Jerry Kok elected Maple Ridge’s new mayor

Jerry Kok will be Maple Ridge’s new mayor after defeating incumbent Dan Ruimy in the local election on Saturday night, Oct. 17. Preliminary results show Kok with 12,347 votes, or 58 per cent, and Ruimy with 8,932 votes, or 42 per cent.

Voters rejected all three city-proposed recreation facilities in a referendum, turning down a plan to borrow $393 million for recreation amenities. Celebrating with supporters at Eagle’s Hall on Saturday night, Kok said he believed voters had chosen lower taxes. He said affordability was the key issue and people could not afford the referendum proposal. While campaigning door to door, he heard from residents who wanted to live and get by in Maple Ridge, including seniors and young families concerned about the taxes. Kok said he believed those concerns tipped the election in his favour.

The elected councillors are Judy Dueck (9,418 votes), Chelsa Meadus (9,403), Bob D’Eith (8,763), Mike Morden (8,323), Korleen Carreras (7,387) and Andrew Laity (7,371). The elected school trustees are Elaine Yamamoto (8,722 votes), Mike Murray (7,284), Mark Bailey (6,203), Pascale Shaw (4,985) and Jacquie Montgomery (4,958).

A key election issue was the Recreation Ready plan for three facilities costing $393 million: a new aquatics and recreation centre, an expansion of the twin rinks, and a 40-acre multi-use community park on the site of the existing Maple Ridge Golf Course. None of the three projects was approved. City staff will seek direction from the new council on next steps.

A total of 21,612 ballots were cast in the 2026 Local General Election, representing about 30 per cent of eligible voters and an increase of 49 per cent over the 2022 election. For comparison, 14,491 ballots were cast in 2022, when turnout was about 22 per cent.

Kok is general manager of Driving Unlimited. He raised his public profile during four years as president of the Ridge Meadows Chamber of Commerce, leading the business organization through a period of growth and renewal. Ruimy, a former Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge, was elected mayor in 2022. He campaigned on his record, saying city hall had begun bold initiatives to attract industry, move ahead with much-needed recreation projects, make city hall more efficient and change the city’s public image.