Full inaugural speech: New Westminster's first Indigenous mayor eyes a potential new Queensborough Bridge and safer SkyTrain stations

Talks on potentially building a new replacement Queensborough Bridge, making Downtown New Westminster’s two SkyTrain stations safer and cleaner, and returning to New Westminster’s long-running “Royal City” identity are among the priorities Mayor Daniel Fontaine has set for his first term as mayor.

Fontaine, who is New Westminster’s first Indigenous mayor through his Metis heritage, used his inaugural address on the evening of Nov. 2, 2026 to promise a stronger focus on the basic responsibilities of a municipal government. This includes greater considerations for improving everyday municipal services, easing household costs, and delivering results over partisan politics.

Before being elected to New Westminster City Council in 2022, Fontaine gained municipal political experience as chief of staff to Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan of the Non-Partisan Association party from 2005 to 2008.

Fontaine, whose background is in communications and public relations, also wrote columns on civic politics and urban issues for the now-defunct 24 Hours Vancouver newspaper and contributed to the CityCaucus blog alongside Mike Klassen, who is now a Vancouver city councillor. He also served as the longtime CEO of the BC Care Providers Association, deputy minister and CEO of Metis Nation British Columbia, and a member of Hockey Canada’s board of directors.

Fontaine’s New Westminster Progressives party ousted the New Westminster City Council majority held by Patrick Johnstone’s Community First party. The New Westminster Progressives under Fontaine won a supermajority in last month’s civic election, securing six of the seven seats in the chamber, including the Mike Klassen, who is now a Vancouver city councillormayor’s seat.

You might also like:
• Full inaugural speech: Mayor Doug McCallum to push for UBC Surrey City Centre campus
• 'Let's get to work': Read the full inauguration speech of new Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry
• Richmond's new mayor, Rob Howard, wants to build a new trade and exhibition centre
• Why the Vancouver Giants want the new 10,000-seat Surrey City Centre Arena, now facing uncertainty with incoming mayor Doug McCallum

During his inaugural address, he promised to provide Queensborough — a New Westminster neighbourhood on the south side of the Fraser River, located at the easternmost end of Lulu Island, where the City of Richmond is also located — with more meaningful attention.

Fontaine promised to seek City Council’s support for discussing with the Premier-elect Lorne Doerkson’s incoming Conservative provincial government about replacing the congested Queensborough Bridge across the Fraser River or finding another practical crossing solution.

His party’s election platform suggested the consideration of a replacement, twinning, or expansion options, as a priority of the provincial government of the next 10 years. Over the last four years, as a city councillor, Fontaine also suggested the need to replace the bridge.

He acknowledged Queensborough residents’ frustrations with vehicle traffic congestion, missing sidewalks, open ditches, and infrastructure needs.

“My New Westminster includes Queensborough. We heard you,” he said during the speech.

Built in 1960, the four-lane Queensborough Bridge carries nearly 90,000 vehicles per day. It forms part of Highway 91A, connecting New Westminster’s mainland with Queensborough and linking to Highway 91, which extends west across Lulu Island into Richmond and south across the Alex Fraser Bridge toward Delta and Surrey. The provincial  government is currently performing an upgrade to the Queensborough Bridge’s deck, which began in Spring 2026 and is expected to be completed in Fall 2027.

The calls for a potential new Fraser River crossing serving New Westminster — to replace or supplement the Queensborough Bridge — come after the early 2026 opening of the Pattullo Bridge’s replacement, the stal̕əw̓asəm/Riverview Bridge, which has four vehicle lanes or two vehicle lanes in each direction. A six-lane crossing was considered during the project’s early planning stages, but the City of New Westminster opposed increasing the number of lanes over concerns that it would increase regional vehicle traffic volumes within the City’s streets, while the City of Surrey and business groups south of the Fraser strongly supported a crossing with more lanes.

The new stal̕əw̓asəm/Riverview Bridge is designed to potentially accommodate six vehicle lanes in the future. That conversion would involve narrowing the existing vehicle lanes — whose greater width is a safety improvement over the old Pattullo Bridge — and using the space currently occupied by the pedestrian and cycling pathways. Replacement pathways would be built on new cantilevered extensions along the outer edges of the bridge deck.

