Justin Alexander Smith believes he can represent the young voters of Port Coquitlam, as well as the greater community, if elected in the 2022 municipal election — set for Oct. 15.
The 23-year-old is the latest to formally announce his intentions to run for city council in the fall, and is currently one of three known first-time candidates.
In a release to the Tri-City News, Smith is a campaign strategist by day and a graduate of Simon Fraser University's (SFU) political science program.
According to his campaign profile, he says PoCo has been his home for almost all his life and claims he can preserve the community's "unique character."
"I'm not going to over-promise and sell you on something I can't do; instead, I'm going to earn your vote through transparency, honesty, and hard work," he adds in a social media post.
Smith explains his vision for Port Coquitlam is threefold.
He believes he can fight for families and local businesses looking for affordability, can bring forward sustainable solutions for the environment and use his self-proclaimed problem-solving skills to engage with local residents for a better city hall.
"I'm running because I deeply care about Port Coquitlam and I want to re-invigorate our citizens to create a more engaged city," Smith explains in his campaign statement.
"My experiences in political advocacy and communication are crucial to revamping city council's connection to our city.
"When you combine my genuine love for Port Coquitlam, my lived-experiences and my dedication to problem solving, you get me — somebody ready to advocate on your behalf for the next four years."
Smith is now one of six known council candidates for Port Coquitlam this fall, alongside Sarah Harbord, Erik Minty, Jami Watson and incumbent Nancy McCurrach, as well as mayoral incumbent Brad West.
Harbord and Minty are also first-time runners for the municipality, Watson is campaigning a second time in four years and McCurrach is seeking a second consecutive term around the PoCo horseshoe.
West is seeking a second term as Port Coquitlam mayor, officially announcing his re-election campaign on Wednesday (Aug. 10).
For more information on Smith and his platform, you can visit his campaign website.
You can also contact him directly via email (sjustin0326@gmail.com) or his Facebook page.
As well, the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a series of all-candidates debates for local 2022 civic elections.
Port Coquitlam mayor and council nominees will get the chance to speak to the issues that matter to them, and take questions from the public, at Riverside Community Church on Oct. 3.
