He says voters gave "clear mandate" for the next four years...
Voters in Fort St John, B.C., have elected a new mayor, and have given council the green light to proceed with a new pool and recreation centre. Trevor Bolin defeated incumbent Lilia Hansen Saturday night in the race for the top job in northern B.C.’s second largest city.
The long-time city councillor and former B.C. Conservative Party leader won 65 per cent of the vote.
"It was a pretty clear mandate tonight that the platform I put forward to residents resonated well, built on safer communities, more attainable housing, transparent government, fiscal responsibility," Bolin said.
A referendum authorizing the city to borrow up to $90 million to help finance a new aquatic facility and indoor fieldhouse passed with 66 per cent approval.
The project could cost as much as $185 million.
Bolin wants the provincial and federal governments to pitch in $30 million each.
"We'll be going after the province and the feds to share this," Bolin said.
"We've seen other communities in B.C. and Ontario get those same kind of funds, so I think it's only fair that Fort St. John looks forward to that."
Just under 4,500 people cast a vote, or 27.5 per cent of eligible voters.
Election officials say it's the city’s highest turnout in at least the last 25 years.
Incumbent councillors Gord Klassen, Sarah MacDougall, Jim Lequiere and Tony Zabinsky were re-elected. Lucas Wuthrich and Kevin Stigners were also elected to council.
Hansen, a former executive director of the Fort St. John Chamber of Commerce, was first elected to council in a 2017 byelection, and as mayor in 2022.
"It's been an amazing nine years on council and I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends," Hansen said.
"Not many people come out of politics this lucky."
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