Re-Elect
Petrina Arnason
- Voting Day is October 15th, 2022
Since first being elected in 2014, I have dedicated 100% of my time to our community, working full time as a Township Councillor. During that time I have advocated for, and achieved, many important initiatives including delivering more libraries, advancing the interests of seniors, and championing a Township Climate Emergency Declaration.
introduction
About Petrina Arnason
I love our community. From the abundant farmlands to the spectacular parklands to family neighbourhoods and urban centres, Langley Township is a special place that I’m proud to have made my home for over 20 years. My husband and I have lived in Walnut Grove, North Langley, Aldergrove and now make our home in Murrayville. I hold a Master’s in Environmental Studies and a Law Degree and have worked in a family business.
During my time on Council, I have heard from you that the priorities for the Township must focus on several areas vital to the long-term viability of our community.Â
- Successfully brought forward and accomplished a unanimous vote to have the Township declare a Climate Emergency in 2019.
- Participated on the Tree Protection Advisory Committee which recently delivered an amended Tree Protection Bylaw and a Community Forest Management Strategy to guide and direct holistic tree management and protection in the Township.
- Advocated to protect and enhance aquifer and groundwater resources in the Brookswood and Hopington aquifers.
- Promoted green infrastructure design to create more green space and sustainable stormwater management
- Developed a Salmon River Uplands Planning Framework, in collaboration with the community, which was subsequently reviewed by Township staff and adopted by Council.
- Advocated for more affordable housing options in the Township including an early supporter of the Emmaus House project in Willoughby which resulted in the development of an affordable seniors’ housing project as well as affordable family housing for families.
- Part of the City of Langley’s Homelessness Task Force, I was directly involved in the development of the strategy identifying several actions to be taken to mitigate homelessness in our community.
- Advocated for a robust debt management plan for the Township.
- Pushed for enhanced emergency funding and collaborative efforts to support local safety and resiliency.
- Lobbied and collaborated to deliver library expansion to our growing community including Willoughby Town Centre’s new 12,000 square-foot library and 1600 square-foot library in Fort Langley and 50% footprint expansion of leasehold in Brookswood library.
- Served on the Township Seniors Advisory Committee and advocated for seniors’ issues including a Township Housing Action Plan, our award-winning Age Friendly Community plan, and newly adopted Dementia Friendly Community Strategy.
- Collaborated and supported key components of the Aldergrove redevelopment plan to include a parking facility within the Aldergrove Mall site.
- Supported public engagement regarding the use of Township lands in Aldergrove adjacent to the ACUCC.
- Advocated for art and signage reflecting the unceded status of local lands and a more integrated approach and respectful engagement based on the protocols and understandings of UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act).Â
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If re- elected I will continue to champion the issues and goals that matter most to you: transparency and accountability at city hall; climate mitigation and the environment; improving and protecting tree canopy and green space; affordable housing; social infrastructure for seniors; water protection; and food security.
Professional Career
Petrina enjoyed a varied career prior to working for the Law Society of Ontario, as well as running a small business with her husband. After being re-elected in 2018, Petrina assumed full-time Council duties. She is devoted to her community work and strives to ensure community outreach activities are accessible to everyone. Petrina is committed to maintaining the natural assets of our community by continuing her advocacy on issues such as climate change, green infrastructure and building retrofits. These initiatives are designed to facilitate a more comprehensive approach to community management and sustainability goals.