In the 2010s, the City also considered building a new pedestrian bridge spanning the Fraser River between Downtown New Westminster and the Queensborough neighbourhood. However, due to the costs, this concept was eventually abandoned, with the municipal government instead improving accessibility by operating the Q to Q Ferry service.

Fontaine also wants pedestrians to receive greater priority, with safer crossings and overdue sidewalk repairs. He said City Council should establish realistic, measurable targets for sidewalk improvements in Queensborough, while calling more broadly for transportation connections that shorten trips between different parts of the city.

Safety, security, and cleanliness in Downtown New Westminster were another focus. Fontaine wants to work with TransLink and community partners to improve conditions inside and around New Westminster Station and Columbia Station, the city’s two SkyTrain stations within the city centre.

“My goal is simple, the station that bears our city’s name will one day soon become a welcoming transit gateway to New Westminster again,” he said.

His broader public safety proposals include hiring 12 additional community and safety enforcement officers and better coordinating bylaw enforcement.

He also promised to cancel the previous administration’s logo rebranding project and restore official recognition of the Royal City identity. City Council voted to begin phasing the moniker out of municipal branding in July 2022, under then-mayor Jonathan Cote, with Johnstone serving as a city councillor. Fontaine unsuccessfully attempted to cancel this rebranding exercise during Johnstone’s mayoral tenure.

New Westminster is known as the Royal City because Queen Victoria personally chose its name in 1859. Initially called Queensborough, it was established that year as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia — until the capital was moved to Victoria in 1968. The nickname reflects that royal connection and has endured for more than 160 years.

“New Westminster is the Royal City, and in short order, that will become official again,” said Fontaine.

His party’s platform also vowed to examine the unintended impacts of the City’s traffic calming efforts and “take a balanced approach to cycling” infrastructure, asserting that it must also be weighed against the needs of pedestrians, public transit users, motorists, and local businesses.

On affordability, he pledged to keep future property tax increases at or near inflation, criticizing what he described as a 30 per cent increase over the last four years under Johnstone and Community First’s leadership. He also wants to reduce costs for New Westminster Electrical Utility customers by cancelling the scheduled rate hike in Janaury 2027.

Those measures would accompany a review of core municipal services, reductions in unnecessary third-party consultant spending, and a proposed freeze on scheduled pay increases for elected officials and non-unionized City staff.

He plans to bring forward a 100-day action plan later this week.

Below is the full transcript of Mayor Fontaine’s inauguration speech:

---

New Westminster Mayor Daniel Fontaine’s inaugural speech

Good evening New Westminster and to our distinguished guests, our Indigenous leaders, very pleased that we have here tonight Chief Ron Giesbrecht from the Coquitlam First Nation.

We have Tsunaxen, Willie Lewis, from the Squamish Nation, as well as Chief Sharel Wright from the Qayqayt First Nation, as well as a special representative from the Office of Jake Sawatzky, our Member of Parliament.

I want to thank them all for attending this evening as well. We have elders, we have other elected officials, school trustees, members of our public service, family, friends, and everyone joining us here in Council chambers or watching from home. I want to welcome you.

I am deeply honoured to be here before you this evening as we prepare to begin a new chapter in this history of our great city.

I want to thank my wife and my son, my extended family, and the many friends and supporters who have encouraged me throughout this journey. Public service asks a great deal of our families, and I could not be here without their love, their patience, and their support.

I also want to thank outgoing Mayor Patrick Johnstone and the members of the previous Council for their service to our community. Public office is never easy and everyone who steps forward to serve deserves our appreciation. If you could put your hands together and just thank them for their service.

And to my six Council colleagues, congratulations. Well done. I very much look forward to working with each and every one of you over the next four years.

So tonight is about more than a new mayor and Council. It is about a new opportunity for New Westminster.

On Oct. 17, the people of New Westminster voted for change.

They voted for a City Hall that listens more, communicates better, and focuses on the core issues that matter most in our daily lives.

They voted for affordability.

They voted for safer, cleaner neighbourhoods

They voted for better services, stronger infrastructure, and a municipal government that understands the difference between what would be nice to do and what we absolutely need to do.

