Eric Woodward and Steve Ferguson had a chance to vote for less government and fewer politician paycheques. They voted for more.
In July, Metro Vancouver finally moved to shrink its bloated 41-politician board down to 34. Everyone from Premier Eby’s housing minister to the CBC to Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West says the board is too big to function. Even Metro’s own directors agreed. The plan passed.
Not with Langley’s help. Township Mayor Eric Woodward and his slate mate Steve Ferguson voted no.
The cut wouldn’t have cost Langley anything. Metro seats run on a formula – one vote for every 20,000 residents, an extra director for every 100,000 – and the new cap only touches Vancouver and Surrey. Langley Township keeps both its seats either way.
So Woodward and Ferguson weren’t protecting Langley. They were protecting the bloat. The choice on the table was simple: fewer politicians, or the status quo. They chose the status quo – a vote to keep the gravy train rolling for as many politicians as possible.
Why would anyone defend a 41-politician board? Here’s one theory: the meetings pay big bucks.
Metro Vancouver directors collect $557 per meeting, up to $1,114 a day. Metro’s own books show Woodward has collected $100,278 in Metro pay since 2023 – $40,466 in 2023, $35,760 in 2024, $24,052 in 2025. Ferguson: $96,110, plus $5,600 in expenses. Between them, $196,388 – on top of their Township salaries.
And what does $557 buy the taxpayer? In May, Global News caught a Regional Planning Committee meeting that lasted 3 minutes and 40 seconds and paid out $7,240 – $152 a minute. The chair of that meeting? Eric Woodward.
Woodward claims he tried to turn the money down and the bylaws wouldn’t let him. Easy to say knowing he doesn’t have to give up the cash. But he sits on the board that writes those bylaws. When Metro adopted the current pay bylaw in June 2025 – $557 a meeting, mandatory, no opt-out – the minutes record no opposition from him. And when that board finally moved to cut the number of politicians collecting $557 a meeting, he had his chance to vote for less. He voted for more.
Maybe they’ll say the plan didn’t cut deep enough. Come on. A no vote didn’t buy a bigger cut – it bought no cut at all. PoCo’s Brad West spoke out and said he wanted a bigger cut, but still supported this one. Every seat, all 14 standing committees, every $557 cheque: preserved. You don’t shrink government by voting to keep all of it.
Offered fewer politicians, Woodward and Ferguson chose the status quo. Nearly $200,000 in meeting fees between the two of them. And a three-minute meeting chaired by Eric Woodward that cost taxpayers $7,240.
On October 17, Langley can elect a mayor and council who think government bloat is a problem, not an easy paycheque.
Vote Langley Strong. Because your money should be respected.
