Maintaining the city’s small-town charm is part of the reason Jamie Hoy is running for Pitt Meadows council in the October local elections in B.C.
The professional firefighter of 14 years said he moved to the city from Maple Ridge two and a half years ago, and “we knew we had found a community where we would raise our daughters, plant roots, and build a life.”
A relative newcomer, he can appreciate the “small town feel where neighbours become friends – something not easy to find in the growing Lower Mainland. It was a strong desire to maintain this special character of Pitt Meadows, in the face of internal and external growth, that has kept me involved with how our local government has dealt with these complex issues.”
Hoy said he has been concerned by the direction of the present mayor and council, and he hears those same sentiments echoed from other residents.
“The most pressing issue I heard from members of our community was that our local government had lost the respect and faith of our residents,” said Hoy. “This is a far cry from a government that is elected to work for the people, where respect and civic engagement is not only encouraged, it is expected.”
He has a list of five challenges for the next council, and at the top is “restoring a respectable government.
“I will have that open mindedness and be willing to listen, and the decisions I make will be for the community, and not for myself,” he said.
Second is public safety. The firefighter, who works in another city, said he would like to see Pitt Meadows with one fire truck staffed with a crew for 24-hour response. With a growing tax base, this could be phased in, he said.
The city has an aging population, and having firefighters attend more medical emergencies is a critical service to provide, where presently the Pitt Meadows firefighters do not attend the same types of medical emergencies as neighbouring cities.
“The volunteers [firefighters] do an amazing job, and it’s an amazing commitment,” he added.
He said speeding traffic in the city is another safety issue where the public wants action.
The other challenges he sees are transportation, fiscal responsibility; and community planning and development, including the airport, South Bonson and North Lougheed lands.
Hoy has served as the treasurer for his union local, and is currently vice-resident.
He attended the Sauder School of Business at UBC and worked as a professional mortgage broker. Outside of work, he can be found at rinks or fields, watching his two daughters play hockey, lacrosse and softball. He is also an aspiring pilot.