Proudly Serving the Community
- Current Community Service
- Past Community Service
- Vice Chair, Fraser Valley Regional Library Board
- Director, Metro Vancouver Climate Action Committee
- Alternate Director, Metro Vancouver Board
- Member, Aldergrove Heritage Society
- Member, BC Farm Museum
- Member, Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel
- Member, Seniors Advisory Committee
- Member, Triple A Senior Housing Society
- Member, WOLF (Watchers of Langley Forests)
- Member, Nicomekl Enhancement Society
- Member, Langley Literacy Network
- Member, Langley Heritage Society
- Alternate Member, Canadian Pacific Community Advisory Panel
- Alternate Member, Fraser Health Municipal Regional Meeting
- Member, Langley Local Immigrant Partnership
- Alternate Member, Langley Supportive Housing Project Community Advisory Committee
- Alternate Member, Tree Protection Advisory Committee
- Board Director, Tourism Langley
- Director, Fort Langley Legacy Foundation
- Director, Langley Human Dignity Coalition
- Committee Member, Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy
- Co-Chair, Seniors Advisory Committee
- Alternate Co-Chair, Heritage Advisory Committee
- Second Vice-Chair, CARP Chapter #48
- Committee Member, Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy
- Member, Langley Refugee, and Immigrant Advisory Committee
- Member, 2017 Fraser Valley Regional Library Board
- Member, City of Langley’s Homelessness Task Force
- Member, Langley Heritage Society
- Member, Langley Literacy Network
- Member, Nicomekl Enhancement Society
- Member, Salmon River Enhancement Society
- Member, Triple A Senior Housing
- Member, Watchers of Langley Forests
- Alternate Member, Fraser Health Municipal Government Advisory Council
- Alternate Member, Salvation Army Gateway of Hope Community Council
- Fraser Valley Regional Library Board Representative, BC Library Trustees Association
Platform Priorities
- Climate Mitigation
- Affordable Housing
- Tree Canopy and Green Space
- Climate Mitigation
I am committed to this strategy and will prioritize local climate action in our budget to protect public safety. I am committed to advocating for funding from other senior levels of government for such projects as dike improvements in and around the Fraser River.
- Affordable Housing
I was an early supporter of the Emmaus House project in Willoughby which resulted in the development of an affordable seniors’ housing project as well as affordable family housing with funding assistance from BC Housing.
Recently, I have also supported a number of affordable housing development applications which will provide much needed real-time below market housing for our fast growing community. If re-elected, I will continue to champion desperately needed housing for women and children fleeing violence as outlined as a priority in the Township’s Housing Action Strategy and I will be pursue the review and use of our affordable housing reserve fund to find creative ways to deliver more affordable units within all communities in the Township.
- Tree Canopy and Green Space
I am proud to have drafted a motion amendment adopted alongside a staff motion at the Metro Vancouver Climate Committee to augment opportunities within the Sustainable Innovation Fund for approved projects in support of a natural capital assets management plan focussed on the valuation wetlands, forests, and other ecological areas often destroyed in the development process.
Platform Priorities
- Water Management
- Seniors
- Continuing Education
- Water Management
Many Township residents rely heavily on aquifers and local groundwater supplies which sadly are being diminished. We currently blend our water with Metro Vancouver potable sources which has provided a satisfactory outcome for most users in the past.
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I believe we have become overly reliant on this strategy, which is unsustainable as the region grows and population and usage expands.
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If re-elected, I would strongly support a review of our current strategy in order to provide a tailored approach to ensure more certainty regarding local groundwater protection and enhancement to support water resiliency and ensure availability for local residents in the future.
- Seniors
It has been my honour to represent Township seniors which are one of the fastest growing demographics in our community. I first served on the Seniors Advisory Committee in 2014 and have now served as a Council co-representative for the last four years. During that time, our award-winning inter-generational Age Friendly Community Plan has been refreshed and a new Dementia Friendly Community Framework has been adopted. These foundational documents will substantively improve the built environment, social infrastructure, and other objectives to support successful “aging in place” in our community.
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If re-elected I will continue to advocate for a robust approach to providing infrastructure and support for seniors in our community.
