After serving as a member of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) for nearly three decades, former officer Brian Montague is turning a page with a bid to secure a seat as a Vancouver city councillor.
Montague, who retired from the VPD earlier this month, announced this morning he will be running under Ken Sim’s ABC Vancouver party in the upcoming civic election.
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“I’m running because I’m disappointed with the direction our city is headed in. Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver offer the only viable alternative to Kennedy Stewart,” said Montague in a statement.
He was previously one of the most high-profile members of the VPD, serving as the spokesperson for the department from 2012 to 2017.
Over the decades, Montague has worked in various roles with the VPD, including the Drug Enforcement and Education Team, the Integrated Sexual Predator Observation Team, and the investigative units for identity theft, and serious injury and fatal motor vehicle collisions. He was also one of the detectives assigned to identify and arrest individuals who participated in the destructive Stanley Cup riot in 2011.
Montague says he has expressed concern over the increase in crime and public disorder over the last few years.
“Over the last four years, we’ve seen a significant decline in our city; the cost of housing has gone up by 30%, robberies are up by 21%, and serious assaults are up by 36%. Residents are struggling and people aren’t getting the services or support they need. We can, and must do better than this,” continues his statement.
“I’ve dedicated my life to making Vancouver a better place – I want my daughters to see a future for themselves here. To do that, we need to revitalize neighbourhoods, build liveable communities and ensure our city is a clean, safe, and welcoming place for all who call it home.”
With Montague added to the slate, this brings the ABC Vancouver party to six candidates for city council, along with Ken Sim as the party’s candidate for mayor. Other city council candidates entail hospital operations engineer Lenny Zhou, UrbanYVR editor and former Global BC journalist Peter Meiszner, and incumbent city councillors Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominato, and Sarah Kirby-Yung.
The civic election is scheduled for October 15, 2022.
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