Candidates for the 2022 civic elections in Port Moody are beginning to emerge.
Seafood salesman Richard Biedka officially launched his campaign for a council seat on Tuesday (June 28), and it'll be his third crack at getting elected.
He finished sixth among the eight candidates in the 2017 by-election to fill the vacancy at city hall left by Rick Glumac’s ascent to the provincial legislature as MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam.
In the 2018 general municipal election, he was 12th of 14 candidates, tallying 1,502 votes.
In a statement on his website, Biedka said, if elected, his goal will be "to focus on city needs while reducing spending and making Port Moody more efficient and affordable."
He said his plan to get the city to "live within its means" includes:
- Reducing city spending
- Better capitalize on charges and fees paid by developers
- Stepping back from a proposed bylaw to designate environmentally sensitive areas along watercourses in the city until there’s more public input
Two more on the ballot
Johann Contreras and Kyla Knowles have also stepped forward as new candidates for Port Moody council.
Contreras runs an immigration law firm in Suter Brook.
In a statement on his website, he said he wants to ensure Port Moody "has a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come."
To achieve that, Contreras believes it'll require infrastructure that meets the community’s growing needs, carefully considered development and a unified council.
Meanwhile, Knowles said her key issues are:
- Affordable housing
- Financial accountability at city hall
- Competent governance
- Prioritizing climate change initiatives
The 2022 municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 15.