- Continuing Education
As an elected official, I have built upon the framework of this knowledge and integrated it into my critical Council decision making. I have continued to remain informed on current and emerging trends such as changes to the building code, energy efficient house design, and energy retrofits based on switching to electric heat pumps for heating and cooling. I also successfully completed a green infrastructure course in 2021 through Simon Fraser University, which highlighted opportunities to incorporate infrastructure such as green roofs, rain gardens, bioswales, and other stormwater management strategies into development.
If re-elected, I will continue to champion for liveability for the Township by exploring appropriate emerging trends and best practices as well as updated strategies to address the diverse values of our community.
Voting Day is October 15th
Platform Prioritites
- Efficient Industrial Land Use
- Food Security and Protecting Agricultural Land for Farming
- Efficient Industrial Land Use
The Township and other regional governments are experiencing an extreme lack of affordable industrial lands for development. This has led to problematic decision making regarding advancing industrial development into rural lands. The recent City of Surrey Regional Growth Strategy amendment to allow the South Campbell Heights industrial development highlights a number of negative consequences attributable to the conversion, including predicted detrimental effects to the Brookswood aquifer.
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In order to address the underlying pressure on lands in our community, I coordinated with the Simon Fraser University Renewable Cities Initiative to successfully initiate a presentation to Council and subsequently drafted a motion to review opportunities to create policies and bylaws to ensure the densification of our limited industrial Lands.
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If re-elected, I will advance opportunities to continue to refine this approach which ensures more efficient use of our industrial lands for heightened tax generation and employment opportunities.
- Food Security and Protecting Agricultural Land for Farming
However, the current situation is complicated due to a number of issues such as parcelization, resulting in smaller property size, adjacencies to rural estate properties, economic pressure from speculation, and other factors playing a role in undermining local food production. The Townships’ Agricultural Viability Strategy addresses some of these issues but needs to go further. In particular, opportunities to advance more prescriptive policies to ensure that lands designated for food production are not unduly compromised.
Farmland and food security are crucial issues for our community and I believe that local and regional food security should be a part of everyone’s platform running for Langley Township.
If re-elected, I would work to create effective collaborative ties with the Province to address the considerations arising from emerging agri-tech businesses such as vertical farming.
Platform Prioritites
- Homelessness
- Salmon River Uplands Planning
- Library Development
- Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety
- Reconciliation
- Homelessness
The Township has collaborated with BC Housing, Stepping Stone Community Services, and the Gateway of Hope to deliver housing and wraparound service to the homeless.
If re-elected, I will continue to work with senior levels of government to provide more affordable housing options to reduce housing insecurity. This would also include support for further studies regarding expanding the range of housing options to include more accessory suites, granny flats, laneway homes, and multi- generational options, where appropriate, and to create more affordability for a wide variety of households.
- Salmon River Uplands Planning
The 1993 Rural Plan outlines high level policy direction for potential development in agricultural areas. The Salmon River Uplands were mentioned in the policy but a defined neighbourhood or service plan strategies for these areas are lacking. This has created broader issues regarding recent rural infill and densification.
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In collaboration with the local community, I developed a Salmon River Uplands Planning Framework which was subsequently reviewed by Township staff and adopted by Council. This proactive document is critical to maintaining our climate action goals through its multi-pronged approach focussed on ecological conservation, tree canopy protection, water infiltration, and appropriate stormwater management strategies. The framework also creates a blueprint for the funding for local and interconnecting trails within the Uplands and beyond.
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If re-elected I will advocate for sustainable development of rural lands and the development of a system of trailways for the Salmon River Uplands area as a community amenity.
- Library Development
I have been the Township Fraser Valley Regional Library Representative for the last eight years. During that time, I have effectively lobbied and collaborated with a variety of entities in order to deliver necessary library expansion to our growing community. I am particularly proud of the design and siting of the new mid-sized Willoughby Library which will be established in the mixed use walkable Willoughby Town Centre.In addition, the Township will soon be opening a new museum which includes a 1600-square-foot library in Fort Langley, and the footprint of the existing Brookswood library has recently been doubled in order to accommodate more programming and a new children’s area.
