Langley Strong has announced its candidates, with all four opposition council members running under their banner, along with businessman Jay Lundgren who will run for mayor of the Township.
The announcement kicks off the contest between Langley Strong and Progress For Langley, the slate headed by Mayor Eric Woodward.
Woodward’s slate currently holds five seats on the nine-member council, while the remaining four councillors are now all officially aligned with Langley Strong, which refers to itself as a team rather than a slate.
Lundgren is the vice-president of business development and partnerships at Agency Media, and is a partner in other businesses, as well as a volunteer coach in youth basketball, ball hockey, and baseball.
“Langley is not simply a place where I live, work, and raise my family; it’s the place that shaped me and the one I am now stepping forward to serve,” Lundgren said in a statement.
“I’m running for mayor to build a Township that benefits everyone while preserving the Langley we love for generations to come. Our team shares a collective vision for collaborative, accountable leadership and restoring transparency at Township Hall. There’s a lot of work ahead, and I’m excited to get started.”
Langley Strong will also see all four sitting councillors outside of Woodward’s slate joining the new team: Margaret Kunst, Barb Martens, Kim Richter, and Blair Whitmarsh.
The Langley Strong platform is based on fiscal responsibility, transparent governance, and community well being, according to the slate’s announcement.
The rising debt under Progress For Langley was a clear campaign issue.
“You can’t talk about a better future while ignoring the financial hole created by the current slate-led administration,” Lundgren said in the statement.
“Township debt per household has climbed to an estimated $10,754 in 2025, up from $3,348 in 2022. That is a 221 per cent increase in just three years. Residents are rightfully concerned about a debt load that has more than tripled.”
Progress For Langley has embarked on a large number of infrastructure projects in the last three and a half years, including widening 208 Street, building a new Brookswood firehall, and adding major sports facilities in Willoughby.
Those projects have also added to the Township’s overall debt.
The municipal elections in Langley and across B.C. will take place on Oct. 17 this year. This will be the first time since 1999 in the Township that two opposing slates have run against each other.
