September 19,2025
RED FM News Desk
A group of former elected officials is taking legal action to change how civic politicians are elected in B.C., arguing the current system fails to provide fair local representation.
The newly formed organization, Fix City Hall, launched a campaign Thursday to replace the at-large voting system used in larger B.C. cities with alternatives they consider more representative. Their push includes a petition and a legal challenge aimed at forcing the province to amend legislation so municipalities can overhaul their election processes.
Former Surrey North MP Jasbir Sandhu criticized the current system, saying it leaves neighborhoods like Newton, Whalley, Guildford, and Cloverdale without dedicated representation. He told OMNI News that the solution requires court action to compel the provincial government to implement a system—such as wards or another model—that ensures accountability and local representation.
Fix City Hall proposes options including proportional representation, neighborhood-based constituencies, or other electoral systems that ensure every community’s voice is heard. The group plans to launch a Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge in B.C. Supreme Court, arguing that at-large systems undermine fair representation, particularly for racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, and individual neighborhoods.
The initiative includes prominent figures from all levels of government, including former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt, former MPs Sandhu and Libby Davies, former MLA Katrina Chen, and former Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart, along with academics, community organizers, and grassroots advocates.
Harcourt said, “We need to replace B.C.’s at-large voting system with a more democratic way of electing city council officials to ensure neighborhoods get the representation they deserve.” Davies added, “At-large elections silence huge parts of our city and must be replaced with a fairer system.” Sandhu emphasized, “Everyone in Surrey knows city council does not reflect who we really are. We need to change that.”
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