Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley has unveiled a re-election platform centred on housing affordability, municipal finance and business development as he seeks a third term in the Oct. 17, 2026 civic election, this time facing five challengers rather than running unopposed.
Hurley, first elected in 2018 after defeating longtime incumbent Derek Corrigan, is campaigning on keeping the City of Burnaby debt-free and holding municipal property taxes at or below the regional average. A central pledge is for the City’s recently created Burnaby Housing Authority to deliver 1,000 new affordable rental homes, including townhomes aimed at families.
Housing and Development Commitments
Alongside the rental housing target, Hurley says he would work to shorten wait times for homebuilding permits and keep development cost charges down as a way to make housing more affordable. He also intends to continue pushing the provincial government to hand decision-making over residential zoning back to municipal governments, an issue he has criticized the BC NDP-led government over during his second term.
The City’s capital reserve fund, which had built up to $1.2 billion over many years, is now largely depleted. Rising construction costs since the pandemic, cost overruns on major capital projects, and provincial legislative changes affecting how municipalities can raise revenue from developers have all contributed to the decline, according to the platform.
Health Care and Infrastructure Projects
Hurley’s platform also addresses the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital, a project that was cancelled earlier this year after updated cost estimates showed it was significantly over budget amid the provincial government’s efforts to slow capital spending in the face of large deficits. Since Hurley released his platform, Premier David Eby’s government announced a revised approach to proceed with the redevelopment in smaller phases. That announcement included $210 million in funding to expand and upgrade the hospital’s emergency department and surgical unit, adding 16 emergency treatment spaces and four upgraded operating rooms, with expanded cancer care and a new acute care tower to follow. No completion dates were given for the cancer care expansion or the new tower, and the emergency and surgical upgrades still require further planning, with the initial contractor procurement process expected to wrap up in early 2027.
On community infrastructure, Hurley’s platform focuses largely on finishing projects already underway, including the Burnaby Lake Recreation Centre, the Cameron Community Centre and Library, and the Brentwood Community Centre tied to a major mixed-use development near the Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain station. He is also pledging to complete the new Shadbolt Centre performance venue and commit $250,000 annually to arts and cultural programming.
Key Figures in Burnaby Mayor's Re-Election Platform
Economic and Small Business Proposals
On the economic front, Hurley is proposing to create a Burnaby Innovation District to attract high-tech businesses, continue the City’s partnership with Simon Fraser University through the Civic Innovation Lab, and draw more film and television production through the Burnaby Film Office. For small businesses, he has proposed cutting the time and cost of obtaining permits by simplifying municipal processes and expanding tools developed through the City’s Development Approvals Process Program.
Hurley’s platform also touches on transportation, with a pledge to work with TransLink on additional north-south bus routes, building on the recent extension of the R2 RapidBus line. On public safety, he has proposed relocating a temporary shelter on Buller Avenue, whose lease runs until 2028, to make way for a planned park, and completing an expansion of the Burnaby RCMP detachment intended to aid officer recruitment and retention.
This article references reporting from:
