Much accomplished,more to do.

Here’s what your BCA team has delivered, and what we plan on doing next.

$0The City’s outstanding debt, a record we will continue to maintain

LowestBurnaby’s property taxes are among the lowest in Metro Vancouver

1,000+New rental homes started through the Burnaby Housing Authority by 2030

We’ve accomplished a lot together.

Burnaby is a vibrant and growing city and one of the best places to live in Canada. But we’re all worried about events in the world and the very real challenges we face here at home.

Burnaby is headed in the right direction, but we know we have more work to do. Our team brings fresh perspectives together with strong experience leading and governing Burnaby.

In every section below you’ll see two things: what we’ve delivered, and what comes next.

Three commitments

What we’re running on.

Getting the basics right

Strengthening the public services you count on while keeping our taxes among the lowest in the region.

Read this section 02

Standing up for Burnaby

Making life more affordable for you and your family, fighting for Phase 2 of the hospital, keeping our taxes low, and building the housing we need.

Read this section 03

World-class public schools

Fighting for the schools our students deserve: fully funded, and built for a growing city.

Read this section

Families at Kamui Mintara on Burnaby Mountain at sunset

Commitment 01

Getting the basics right and strengthening the services you count on.

The BCA has a long history of providing the services you count on while keeping our taxes low. We want a Burnaby where everyone can access the programs and services they depend on without waitlists, and where a rink, community centre, pool or park is within walking distance.

Community amenities in every neighbourhood

Delivered

Approved and funded the new Cameron Community & Aquatic Centre, Burnaby Lake Recreation Complex, and Brentwood Community Centre, paid for from reserves without a tax increase
Built and expanded playgrounds such as Jim Lorimer, Poplar, and Lobley parks
Acquired the Christine Sinclair Community Centre, with purpose-built rooms for travelling teams
Opened new sports infrastructure: the Sohen Gill Sports Box, Jack Crosby Sports Box, Rosemary Brown Arena, and Burnaby Mountain Bike Park
Reduced fees for seniors at all facilities, and credits for families in need

More to do

Open Cameron, Burnaby Lake, and Brentwood, and fast-track the Bonsor redevelopment and the Metrotown Library expansion
Build new libraries, including Cameron, the first integrated into a community centre
Invest in more sports infrastructure, including new fields, basketball courts, and year-round pickleball courts at Squint Lake
Establish the Velodrome Trail as a “Burnaby Grind”
Complete the new Lewarne Park playground, and keep rebuilding outdated playgrounds, with accessible equipment so all families can play together
Build a bike education playground and create more designated off-leash areas for Burnaby’s dog owners
Expand Parks and Recreation programming for families, with the goal of eliminating waitlists
Design accessibility into every new City facility from the start, so everyone can get in, move through, and take part

A park within walking distance of every home

Mountains, lakes, and green space, as part of a growing city. Our plan is built around a simple idea: everyone in Burnaby should live within walking distance of a park.

Delivered

Protected the Cariboo Hill urban forest
Expanded parks progressively instead of waiting for land assemblies, like the new courts at Willingdon Heights Park
Adopted the Urban Forest Strategy to grow Burnaby’s tree canopy, with a goal of 40% by 2075
Updated wayfinding and upgraded lighting around city parks and pedestrian walkways

More to do

Prioritize and purchase more park space so everyone lives within walking distance of a park
Enhance existing parks with more trees, benches, sports courts, spray parks, washrooms, and drinking water fountains
Grow the urban canopy, planting where tree cover is lowest and choosing drought-tolerant, climate-adapted species that can handle a hotter, drier Burnaby
Support biodiversity with native planting, and ban the sale of invasive species
Accelerate community gardens, and develop a community farm and food-systems strategy on city-owned agricultural land
Pass a green roofs policy so new buildings become carbon sinks that hold water and reduce heat
Improve public access to Burnaby’s shorelines and waterfront
Make Burnaby a certified Bird Friendly City, cutting window collisions and protecting the habitat birds need to nest and feed

Serving a diverse, growing city

Delivered

Launched the Gilmore “School Streets” car-free zone pilot
Provided a grant to keep the Michael J. Fox Theatre open to the community
Kept free outdoor concerts at Deer Lake Park, like Symphony in the Park, Opera in the Park, and Blues and Roots, free for everyone
Broke ground on a new, expanded RCMP headquarters, replacing a detachment built in 1967, so Burnaby can recruit and keep the officers it needs
Partnered with the Burnaby Fire Department on a real-time wildfire detection system, so forest fires are caught and stopped early

More to do

Open the new theatre at Shadbolt, accessible by design from the entrance in, and keep supporting community events and festivals across Burnaby
Create accessible spaces and hubs for Burnaby’s diverse communities to gather and share their culture
Continue to advocate to the federal and provincial governments to fund and establish a Filipino Community Centre in Burnaby
Build more sidewalks and street lights, prioritizing safe routes to schools, parks, and community centres
Invest in active transportation, including multi-use pathways that connect parks, schools, and town centres
Finish the RCMP detachment expansion, and keep working with the detachment on the local policing Burnaby neighbourhoods count on
Expand the “School Streets” pilot to more Burnaby schools
Advocate for more public transit, with more routes and better frequency, and expand car-share to more neighbourhoods
Build two new city-owned childcare facilities, and press the Province to fund affordable childcare and after-school care at school sites

Commitment 02

Standing up for Burnaby and making life more affordable for you and your family.

We keep property taxes down and the City’s debt at zero, so Burnaby remains a place where people can afford to live. We will protect the services you rely on and keep taxes consistent, predictable, and affordable.

