Hodge wins Coquitlam mayor’s race, Lurbiecki takes Port Moody and West wins re-election in Port Coquitlam

Craig Hodge, a longtime Coquitlam news photographer and sitting city councillor, is the city’s new mayor. He received 15,654 votes, more than twice the 7,309 cast for fellow councillor and mayoral candidate Trish Mandewo. Madhavee Inamdar received 2,895. Just after 10 p.m., Hodge took the stage before a jubilant crowd at Glen Pine Pavilion and spoke about the city’s future. He said he knew not everyone had voted for him, and that the work ahead would require collaboration, honest conversations and a willingness to find common ground. He said he was deeply honoured and humbled by voters’ trust and support, and promised to bring people together, listen carefully and make thoughtful decisions as the city faces its challenges. “Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we get to work,” he told the crowd.

All four Coquitlam councillors who were incumbents on the ballot were re-elected. Matt Djonlic, Robert Mazzaroo, Steve Kim and Teri Towner were the top four vote-getters. Newcomers Matthew Sebastiani, Harvey Su, Rosalinda Thorleifson and Benjamin Perry won council seats. A total of 26,180 ballots were cast; turnout was reported as 24.42, with no unit specified in the article.

In Port Moody, challenger Haven Lurbiecki defeated incumbent Mayor Meghan Lahti by 546 votes. During the previous four years, Coun. Lurbiecki and Mayor Lahti often took opposing sides on council decisions. Lurbiecki objected to the city’s official community plan and criticized development plans for what she called a “wall of towers.” At a lively gathering at Train Wreck Brewing, Lurbiecki credited her victory to a groundswell of community support. “Without a doubt, people want a change. They’re not happy with the current direction of our community,” she said.

Lurbiecki leads Port Moody Voice, the first political party in the city’s history. On election night, she was surrounded by party candidates, including newly elected councillor Alexandra Chan. Lurbiecki said the campaign was fully funded without developer money, and that it captured what people cared about and motivated them to vote for change. She called the election the start of a new era for Port Moody and said she looked forward to working with council on a new vision for the city, adding that she might still remain mayor-elect.

A few blocks away, Lahti spoke with friends and family at her St. Johns Street campaign office while supporters watched their phones for results. When the first batch of numbers put Lurbiecki ahead, the room’s good-natured conversation quieted. Council candidate John Grasty joked, “I want a recount,” while another supporter said, “I feel sick.” Seated at a table reviewing preliminary totals, Lahti congratulated Lurbiecki. Lahti said the result was disappointing but she was proud of her campaign: “We stayed positive. We did not stoop low.”

Paul Lambert led the Port Moody council race with 5,357 votes, followed by incumbent Callan Morrison with 5,026. Incumbents Amy Lubik and Kyla Knowles received 4,167 and 4,119 votes, respectively. Newcomer Peter Thomasen and Port Moody Voice candidate Alexandra Chan will join the next council. Incumbents Diana Dilworth and Samantha Agtarap each lost their seats, and former councillor Steve Milani fell short in his bid to return. Port Moody counted 10,425 ballots, for turnout of 38.97 per cent.

Port Coquitlam’s new council will have the same members as the outgoing council. Mayor Brad West easily won re-election with about 90 per cent of the vote and 12,907 votes. Mayoral candidates Connor Fesenmaier and Pasquale Zampieri received 1,087 and 245 votes, respectively. West thanked supporters and volunteers and reaffirmed his commitment to all residents. In a social media post, he said he also worked for those who voted differently and that everyone deserved a mayor who listens, works hard and puts residents’ interests first.

West acknowledged that many residents’ confidence in government was faltering. He said it could be restored through hard work, competence over ideology and visible, tangible results, rather than slogans or empty promises. All six councillors were re-elected. Steve Darling topped the polls with 8,817 votes, followed by Nancy McCurrach, Glenn Pollock, Darrell Penner and Paige Petriw; Dean Washington received 6,719. Council candidates Darin Nielsen and Solomon Etuk finished about 3,300 votes behind. Turnout in Port Coquitlam was 32.5 per cent, up from 18.3 per cent in 2022. All results are unofficial until certified.