993. This agreement specifically addresses the co-owned RCMP detachment building and shared municipal staff.

It is important to clarify that the agreement on the detachment building is not the same as the Township’s call for de-integration. Any de-integration of policing requires approval from the provincial government, which has not happened.

“Langley City Council is unanimous in its belief that de-integration of the Langley RCMP Detachment will not improve the quality, efficiency, or effectiveness of policing in Langley,” stated Mayor Nathan Pachal.

Mayor Pachal continued, “We have consistently been willing to work with the Township of Langley to ensure all the facts are on the table and together come up with a path forward that is in the best interest of all Langley residents and businesses.”

Langley City remains open to a mediated process — as recommended by the Province — to work toward a fair, modernized agreement that ensures effective, coordinated policing for both communities.

Mayor Pachal reaffirmed: “Our goal is a strong, stable public safety model that reflects our shared responsibility and protects taxpayer dollars. We look forward to continuing conversations that support both communities and put public safety first.”

Over the past several years, the City has demonstrated a strong and consistent commitment to public safety — including strategic investments in fire services, emergency management, and policing — to ensure reliable service delivery now and into the future.

It continues to seek constructive dialogue with the Township, the Province, and the RCMP to support a coordinated, modern public safety model.

With both Langleys growing and SkyTrain on the horizon, the case has never been stronger for an integrated, coordinated, and financially responsible public safety model that reflects the needs of both communities.

Accommodating Population Growth Requires a Plan, Invest Langley City

In February, BC Stats released the last population estimates for municipalities in BC. While looking at the year-over-year changes is interesting, there is value in looking over a more extended period. I wanted to look at the population growth of municipalities in the South of Fraser over the last few decades.

The following is the change in population between 2004 and 2024 by municipality:

• Surrey - 80%
• Langley Township - 73%
• Langley City - 44%
• White Rock - 32%
• Delta - 26%

One of the challenges with fast growth is keeping up with services. Building new cultural and recreation facilities takes time and considerable finances. For example, it is easier for Delta to plan for and build these facilities than Surrey. Surrey is always in catch-up mode.

Langley City's growth is "middle of the road" for South of the Fraser communities, but we still must invest in facilities to keep up with growth. We will need to expand basic facilities like our operations and maintenance yard as well as recreation and cultural facilities. With SkyTrain, population growth will accelerate, which is why Langley City Council is creating our Invest Langley City vision. This vision will outline when and what we need to build to ensure that our residents and businesses continue receiving a high service level. I'll be sharing more about this vision as it progresses.

How is Hiring of RCMP Officers and Firefighters Going in Langley?

I don't usually like to compare Langley City and the Township of Langley. Still, some information has been circulating online suggesting that the City isn't investing in policing or our fire service.

At the beginning of this current election term, Langley City Council passed a motion to hire nine firefighters over the election term. The Township of Langley Council passed a motion to hire 44 firefighters (11 per year) over the same period.

Langley City Council approved two new firefighting positions in 2023, three in 2024, and we gave third reading to our 2025 budget last night to add another two. The numbers add up to seven new firefighting positions, or 77% of what we promised to deliver, with another year to reach 100% of our promise.

If Langley City Council continues on our current path next year, we will have increased our full-time suppression firefighting staff by 40% in four years.

The Township of Langley approved 11 firefighting positions in 2023 and zero in 2024 and is proposing to add 11 firefighting positions this year. These numbers add up to 22, or 50% of what they promised to deliver with a year to go.

We share the Langley RCMP detachment with the Township of Langley. The Township of Langley approved five new RCMP positions in 2023, two in 2023, and is proposing another two this year. That is a total of nine new positions. Langley City Council approved three new positions last year. Factoring in population and population growth, Langley City and Township have contributed proportionately to additional RCMP hires over the current election term so far.

We must invest in frontline policing and firefighting. We also know that to improve community safety over the long term, we need to deal with the root challenges, which include poverty, mental health, addiction, and cycles of violence.

For example, Langley City Council has partnered with the Langley School District on Project Black Feather to help young people before they enter a life of crime. We have also created two new City positions to work with the province government, health, and social service provider sector to better advocate for, support, and coordinate the delivery of support services for our community. We have launched our Citizens Assembly on Community Safety.

Ensuring we increase frontline positions, as appropriate, while also working to address the root causes of safety impacts is how we move the needle to improve community safety in Langley City. What we are doing isn't flashy, but over time, it will positively impact current and future members of our community.

