Election campaigns can bring out the worst in people, it is unfortunate. It is human nature to make your arguments using material that supports your narrative; however, using incessant LIES, personal assumptions as facts, innuendo, and scare tactics is outrageous. All of this under the direction of a prominent local developer in the formation of their campaign platform cannot be accepted! When a politician knowingly LIES, that is a deal breaker for me! The Township of Langley has been living in that corrupt world for decades to the detriment of the Township of Langley, prior to the current council majority taking office, we cannot go back! Relying on my 51 years of political experience, municipal, provincial and federal – as an elected Mayor (Township of Langley), Alderman (Delta), a three term appointed Police Board member by Premier Bill Bennett (Delta), Metro Van. Director and Municipal Finance Authority Alt. Director, and numerous Metro Van. Committees! I try to lay out the facts and the truth as I have investigated and experienced throughout my political career.
The Big LIE! – 5 Year Financial Plan Claim of 21.7% Tax Increase next year?
An absolute Bogus Claim, the public deserve better! – I viewed Council’s debate, discussion and vote on this issue at the March 9th and March 23rd Council meetings. Unbelievable! Councillor Richter (7 terms on Council), Councillor Whitmarsh (8 1/2 years on Council) and Councillor Kunst (8 years on Council) know better, they are either lying to the public or should not be in office due to lack of knowledge of the B.C. Government provincially mandated annual 5-year Financial Plan process. They continue to imply the projected property tax increases within the 5-year Financial Plan will be a reality when they know (or should know) based on their years of experience, they won’t be.
FACT: 5-year Financial Plans are legislated by the province, they state “An expenditure that is not provided for in the 2026 – 2030 5-year Financial Plan (in this case) is NOT lawful” – thus the need to cover any and all eventualities, which again has never become a reality!
FACT – Projected tax rates within the 5-year Financial Plan are projected based on input from staff, council debate and assorted wish lists. This year’s property tax increase was 3.97%. A 5-year Financial Plan is created annually, dropping a year and adding a year. As stated, it is a product of incorporating anything and everything possible, yet to be discussed, debated or approved!
The Big LIE – CACs (Community Amenity Contributions) are illegal!
Proof of that LIE? The Township of Langley has collected millions of dollars in CACs since the infamous court decision the opposition like to refer to. That court ruling about CACs was directed at a 2018 Council Policy inherited by the current council being too prescriptive, not about Community Amenity Contributions themselves. The Township fixed it, and they continue to collect voluntary CAC contributions from developers in support of the current infrastructure crisis, saving property tax payers a significant amount of money!
Fact: CACs (Community Amenity Contributions) are NOT illegal!
The opposition are on record as opposing CACs. In other words, their policy is to have existing property tax payer’s foot the bill for needed infrastructure as opposed to the policy of “Progress for Langley” – Growth must pay for Growth! Clearly, the opposition supported by developers have sold out the residents of the Township of Langley. It is estimated that if the current opposition to our council are elected it will cost all taxpayers around $200 million in lost CACs which would go to pay off our debts and build the necessary infrastructure.
Every dollar that taxpayers secure from TOL growth funds amenities our community needs. It also pays down debt for amenity capital projects so that debt doesn’t land on taxpayers. Let’s be clear, the two people that launched this lawsuit did not sue the mayor; they sued you the taxpayer. These individuals are refusing to contribute to Langley’s future. Growth must pay for growth, not taxpayers. Progress for Langley is the only team running for Council, that believes that, stands up for it, understands it, and puts residents first.
Fact: Our Township Infrastructure Crisis was created by the actions & inactions of our previous councils over 11 years with a pro developer bias – 3 councillors from that era are still sitting in opposition on council, Richter, Whitmarsh and Kunst!
Our population started to explode from 2011; specifically, councils never ending approval of residential development over the next 11 years without a dollar being spent on critical infrastructure. All of this approved growth in population secured the crisis we all face today.
Let the facts speak for themselves: The following population numbers; the anticipated growth in Willoughby alone is carrying the bulk of the development pressure, it holds the majority of available developable land in the Township.
- Willoughby population 2011 – was 20,000 residents
- Willoughby population 2026 – is 60,000 residents (+40,000 residents since 2011)
- Willoughby population est. 2031 – 95,000 residents (+30,000 residents)
- Only 53% of the available developable land in Willoughby has been built out as of 2025! There will be significant pressure for significant future growth.
- 1,000 new students are entering our School District annually, largely concentrated in the Willoughby area!
- Township of Langley Total Population 2026 – est. 170,000 residents (+65,823 since 2011), the fastest growing municipality in the lower mainland.
The Township of Langley finally introduced a minimal CAC program in 2018. It wasn’t until the election of Mayor Woodward and his majority on council in 202, they passed an upgraded and competitive CAC program. It was designed to make development Pay for Growth, something the opposition explicitly opposes. The opposition are campaigning on a “Pay as you Grow” philosophy. Unfortunately, due to the crisis facing the Township that doesn’t work unless you believe that you should pay for the infrastructure crisis out of your annual property tax bill. NO CACs from developers, you pay the bill on your property taxes!
It has been roughly estimated that by the Jack Froese Municipal Government NOT implementing a common-sense CAC program back in 2011 as proposed by Mayor Rick Green, it has cost the Township of Langley and its taxpayers about $500 million (all development in the TOL) during this period.
In the words of our very popular Prime Minister Mark Carney –
“When elected you Face the world as you found it, NOT the way you wish it was”!
