Margaret Kunst for Township Council

I'm running again because I care deeply about what Langley becomes as we grow. I want seniors to be able to age in their community, young families to have a chance to build a life here, and our roads, parks and infrastructure to keep pace with the people we're welcoming.

Langley is growing fast, and growth without a plan costs residents twice: once when we build it, and again every year we have to operate and maintain it. I believe we need a practical, common-sense approach - setting priorities, understanding what things will cost, and making decisions we can afford for the long term.

Langley has been home my entire life. I was born at Murrayville Hospital and grew up in Brookswood and the rural parts of the Township. My parents came to Canada from Holland as children and eventually made Langley their home.

My dad was a farmer and an entrepreneur, and we spent part of my childhood in South Langley where he raised chickens and farmed mushrooms and cranberries. On Friday nights, I could hear the race cars at Langley Speedway from my bedroom. Some of my favourite years were spent in Milner, across the road from a dairy farm, where I joined 4-H.

I've played ball on fields across Langley, skated in its rinks, golfed many of its courses and watched this community grow and change throughout my life. I've been fortunate to experience Langley in so many different ways.

I've known Langley as a child, a parent, a business owner, a volunteer and now a Councillor. That gives me a perspective on this community that I'm very grateful to have.

The most rewarding part of being a councillor is being able to help people. Sometimes that means helping a resident navigate a difficult situation. Other times, one person's concern brings attention to a bigger issue that can make things better for many people.

For example, initiatives I've brought forward on fairer utility billing for strata residents, road and pedestrian safety in Murrayville, and a better policy for dealing with dangerous trees all started with residents reaching out about concerns in their communities. I also asked for public input on the future of Old Yale Dog Park so that any changes reflected what residents who use the park actually wanted.

Bell Park is another example. When residents raised concerns about plans for a cricket pitch, I worked with the community and Council — and today Bell Park is a wonderful accessible park where children of all abilities can play.

Not everything a councillor accomplishes starts with a motion or happens at the Council table. For me, public service is about listening, working with people, and doing what I can to make someone's life or our community a little better.

I’m proud to have achieved the following work and key contributions as Councillor in 2022-2026:

• Voted against the Township’s temporary borrowing and loan authorization bylaws, and against the 2026–2030 Five-Year Financial Plan
• Brought forward the Debt Financing Summary Report motion setting out the Township’s accumulating borrowing against approved major projects, and supported a dedicated Council workshop on current and projected debt
• Initiated the creation of the Township of Langley Accessibility Committee under the Accessible BC Act, secured its Terms of Reference and first accessibility plan process, and ensured the Langley Possibilities Group had a seat at the table
• Led the 2023 Tree Protection Bylaw Update through Council, with clear effective dates and workable tree replacement rules for individual property owners
• Secured an additional $600,000 for the Nathan Creek Sediment Pond Improvements Project and advanced Streamside Protection and Enhancement amendments incorporating public hearing input
• Initiated a full pedestrian and traffic safety review of 224th Street from Fraser Highway to 56th Avenue, and expanded it to cover Murrayville neighbourhood safety, including 223rd Street and the 50th Avenue intersections
• Halted work on the Bell Park cricket pitch after hearing community concerns, called a Fort Langley public open house to settle a fair racquet sports court schedule, and secured a community survey on the Old Yale Dog Park
• Added the Jacob Haldi House to the Community Heritage Register and secured annual funding of up to $5,000 for the Heritage Advisory Committee’s work
• Secured up to $100,000 for track improvements at the George Preston BMX facility
• Won Council Contingency funding so the Water Safety Program could launch in 2026 rather than wait a year
• Passed the bylaw amendment restricting vape stores to age-restricted premises
• Voted against repealing the mail ballot option for local elections, supported strengthening the Code of Ethics to bar staff time and public resources from election campaigning, and supported quarterly Council updates from the Langley RCMP Officer in Charge

As Langley continues to grow, I want to make sure we're planning thoughtfully for that growth without losing sight of what people can afford. My priorities are:

• Housing and affordability. I want our kids and grandkids to have a chance to build a life in Langley, and our seniors to be able to stay in the community they know. That means creating more housing choices while making sure growth is planned responsibly and doesn't make life less affordable for everyone else.
• Infrastructure that keeps pace. Growth needs to come with the roads, sidewalks and infrastructure to support it, but we also have to be realistic about what we can afford. I believe in setting priorities, completing important connections and addressing safety and congestion without placing an unreasonable financial burden on taxpayers.
• Financial accountability. Residents deserve to know what we're spending, how much we're borrowing, and what new facilities will cost to operate long after they're built. I believe we can invest in our community while still setting priorities and respecting what taxpayers can afford.
• Parks and recreation. Parks, trails, sports fields and recreation facilities are an important part of building healthy, connected communities. As Langley grows, we need to make sure they keep pace with our population, meet the needs of the communities they serve, and are planned with the long-term cost in mind.
• Planning for the future. Good planning means looking beyond the next four years. We need to protect our agricultural land and heritage, prepare for emergencies, look after the infrastructure we already have, and make thoughtful decisions about how and where we grow.

