Theatre teacher Brad Tones seeks a Maple Ridge school trustee seat

Brad Tones, a theatre teacher who works with adults with disabilities, is seeking election as a Maple Ridge school trustee. A lifelong Maple Ridge resident, he attended Laityview Elementary and Maple Ridge Secondary and now has three children enrolled in the district. General election day is Saturday, Oct. 17.

Tones said he would advocate for local schools at municipal and provincial levels, with a focus on safe and supported environments for students and teachers. He said schools should be safe spaces for everyone and that he would press for the resources, programs and staff needed to help students feel safe. He also said he would seek provincial funding to expand, update and build schools as the cities grow, and would manage the district budget responsibly.

He has taught theatre for 25 years, including 16 years with the Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living, where he works with adults with disabilities. After high school, he spent seven years as a youth worker in local youth centres and elementary schools. From 2013 to 2018, he served on the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Arts Council board of directors, which oversaw an annual budget of more than $2 million, including about $750,000 in municipal funding, as well as provincial and federal funding and more than $1 million in earned revenue.

Tones was also an executive director on Granville Island, overseeing multiple public venues and responsibilities including facilities, staffing, finances, technical operations, rentals, labour relations, a unionized workforce, a federal request for proposals and a major capital renovation project. In 2014, he founded P.L.A.Y. Society, a non-profit that offers affordable arts programming for youth across Maple Ridge and Langley and supports nearly 500 families annually.

If elected, Tones said his three priorities would be student support and well-being, facilities that keep pace with population growth, and responsible budget stewardship. He called for transparent reporting on class composition and specialist staffing, and said students with diverse learning needs and arts and enrichment programs need advocates at the table.

He noted that many schools are at or beyond capacity and that some neighbourhoods lack a school. Tones said families should receive plain-language enrolment projections, have meaningful input before catchment changes are decided, and see stronger advocacy for the capital funding needed by SD42. He also said parents and taxpayers deserve clear, accessible budget reports showing how district money is spent. Tones said his energy, ability to connect with people, positive approach and willingness to work hard and collaborate would strengthen his campaign.