And they voted for a City government that puts practical results ahead of partisan politics, and I take that responsibility seriously.

But I also recognise something important.

Not everyone voted for me. Even more importantly, a majority of eligible voters didn’t vote at all. And while we have made significant progress bringing the overall participation rate up from 27 per cent to 40 per cent, let us all remember that an incredible amount of work still needs to be done to get more people engaged, active, and involved in their local democracy.

But let me be clear, I intend to be the mayor for everyone. Whether you own your own home or rent, whether you voted for change or preferred the status quo, whether you have lived here for generations or you just arrived last month, your voice matters. And you deserve a City Hall that treats you with respect.

Tonight also marks several important firsts for New Westminster.

Councillor Karima Budhwani. She is the first Ismaili Muslim woman elected to our City Council.

Councillor Maryann Morrison. She is the first Indigenous woman elected to Council, and she is a proud citizen of the Metis Nation.

Councillor Ken Armstrong brings a long, long overdue voice from Queensborough to the Council table.

And as a proud Metis person myself, I am deeply honoured to become New Westminster’s first Indigenous mayor.

These milestones remind us that our city is changing, it’s growing, and it’s becoming more representative of the people who call it home. But representation is only the beginning.

What actually matters most is what we can accomplish when we work together. Over the past two weeks, I have met individually with every member of the incoming Council. Those conversations have been positive, constructive, and focused on the future.

And I have asked each of my colleagues to identify one major project they would personally like to champion over the next four years, and something that I, through the Office of the Mayor, can help them to accomplish.

Not 10 projects. One meaningful project they would be proud to across the finish line.

I will also be seeking the support of each councillor to help advance several important City priorities as well that require political leadership and sustained attention.

In the coming days, I intend to outline these responsibilities in letters to each member of Council. We will also be considering new committees and task forces with expanded opportunities for residents, community leaders, and entrepreneurs to contribute their expertise.

The distribution of these committee appointments to Council will be fair. They’ll be balanced. And where possible, acknowledge individual interests. And you will see that later this evening.

This is not about creating a municipal cabinet. It’s about recognising that every councillor brings experience, ideas, and a commitment to public service. And it’s about making better use of their incredible talent.

I want every councillor to succeed because when our councillors succeed in delivering for residents, New Westminster succeeds as well.

Over the past four years, I heard countless times the same concerns again and again. Families struggling with grocery bills, seniors worried about remaining in their homes, renters concerned about rising costs, housing costs, homeowners opening their property tax notices and wondering how much more can they afford, and small business owners doing everything they can to keep their doors open.

These are not abstract policy debates. These are real people making difficult decisions around their kitchen tables.

And let me be clear that municipal government cannot solve every affordability challenge. But we must do everything within our authority to avoid making those challenges worse.

That is why later this week, I intend to bring forward a set of proposals to target future property tax increases at near or at the rate of inflation. I will ask Council to eliminate the 3.5 per cent electricity surtax effective Jan. 1, 2027. Once approved by the Electrical Commission, it will save ratepayers over $8 million in this term alone.

I’ll be seeking Council approval to reduce unnecessary consultant expenditures by at least 20 per cent and ending initiatives that do not represent, in my opinion, the best use of limited taxpayer dollars.

This includes ending the previous administration’s costly and unnecessary logo rebranding project. New Westminster is the Royal City, and in short order, that will become official again.

I will also propose a freeze on scheduled pay increases for elected officials and non-unionised staff effective Jan. 1 while we work to get our fiscal house in order. It is estimated this one decision alone will save City taxpayers approximately $600,000 next year.

We must commit to ending the days of 30 per cent property tax increases over four years and better understand how this only serves to make our city less affordable and less competitive compared to other jurisdictions.

To that end, I intend to ask Council to support the launch of a comprehensive core services review that will be undertaken over the next 12 months. That review must ask some fundamental questions: What services are we required to provide? Which services are most important to residents? Are we delivering them efficiently? And are there responsibilities being carried out by our City that properly belong to other orders of government?

Our goal should not and will not be to simply cut costs. Our goal should be to strengthen the core services residents depend on while making every tax dollar work harder.