Cost-Sharing Aquatic Facilities in Langley City and Township

Langley City and Township have a long history of working together on recreation facilities. For example, the City helped fund the construction of McLoead Athletic Park, WC Blair Pool and George Preston Recreation Centre. The City also provided operating funding for booth Blair and McLoead until 2006, when the City exited these agreements and gave up ownership rights of these facilities.

Council recently received a letter from the Township of Langley asking that we work towards a multi-year funding agreement to support aquatic facilities. City and Township residents use aquatic facilities and, more generally, recreational facilities across municipality borders.

For example, about 52% of swimming lessons at Al Anderson Memorial Pool in 2024 were for Township residents, 35% for City residents, and 13% for Surrey residents.

The City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have a joint funding agreement and operate under the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture brand (even though each community owns and maintains its facilities.) This type of agreement could be a model for Langley City and Township.

At last night's Council meeting, Langley City Council asked our staff to "explore inter-municipal recreation services cost-sharing models, with a focus on aquatic facilities, that may be applicable within the context of the City of Langley and the Township of Langley" and formally reply to the Township to let them know.

I look forward to seeing what's possible and how we can cooperate to provide fair and equitable cost-share of aquatic facilities to benefit residents in both communities.

A Path Forward for Policing in Langley

As you know, Langley City and Township have been without a Police Servicing Agreement since the end of 2022, and starting in May of this year, we will no longer have an agreement covering how we share the costs of the Langley RCMP detachment and support staff.

Most people in Langley know about the challenges of the Surrey policing transition, including the lack of consensus on service delivery and associated costs. On Vancouver Island, the Township of Esquimalt and the City of Victoria share a police service similar to the City and Township of Langley. These two communities have had a long-term disagreement on policing since 2003. I know our community does not want to see ongoing disagreement on policing in Langley.

I believe that our shared RCMP detachment is the best way to provide policing services for Langley City and the Township of Langley, as it ensures the best value for taxpayers in both our communities.

To date, Langley City and the Township of Langley have stated our positions based on our individual analyses of policing costs and delivery for both communities. While I believe both communities want a fair agreement, our positions remain far apart.

Public safety is paramount for both Langley City and Township. I believe the only way for our communities to move positively towards new policing agreements that will be fair for both communities will be to have an independent and impartial facilitator work with Langley City and Township to review all the facts and help us reach new policing agreements.

With that goal in mind, I believe the BC Policing and Security Branch must immediately appoint an independent and impartial facilitator to ensure Langley City and Township have an objective review of the facts to help us develop new and comprehensive policing agreements that both Langley City and Township Councils can review by the end of May.

I will be asking Langley City Council to call on the province to appoint this facilitator.

We must ensure adequate and effective policing in Langley. We must end the back-and-forth debate about the real facts and reach a mutual, fair, and agreeable solution that will serve both communities.

Langley City Rejects Langley Township’s Unfair RCMP Cost-Sharing Demand

I wanted to share this important press release about policing in Langley. For more information, I encourage you to read the extensive background information that Langley City has put together.

As the Mayor of Langley City and a proud resident, you have my word that I will always stand up for our community. When it comes to policing, I’m committed to working together to reach an agreement based on regional best practices to ensure Langley City taxpayers receive value for their money.

Langley City, B.C. – Langley City has made numerous attempts to renew the Police Servicing Agreement with Langley Township prior to and after its expiry on December 31, 2022. This agreement, which has been in place since 2007 and renewed every five years, outlines how policing resources, including RCMP members and support staff, are cost-shared between the two communities like other shared RCMP services in the Metro Vancouver region. Despite the City’s best efforts, it has been unable to reach a new negotiated agreement with the Township. The City received a proposal from the Township on November 26, 2024, with terms that the City believes places an undue burden on Langley City taxpayers to fund policing in both communities.

“The City rejects the Township’s latest proposal because it simply amounts to bullying tactics, with unilateral terms that are not based on evidence by experts in policing or regional best practices for cost-sharing based on crime rate and population,” said Mayor Nathan Pachal.

Langley City is committed to maintaining the current RCMP cost-sharing agreement with the Township until May 10, 2025, ensuring continued benefits for both communities.

