Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read is feeling optimistic after spending the day in Victoria watching the swearing in of the new NDP government led by Premier John Horgan.
“The new cabinet. Look who’s up there!!!” the mayor posted on Facebook. “Congratulations Lisa Butter-Beare! Maple Ridge is proud of you and Bob D’Eith!!!!”
Read was among several mayors at the ceremony Tuesday in which Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA Lisa Beare was named tourism minister. First on Read’s for mentioning was Selina Robinson as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Robinson is MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville and served two terms on Coquitlam city council.
“I think that naming Selina Robinson minister of municipal affairs and housing was great. I’m really looking forward to working with her. I think it’s a good cabinet. I think it’s going to be great,” Read said.
She also agrees that some kind of announcement is due soon regarding social housing and supportive housing and a homeless shelter promised for Maple Ridge.
Last year, Maple Ridge city gave up the consultation process on a homeless shelter after then-premier Christy Clark said local MLAs would have the final say on the location. Two proposed locations were then rejected.
“I think this is a new conversation. We need to talk to Minister Robinson and we need to have a conversation about it,” Read said.
“We’re in a totally new world with this government and I think we need to know what they think our best step forward is. I’m looking forward to those conversations happening.”
But she wants Maple Ridge to hold the new government to account as it did the previous government.
Read also liked New Westminster MLA Judy D’Arcy leading the new Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
Mayors were invited to the ceremony and she said several were there, and Read said it was important to show support for the new government.