And to the dedicated employees of the City of New Westminster, I want to speak directly to you for a moment. I know that change can sometimes create uncertainty, but I also know that some of the best ideas for improving municipal services come from the very people who deliver them every single day. You understand where processes can be improved, where resources are stretched, and where we can serve residents better at a lower cost and more efficiently.

I want to encourage you all to be part of that conversation. This new Council will need your professionalism, your experience, and your ideas, and you deserve our respect and support as we move forward.

During the recent election, people told me they wanted City Hall to focus on the fundamentals, safe streets, clean sidewalks, well-maintained parks, reliable infrastructure, timely permits, and neighbourhoods where people feel comfortable walking, shopping, and spending their time with their families.

And I intend to bring forward a proposal to hire 12 additional community and safety enforcement officers, strengthen and better coordinate our overall bylaw enforcement, and improve the cleanliness and safety of our commercial districts.

I also want us to work with TransLink, our community partners, to significantly improve conditions around and inside our two downtown SkyTrain stations. My goal is simple: The station that bears our city’s name will one day soon become a welcoming transit gateway to New Westminster again.

I will also encourage Council to place a stronger focus on pedestrians, safer crossings, and the new sidewalks repairs that residents have been requesting for years.

And to the people of Queensborough, I have a special message for you tonight. My New Westminster includes Queensborough. We heard you. We heard your concerns about traffic congestion, missing sidewalks, open ditches, and the need for better infrastructure. As a result, I will ask Council to establish measurable and realistic targets for sidewalk improvements and to begin serious discussions with the Province about a replacement for the congested Queensborough Bridge or another practical crossing solution.

And I want to personally thank Jitinder, Willard, and Suki who are here tonight, as well as Sukh. Thank you very much. They have been long-standing advocates in their community and I know they will continue to hold our feet to the fire over the next four years, all of us.

We cannot solve every transportation problem overnight, but we can’t stop accepting that longstanding problems should remain unresolved indefinitely.

New Westminster has an extraordinary potential. We have historic neighbourhoods, a beautiful waterfront, a growing population, and one of the most recognisable downtowns in British Columbia. But it is hurting and it is in need of our support. Recognising this fact should not be discouraged, rather it should be embraced so we can begin to resolve what ails it.

But potential alone does not fill empty storefronts. I want all of our business districts to thrive. That means making it easier to open and operate a business, reducing unnecessary red tape, and helping attract more people to our commercial streets.

I intend to propose more opportunities for outdoor patios and a pilot project offering the first 30 minutes of downtown parking free. And I will advocate that we install at least 10 new micro retail spaces that bring small businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs into our Downtown and Uptown business districts within 24 months.

I also want us to embrace technology and innovation to improve City services and reduce permit processing times.

And we must also rediscover the value of New Westminster’s history and heritage. Our Royal City identity, heritage buildings, cultural institutions, and waterfront are incredible assets worth celebrating, not denigrating.

I plan to work with Tourism New West and community partners to make heritage tourism a stronger part of our local economy.

I also look forward to exploring a renewed programme of civic recognition and introducing a new Order of New Westminster to honour the people who have made exceptional contributions to our historic city, because a great city should celebrate the people who helped it become great.

New Westminster may be geographically small, but our ambitions are not. As the second most dense city in Canada, we need better recreation facilities, modern infrastructure, new community spaces, and stronger transportation connections that get people from one part of the town to the other in a shorter period of time.

And I know this Council is committed to completing the Ryall Park turf and track facility in this term and building other community amenities that New West families can see, touch, and use, such as an adventure park at the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre.

But we cannot fund every major project through local property taxes alone. We need strong partnerships with Victoria and Ottawa. They need to unlock what I call density dollars and put cities like ours who have already done the heavy lifting on densification at the head of the line when it comes to new infrastructure funding.

As your mayor, I will fight hard to make sure that $114-million infrastructure projects like the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre are never again built without significant infrastructure funding from Victoria and Ottawa.

Now I understand that both Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson and Opposition Leader Jennifer Whiteside, who’s also our MLA, they were both born in the City of New Westminster. I know that’s kind of cool and I’m not sure if that has ever happened in the history of British Columbia. But I do want to offer them both a very friendly warning tonight: They can expect to hear from their hometown mayor quite often because I will be going to them and asking for help.