The Big LIE – Infrastructure can be built through Pay as you Grow? As I have outlined in detail, we are in an existential infrastructure crisis due to the deplorable inactions of previous councils. Endless residential development approvals since 2011 without adoption of a CAC funding program and an annually upgraded DCC program (Cost of living increase). The infrastructure we are talking about? Road expansion, police services, fire services, park expansion and recreation facilities, ALL needed to adequately service the current explosion of 60,000 NEW residents, and many more to come! There are only two ways you can pay for the infrastructure improvement needed to look after the services needed. Either
- Pay for infrastructure through increased annual property taxes or
- Make development pay for the infrastructure growth required to look after the infrastructure needed to service the approved growth?
If you think Pay as you Grow works think about the increases in property tax that would be required to in any way supplant (replace) CACs – Development paying for that infrastructure IF that council prioritized the required infrastructure. The other very real possibility, based on their platform, they will not prioritize the infrastructure needed and the community will deteriorate in the services and infrastructure required.
The Big LIE – Township of Langley Debt has reached a crisis? First, let’s deal with the needed use of responsible debt to service the crisis we are in? In the past, when a CAC program was in place, CACs were collected at the time of approval and construction start. Mayor Woodward and his council, due to the critical infrastructure deficit, have constructed a program using debt by borrowing against future approved (but not started) development CACs which will pay for the debt accrued building the required infrastructure. This allows the TOL to be able to adequately know what funding is available to pay for that debt moving forward, NOT property tax dollars. As to market fluctuations, anyone with an ounce of knowledge of this issue knows that this is normal. The real estate market changes frequently from year to year!
The Big LIE dealing with Township of Langley debt?
The following is from the B.C. Government website dealing with the municipal debt issue. “The Municipal Liabilities Regulation sets the liability service limit at 25% of specific municipal revenues. The revenues used in the calculation relate to those that are primarily within the municipality’s control, such as taxes and fees, unconditional grants and payments in place of taxes.”
So, to specific Township numbers – Township annual revenues are just over $600 million per year. The 25% servicing cost (principal and interest) applies to qualified revenue only which for the TOL is approx. $375 million @ 25% = $93.74 million, the maximum allowed annually to pay for their debt. Currently the Township is currently spending approx. $41 million in annual debt payments, less than half of what is allowed. In addition, they are paying down about $25 million per year against their debt.
Township total debt currently sits at $575 Million which includes $180 million inherited from the previous council. To make it clear the current council is responsible for $395 million. The opposition’s scare tactics suggest the TOL is close to its max debt level, they are not close. That said, Municipal allowed debt per provincial legislation is measured by the 25% servicing cost which is the guiding factor. Our annual audited financial report does not flag any issues of concern.
For the record, Municipalities must adhere to Provincial Legislation. The regulators of Provincial Legislation are the Municipal Finance Authority and Metro Vancouver, protecting the taxpayer against any wrong doing and is strictly enforced.
Summary: Unadulterated LIES and complete misrepresentation of the truth and facts are uncalled for in any election. Unfortunately, those in opposition in this election seem to want to continue to try lighting a flame based on irresponsible and incorrect accusations. Hopefully, their strategy of spreading lies and misrepresenting the facts won’t pay off, if it does, we will all be paying over $200 million in property tax to pay off debt as opposed to development. Any candidate that practices this use of misinformation should not be considered for Township of Langley Council or Langley School Board!
We have too much of a bad experience going back to the way it was, don’t stop our progress as a community now, we cannot afford developers taking over and dictating council policy.
For continuing “Progress for Langley” on October 17th Vote
Mayor – Eric Woodward
Council – Tim Baillie, Steve Ferguson, June Park, Michael Pratt, Sarb Rai, Tess Rouse, Rob Rindt, Michelle St. Germain.
Board of Education – Matt Burck, Olivia Lake De Meza, Norma Jean Maxwell,
Betty Siegel, Sean Stevenson
Forward this Blog Post to Friends, neighbors and family. All material and info in this Blog Post has been fact checked and double checked for accuracy!
My most recent BLOG Posts relating to this year’s election are: Click on the following links to open –
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/04/14/township-of-langley-5-year-financial-plan-you-are-entitled-to-your-own-opinion-but-you-are-not-entitled-to-your-own-facts-politics-at-work/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/07/28/upcoming-municipal-election-focusing-on-debt-ignores-the-incompetence-of-past-councils-it-ignores-60000-new-residents-needs-it-ignores-the-critical-lack-of-infrastructure-and-it/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/09/township-of-langley-politics-decades-of-undue-influence-on-municipal-council-by-the-langley-establishment-power-brokers-friends-insiders-developers-we-are-recovering-a-strong-government-deliver/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/12/accountability-of-a-municipal-council-what-does-or-should-that-word-accountability-mean-to-the-taxpayer-something-to-really-think-about-before-voting-this-year/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/09/township-of-langley-politics-decades-of-undue-influence-on-municipal-council-by-the-langley-establishment-power-brokers-friends-insiders-developers-we-are-recovering-a-strong-government-deliver/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/08/25/a-real-example-of-responsible-vs-irresponsible-governance-207th-and-207a-it-seriously-affected-an-est-2000-residents-in-the-township/
- https://langleywatchdog.com/2026/09/14/willoughby-community-center-pool-willoughby-and-walnut-grove-do-you-want-it-we-have-one-choice-in-this-election-breaking-news-check-it-out/
Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay
RG