I bring two terms at the Council table, along with many years of experience in business and community service.

Since being elected in 2018, I've served in a number of roles locally and regionally, including as co-chair of the Heritage Advisory Committee, a director with the Union of BC Municipalities, Council's representative on the Tourism Langley board, and an alternate director on the Fraser Valley Regional Library Board.

But experience isn't only about the positions you've held. Eight years on Council has taught me the importance of asking important questions, listening to different perspectives, understanding the long-term impact of a decision, and knowing when to speak up.

Running a small business for 25 years taught me that every decision has a cost and every dollar has to come from somewhere. You learn to plan ahead, make difficult choices, adapt when circumstances change and live with the consequences of those decisions.

It also gave me a real appreciation for the challenges facing local businesses and agriculture. At Council, I try to bring that same perspective to the decisions we make — looking at the costs, thinking about the long-term impact, and remembering that ultimately it's taxpayers who are paying the bill.

I spent ten years as Operations Director of the PuCKS Powerplay Foundation – Promoting Community through Kids in Sport. We used sports like hockey and soccer, along with a literacy program, to help children who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to participate in organized sport, build friendships and make connections in the community.

I saw firsthand what can happen when you remove barriers and give kids a chance to belong. It also taught me how much can be accomplished when community organizations, the business community, volunteers and families work together.

Over the years, I've been involved in refugee sponsorship and have worked with many organizations that help newcomers settle and build their lives in Canada. I've had the privilege of getting to know families, helping them navigate a new community and connecting them with the people and resources they need.

That work has given me a greater understanding of the challenges people can face when starting over and the difference a welcoming community can make.

I'm proud to have been elected twice as an independent, and bringing an independent perspective to the Council table still matters to me. But local government works best when people can work together around shared priorities.

I joined Langley Strong because I saw an opportunity to work with people who share many of my priorities and a positive vision for Langley's future. We won't agree on everything, nor should we. I will continue to listen, ask questions and make decisions based on what I believe is best for the Township.

For me, joining Langley Strong isn't about giving up my independence. It's about working with others to get good things done for our community.

Family comes first. With seven grandchildren, there's usually a ball field, an ice rink or a ball hockey game somewhere on the calendar. I love biking, golfing, cooking, travelling and camping with my husband. I'm also a big reader – especially history and historical fiction – and if there's a Formula 1 race on, I'm probably watching.

I think we have to start by asking what our community actually needs. As Langley grows, we will need new roads, parks, sports fields and facilities – but we can't build everything at once.

Council has to set priorities and look at the whole cost of a project, not just what it costs to build. Every new facility also has to be staffed, maintained and operated for years to come.

I want us to build for the future, but I also want to make sure we're leaving future generations great communities - not just the bill for them.

I'd like to see a Council where people can disagree and still treat each other with respect. Residents should feel heard when they come to Council, and Councillors should be able to ask important questions and express different points of view without it becoming personal.

I'd also like to see greater transparency around major financial decisions. Before Council makes a decision, we should understand not only what something costs today, but what it will cost taxpayers in the years ahead.

Good governance isn't about everyone agreeing. It's about listening, asking questions, being transparent and making the best decisions we can for the community.

Langley is growing quickly, and some of the decisions we make today will affect this community for decades. Planning for the future means looking beyond the next budget or the next election and asking what Langley will need ten, twenty or even thirty years from now.

That includes making sure our infrastructure is looked after, preparing for emergencies, protecting our agricultural land and heritage, and thinking carefully about how and where we grow.

I want Langley to be a place where people can build a life and stay for generations. Where our kids and grandchildren have opportunities to live and work, and our seniors can remain connected to the communities they know.

I want us to have grown thoughtfully – with the roads, parks, recreation and infrastructure people need, while still protecting the agriculture, heritage and sense of community that make Langley special.

Twenty years from now, I hope we can look back and say we didn't just manage growth – we made good decisions about the kind of community we wanted to become.