Burnaby voters to choose mayor in six-way race Saturday

Burnaby’s mayoral candidates made a final push on the campaign trail Friday. Voters will choose among six candidates in Saturday’s election. Housing, homelessness, public safety and city spending are among the issues shaping the campaign.

Businessman Heymann Yip leads Burnaby First, which also has three council candidates on the ballot. Yip is campaigning on expanding purpose-built rental housing, protecting green space and addressing homelessness. He said priorities include expanding what he described as the original purpose-built rentals, formerly called apartment buildings; re-establishing a committee on parks, green spaces, conservation areas, streams and trails; and working on the issue of people who are unsheltered and homeless.

Bill Petrovas is campaigning on public safety, preventing homelessness and closer scrutiny of city spending. He said he wants an auditor general appointed on the first day to audit the city’s position. During the first 30 days, he would identify renters who might be evicted and seek stronger protections for them, identify people at risk, and find every available avenue to help keep them from becoming homeless.

Incumbent Mike Hurley is seeking a third term, promising more affordable housing and the completion of several major projects already underway. He said the city is building three new community centres, a new police station and a new performing arts centre. Hurley also said the Burnaby Housing Authority has just started a project to deliver 1,000 new affordable homes, which he expects to come together quickly. He called these projects priorities.

Three other candidates are running for mayor. Hanzhi Wang is pushing for more missing-middle housing and transportation improvements. Sabina Hsu is campaigning on economic growth and lower property taxes. MichaelAngelo Abcrobinhood proposes a 10 per cent property-tax discount for seniors and says he would donate his entire mayoral salary to school lunch programs, single parents and people in need.

There are signs of increased interest in the election ahead of Saturday. A city official told CTV News that more than 16,000 Burnaby residents have already voted in advance, an increase of more than 70 per cent from 2022. Polls across the city will be open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.