If re-elected, I will continue to support library development in order to meet the needs of our growing population, including the future need for a new library in Brookswood and the inclusion of a potential new library within the updated Willowbrook neighbourhood plan.
- Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety
I strongly feel that the urgency of protecting and defending our community against these emerging challenges should initiate a more regional resiliency approach.
If re-elected, I will continue to push for enhanced emergency funding and collaborative efforts to support local safety and resiliency. Collaborating with other neighbouring local governments and First Nations to address potential mitigation would be a positive approach. This model would be co-funded by participating communities across the region and all levels of government in partnership for a cost-effective and efficient regional emergency management network.Â
- Reconciliation
The history of Canada’s residential schools is one of pain and gross injustice that requires us all to make ongoing and concerted efforts to learn the truth about residential schools, acknowledge this history and its modern legacies in our Communities.
In the Township of Langley, the work of reconciliation has begun, but much more work needs to be done.
In addition to strong advocacy for representations such as art and signage reflecting the unceded status of local lands, I would like to continue to advocate for a more integrated approach and respectful engagement based on the protocols and understandings of UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act).Â
What People say
Testimonials
Over the last 10 years I have consulted with Petrina for direction and help in setting up municipal protection for the unconfined Brookswood Aquifer, an important drinking water source for most South Langley residents. Petrina is passionate about her job and has gone out of her way to listen to and meet with concerned residents. My one wish is to have more politicians like her on council and in the Mayor’s office.
Margaret M.
Member Services Specialist, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Re-elect Petrina to Council! Langley is very lucky to have such a diligent, insightful and principled person running for office. Petrina is an independent candidate with high integrity, who brings a strong commitment to the public interest to Council decisions. In a municipality that is growing incredibly fast, Petrina is a most important voice for the environment and Langley’s natural heritage. We need more like her!
Mark Haddock
Retired Environmental Lawyer, Glen Valley
Petrina Arnason has served our community on council for 8 years. As a resident who follows and watches many council meetings, I can say that Petrina has served her community well. She is always prepared and has a good grasp on the issues before council. Petrina is a councillor who always appreciates input from residents and responds. Something not to be taken for granted. With 28 candidates on the ballot, and many with huge advertising budgets, it is more important than ever to support a strong independent candidate who has worked diligently for us. A candidate who has experience and the ability to work well with others. A candidate who has a clear record of listening to residents concerns and acting on them.
Petrina will have my vote October 15th!
Harold W.
I have known Petrina for over 10 years. When she first ran for Council, my thoughts were “Here is an independent person who can think out of the box”. She is a forward thinker who cares about our future. As I watch each Council meeting, I can see how Petrina can work in a collaborative manner putting forward positive initiatives. Something rare in today’s politics.
Andy Schildhorn
Andy Schildhorn Personal Real Estate Corporation
Petrina is a devoted community-minded person who can bring people together in order to form a common vision. Petrina leads by example, and she always brings out the best in all of those involved. It is a privilege to work with her.
Maureen B.
Executive Director, Ishtar Women’s Resource Society
If you happen to live in Langley, BC, consider voting in the upcoming municiple election for my friend Petrina Arnason who is a strong advocate for the environment as well as many other good causes.
Susan McCaslin
Having the privilege of sitting on a committee with Petrina, I believe she is a integral voice for our community.  Her advocacy for environmental protection, preservation of parks and green spaces and food security are much needed.  Petrina is dedicated to our community and serves with the utmost of integrity and respect for all those she serves.  Langley needs a voice like Petrina’s on Counci!
Herv Bezjak
Coordinator Langley BGC
Since her election in 2014, Petrina has proven herself to be a staunch advocate of the Agricultural Land Reserve and is often cited as having a deep passion for tree protection and an overall commitment to the environment. I think she is a generally a voice of moral conscience on council and a much-needed advocate for long-term food security and environmental factors.
