Local accountant Eric Nyvall has announced his intention to seek Abbotsford’s mayor’s chair in this fall’s municipal election.
In a press release, Nyvall said he seeks to improve safety in the city, address economic pocketbook issues during the campaign, and “offer the most progressive and responsible environmental policy ever to be put forward at city hall.”
Nyvall, who is a director with the Abbotsford Soccer Association, also said the city’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan that is currently under development has failed to address a lack of sports facilities.
He pointed to his experience running his own accounting business, and past involvement in politics and the community.
“As mayor, I can be a valued partner with the city staff, by taking advantage of my experience, skills and perspectives gained from my 14 years of being self-employed and community activism,” he said in the release. “I believe that the foundation of any thriving community should include education, the arts, shopping and recreation. If we want to attract strong companies to the area with better jobs, we must work to enhance and expand these categories.”
Nyvall served as financial agent for the AbbotsfordFirst slate in the last municipal election. He said Thursday that he had resigned from the party in the last week, and hadn’t been active in over the last six to eight months.
AbbotsfordFirst president Markus Delves has said the party has no intention of running a mayoral candidate and is happy with the performance of Mayor Henry Braun.
“My vision is different from AbbotsfordFirst,” Nyvall said Thursday.
He said he supports much of what the slate and its four candidates has done, and is still friends with members of the party.
But he said he felt Abbotsford “could use a different mayor.”
“Politically, my critique of AbbotsfordFirst is they’ve had a difficult time taking an issue and running with it and owning it, and using the fact that they have four seats on council to really effect change on that one issue.”
He said that’s largely because the AbbotsfordFirst councillors have been promised autonomy.
Ryvall is the third person to announce their upcoming campaign for the city’s mayoralty, following community activist Gerda Peachey and Braun.