Getting Burnaby Hospital back on track

Delivered

Burnaby did its part: the city has been a willing partner at every step, and our community raised $55 million for the hospital
Phase 1 is open and serving patients

More to do

Fight for Phase 2, the beds and the cancer centre. Demand the Province re-commit to the project, and confirm clear timelines for delivering it
Keep making Burnaby’s case for a top-tier hospital in the region, constructively and with every level of government

Keeping Burnaby taxes among the lowest in the region

Delivered

Zero debt, year after year, while other cities borrow
Property taxes among the lowest in Metro Vancouver
Built new community centres and pools from reserves, without tax increases

More to do

Maintain the City’s track record of zero debt and low, predictable taxes
Generate diverse revenue to keep taxes low and services affordable
Keep Burnaby’s services affordable, with reduced fees for seniors and credits for families in need

Supporting small business and local jobs

Delivered

Created the Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Growth and Resilience, and approved its 17 recommendations
Worked with the Board of Trade to keep commercial rents affordable and small businesses viable
Protected industrial land for green business, research, tech, biotech, and film jobs

More to do

Deliver on the Task Force’s 17 recommendations to grow local jobs and businesses
Streamline permitting and licensing: simplify requirements, publish clear service standards, and redesign approvals so businesses can plan, invest, and open faster
Create a permitting priority path for technology and innovation businesses, and explore an innovation district for Burnaby
Bring our town centres to life with active-use zoning: shops, cafés, and restaurants at street level, offices and services above
Make it easier to open patios, host markets, and add murals and public art on our main streets
Make room for small makers, breweries, and studios that sell what they make on site
Zone for smaller retail spaces and multi-level industrial so more businesses can locate to Burnaby

Building homes people can afford

A Burnaby neighbourhood on a foggy morning

Delivered

Created the Burnaby Housing Authority, the first of its kind in Metro Vancouver, to build, own, and manage non-market rental and non-market ownership homes, including co-ops, along with some at market rates, without impacting the City’s bottom line
Partnered with non-profits and other levels of government to deliver thousands of non-market homes in Burnaby
Accelerated approvals and permitting so homes get built faster

More to do

Start at least 1,000 new rental homes through the Housing Authority by 2030
Partner with non-profits and co-ops to build more affordable housing
Use city-owned land to speed up delivery of homes for families
Keep making it quicker and more efficient to build homes people can afford, in every part of Burnaby

Commitment 03

Fighting for the world-class public schools our students deserve.

Schools are the cornerstone of every community. They are places of learning, but also safe spaces where children play and grow. Our trustees advocate for a fully funded public education system, and make sure teachers and staff have the tools for every Burnaby student to thrive.

A common-sense approach to school construction

Delivered

Built new schools, including Burnaby North Secondary and Stride Avenue
Added classrooms at existing schools across Burnaby, most recently the expansions at Brentwood Park and Nelson, with more underway
Opened more than 700 new childcare spaces in eight years

More to do

Press the Ministry to build for projected enrolment, not just current enrolment
Make the case for the schools Burnaby needs: Brentwood West, Bainbridge Village, and Brentwood East, and replacements for Cameron and Maywood
Push for inclusive childcare to be built into every new school

Fund the classroom, not just the building

Delivered

Made the tough decisions that put the district in a sound financial position
Protected EA supports in Burnaby classrooms
Kept students at the centre of decisions

More to do

Press the Ministry for the funding to provide the learning supports Burnaby students actually need
Invest in early intervention in literacy and numeracy
Advocate for predictable, stable funding the district can plan around, that grows with our growing city
Expand community input in district planning

Every student should see themselves in their school and feel safe

Delivered

Championed the district’s SOGI anti-bullying policy
Supported the district’s reconciliation, equity, and student-voice work

More to do

Keep the SOGI policy strong so every student, staff member, and family is respected and safe
Recommit to meaningful reconciliation
Advance the district’s equity and accessibility
Press Ottawa to keep funding Settlement Workers in Schools, so newcomer students and families get access to the supports they need
Work with teachers, support staff, their unions, and experts to set clear guardrails for AI in schools, protecting student data and mental health, and keeping the digital environment safe and equitable
Bring community input into governance and policy around AI

Beyond the classroom

A parent and child walking to school on a Burnaby street

Delivered

Launched and grew the school meals program, with food cupboards and take-home meals
Brought the City-funded Grade 5 swimming program and lifeguard training into Burnaby schools
Worked with the City on the “School Streets” pilot, after-school programs, and keeping the Michael J. Fox Theatre open
Kept Burnaby’s eight community schools open after the bell, a City and School District partnership that brings childcare, adult learning, and programs for the whole neighbourhood

More to do

Expand after-school programs at schools, with access for all families
Expand the swimming and lifeguard programs to every student
Grow the school meals program, so no Burnaby student is trying to learn on an empty stomach

The BCA advantage

One team at both tables.

The BCA is the only team running a full slate for both Council and School Board.

After-school programs on school sites, because the City and the district plan them together
Sidewalks, safe routes, and car-free zones at the school gate
City pools and rinks behind the swim and lifeguard programs
Schools and neighbourhoods planned together, so the schools arrive with the homes

How we work

Cooperation, not grandstanding.

Our values are strong public services, affordable homes, great public schools, and a city where nobody gets left behind.
The BCA has delivered for Burnaby since 1955, under every kind of government in Victoria and Ottawa. We work with whoever is in power.
When any government gets it wrong for Burnaby, we fight for our city. We kept at it until the Province covered the $9.4 million bill for a pay mistake Burnaby schools did not make, and we are still pushing on the hospital. That is how Burnaby gets results: cooperatively and constructively, never from the sidelines.

Standing up for Burnaby