In addition to the Police Servicing Agreement, the two municipalities also share the costs for the RCMP detachment building, which was jointly built and has been used since 1993. Langley City is committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable agreement for the capital and operating costs for the detachment building after May 10, 2025. “It is neither reasonable, nor will it provide safe and effective policing for both communities, if the Township evicts Langley City RCMP members and support staff from the detachment building in May 2025,” said Mayor Pachal. “We want to negotiate a solution that allows our RCMP members and staff to remain in the building until an alternate solution can be found.”

Langley City remains hopeful that an equitable arrangement can be reached that benefits both communities. “Our priority continues to be collaboration, community safety, and responsible management of taxpayer dollars,” added Mayor Pachal.

Save the Date: Langley Christmas Bureau and Christmas Wish Breakfast

Every year, the Langley Christmas Bureau enables all families in the City and Township to have a Merry Christmas. Though Langley City provides administrative support for the Bureau, it is 100% supported by volunteers and donations from the community.

The annual Christmas Wish Breakfast is back! Mark your calendars for
Tuesday, November 26th
6:30 am to 9:30 am
Newlands Golf & Country Club

If you bring unopened toys, cash, or gift cards, the fine folks at Newlands will treat you to breakfast. Many businesses are now getting involved, bringing their teams down to support the Bureau and having breakfast. It is a great team-building exercise.

The Langley Christmas Bureau also relies on individuals, businesses, and organizations sponsoring families. You can sponsor a family of two for $200. If you want to support making the Christmas season a little brighter for a Langley family, please visit the Bureau's website.

The Langley Christmas Bureau shows the power of a community coming together. I look forward to seeing you at this year's Christmas Wish Breakfast.

"On the Trail - 50 Years of Engaging with Nature" Local History Book Launch

Cover of the book,"On the Trail - 50 Years of Engaging with Nature."

This summer, I enjoyed reading an advanced copy of the book "On the Trail - 50 Years of Engaging with Nature." Members of the Langley Field Naturalists wrote this book. It tells the stories of field naturalists in our community and the contribution they made not only to Langley but also throughout North America.

Locally, the Redwoods Conservation Area, Forslund/Watson Reserve, and Brydon Lagoon are some of the direct results of efforts by field naturalists to protect and enhance natural areas and native species. The story about how these places came to be is wonderfully told in this book.

A handful of books tell the settler stories of Langley, Langley City and the Township. This new book is a fine addition to this body of work. I am sure that historians will refer to this book when they research our community in the coming decades.

Langley City Council was proud to provide a grant to help make this book possible, and its official launch is happening this weekend.

The details are as follows:
Saturday, December 9th at 2 pm
Langley City Library
20339 Douglas Crescent

I hope to see you there.

You can check out a copy of this book through the Fraser Valley Regional Library system.

The Langley Christmas Wish Breakfast Was a Success, but More Support Is Needed

Yesterday was the third Christmas Wish Breakfast at Newlands Golf & Country Club, supporting the Langley Christmas Bureau. The Bureau provides a food hamper, toys, and books for families in Langley City and Township who otherwise could not afford it. The goal of the Christmas Bureau is to raise $250,000 this year to support Langley families this holiday season as the number of families accessing the Bureau is growing.

The Christmas Wish Breakfast started at 6:30 am yesterday with the RCMP and Langley City Fire Rescue Service piping in Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Newlands Golf & Country Club management and staff had a hot breakfast buffet ready. It was amazing to see all the support of businesses both locally and throughout Metro Vancouver to make the event possible. Even the paper plates and cultural (which came from Langley City based manufacture) were donated.

Mr. Claus, who looks very similar to former Langley City Councillor Rudy Storteboom

People enjoying the breakfast buffet.

Beyond the tasty breakfast, people could enjoy live music and entertainment.

Live entertainment from the Langley Ukulele Ensemble

The Langley Christmas Bureau is an official committee of Langley City. Langley City staff and volunteers put in countless hours to make sure everything runs smoothly from the breakfast, to finding sponsors, to helping family signup, and to distributing the food, toys, and books. It is genuinely a whole community effort.

Some of Langley City Council in front of the Holiday RMC Readymix Truck, one of the sponsors of the breakfast

The generosity of our community was on full display yesterday, with people dropping off a mountain of toys and providing donations.

One of the many toy Christmas Trees full of donated gifts

If you want to support the Langley Christmas Bureau, there is still time. Visit the Bureau's website today and learn how you can help make Christmas a little bit merrier for every family in Langley.