And in that vein, early next year, I intend to chair the inaugural New West Caucus, bringing together our MP, our MLAs, the mayor, Council, and School Board leadership together under one roof. And over the next four years, this New West Caucus will regularly meet and we will report out to you on collective progress that we have made. Regardless of political affiliation, I want us to identify a small number of major projects that we can collectively champion.

We may disagree on many things, but surely we can agree that New Westminster deserves good schools, safe transportation, modern infrastructure, and stronger neighbourhoods.

I also intend to take an active role at Metro Vancouver, subject to Council’s appointment process this evening. Regional government is having an enormous, enormous negative impact on keeping New Westminster affordable.

And in my new role as mayor, I will continue to be a strong advocate for transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility at Metro Vancouver. But now, I plan to voice your concerns and bring forward new ideas while I’m at the table. So we may be a small city, but we should never be afraid to punch above our weight when it comes to our region.

Let me also add, it is my intention to repair and strengthen relations between the City and our School Board. And in that regard, I’ve already met with trustee Danielle Connelly, who’s here this evening, along with all members of the future Trustee-elects. Trustee-elects are here as well as Mary Trentadue, who currently, Danielle currently serves as the vice chair.

And I’ve met with Danielle in the spirit of collaboration, because we know we want to work together to cut red tape. We want to ensure schools and daycare facilities are built faster and that they have the appropriate funding to do the job. Danielle and I, the School Board and Council, will work together in collaboration to make that happen.

Tonight, I want to make one final commitment because I do not believe residents elected us simply to come to this Council to commission more studies, produce more reports, or talk endlessly about what might be possible one day.

You want to see progress. You want sidewalks built. You want parks improved. You want businesses opening. You want safer streets and recreation facilities that meet the needs of a growing city. And you want to know that your municipal government is listening.

In the coming weeks, I will be announcing an initiative to increase regular opportunities for residents to meet directly with their new mayor in person, by telephone, or online.

I also intend to significantly improve communication from the Mayor’s Office, in part through a new monthly podcast that will highlight the current and future programmes and initiatives offered by our amazing city.

And later this week, I also intend to officially bring forward a 100-day action plan. I want to work with Council and our public service to identify the decisions that can be rapidly implemented in the coming months. Of course, I cannot accomplish this ambitious agenda alone. Every significant decision will require the consideration and support of this Council.

There will be debate, there will be differences of opinion, and there will be times when we need to compromise. That is not a weakness of local democracy, it’s how local democracy is supposed to work.

My responsibility as your mayor is to bring people together, build consensus where possible, and keep us focused on delivering results.

We as a collective group of seven individuals, elected officials, as a Council, we will be judged not by the number of motions we pass or introduce, but by the difference we make in people’s lives. And I believe that difference can be substantial.

In closing, I am reminded of the trust that comes with public service. It is a privilege, true privilege, to represent this city. It is a responsibility to listen, and it is an obligation to leave New Westminster better than when we found it. We will not accomplish everything in four years.

There will be financial constraints, difficult choices, and challenges we have not yet anticipated. But I believe we can make meaningful progress. We can make our city more affordable. We can strengthen our neighbourhoods. We can invest in those public spaces and services that bring people together.

And we can demonstrate that municipal government works best when we put the community ahead of partisan politics.

So to my Council colleagues, our City staff, our community partners, and every resident of the City of New Westminster, the next four years are an opportunity to build something better together.

Thank you for placing your trust in us. Thank you for believing in the future of this remarkable city. And thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Now, let’s all roll up our sleeves and get to work to building an even better New West. Thank you, everyone.

You might also like:
• Full inaugural speech: Mayor Doug McCallum to push for UBC Surrey City Centre campus
• 'Let's get to work': Read the full inauguration speech of new Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry
• Richmond's new mayor, Rob Howard, wants to build a new trade and exhibition centre
• Why the Vancouver Giants want the new 10,000-seat Surrey City Centre Arena, now facing uncertainty with incoming mayor Doug McCallum