Linda Hepner will NOT seek re-election as Surrey Mayor

Linda Hepner (City of Surrey)

After becoming Mayor of Surrey in 2014, Linda Hepner is calling it quits, saying she will not be seeking re-election in this fall’s municipal election.

Hepner, 68, has been in public service for over three decades, beginning as the city’s corporate manager in 1985 before being elected to Surrey City Council in 2005. She served three terms on council before being elected as mayor.

Hepner released the following statement today:

For 33 years the City of Surrey has been a chosen priority in my life and I have been honoured to serve the people of this City.

Now after this four year term as Mayor, nine years as Councillor, and more than two decades as a senior staff members, I have decided not to seek re-election at the end of this Council term.

During my time with Surrey, the City has evolved from a modest suburb into the region’s second metropolitan centre and a globally recognized leading edge city. I am very proud to have contributed to this transformation, but there will always be more to do, more to achieve, and, therefore, there is never an ideal time to leave.

I have thought long and hard about this and it has not been an easy decision to make, but I sincerely believe that now is the right time to dedicate more time to my family and friends.

I look forward to serving out my term as Mayor as we finalize the largest investment in transportation and housing in the City’s history. In my more than three decades at the City of Surrey, I have had the pleasure to work with remarkable people at all levels and I have made many friends along the way.

To all the staff at the City, I want to thank you for the exceptional work you have done and continue to do. Finally, I want to give my heartfelt thanks to the people of Surrey for their ongoing trust and support. It has been an honour and privilege to serve you and the City of Surrey.

Hepner joins a long list of Metro Vancouver mayors who will not be seeking re-election this fall:

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson
City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto
District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore
Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read
White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin
Langley Mayor Ted Schaffer

See also