Delta's new mayor and council and board of education take office
Melissa Granum was sworn in as mayor on November 2, 2026, alongside six councillors and seven school trustees, beginning a four-year term with a 90-day plan focused on accountability and transparency.
Long read. The subject the most local outlets covered that day, with the public record behind it. Every outlet and record is linked under the story. Read the original report on northdeltareporter.com.
Melissa Granum took the oath of office as Delta's new mayor on November 2, 2026, before an overflow crowd at city hall. The following evening, seven school trustees were sworn in at the Delta School Board offices in Ladner. Both ceremonies marked the start of a four-year term for elected leaders who will make housing, accountability and public engagement their first priorities.
The council sworn in
The oaths of office were administered by Justice Tina Dion, according to the North Delta Reporter. Councillors Sylvia Bishop, Daniel Boisvert, Alexander Fischer, Alicia Guichon, Tammy Hansen and Jat Puri were also sworn in at the ceremony. Words of welcome were offered by newly re-elected Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy and Musqueam Indian Band councillor Alec Guerin, the North Delta Reporter reported.
Mayor Melissa Granum of Delta First holds a majority on council alongside Fischer, Hansen and Puri. Bishop and Boisvert ran with One Delta; Guichon with Achieving for Delta.
In her inaugural address, Granum said the election brought forward different teams, different perspectives and different ideas about the future of Delta.
"Not everyone around this table campaigned together, not everyone will always agree, but that is both the reality and the strength of our local democracy," the North Delta Reporter quoted her saying.
She committed to leading a council where disagreement is welcome and collaboration is expected, saying residents gave all council members a shared responsibility that is bigger than any one campaign or individual.
The 90-day plan
The Delta First slate ran on a "First 90 Days Plan," which is still published at deltafirst.ca, the North Delta Reporter noted. The plan groups commitments into three areas.
Under accountability, the platform says the slate will develop an enforceable code of conduct, restore public question period at council meetings, and repeal the delegation of development permits and variances to city management. Granum's tracker of promises is at /bc/delta-2026/tracker.
Under the heading of livability, the commitments include opening an immediate public review of Delta's Official Community Plan, reviewing the Ladner Village revitalization plan, re-establishing citizen advisory committees in five areas including traffic safety, the environment and agriculture, and conducting a legal review of provincial legislation that controls development. The slate also committed to developing tree protection bylaws and reviewing police and fire resources.
For affordability, the platform promises a zero-based budget review of city departments and of council itself, public reporting on city budgets, a strategy to increase non-market and affordable housing, and a review of city funding of lobby organizations.
The North Delta Reporter said Granum noted candidates on all sides heard the same things from residents during the campaign. "Residents want a city council that listens, responds to the needs of communities, and makes decisions in their best interests," she said.
The school board sworn in
On the evening of November 3, all seven trustees were inaugurated at the Delta School Board offices on Harvest Drive in Ladner, according to the Delta School District and the Delta Optimist. Judge S. Sidhu administered the Oath of Office, after which all trustees signed the trustee code of conduct.
Tamara Bissett-Laza and Jesse Bierman, both of One Delta, were sworn in for the first time. Returning trustees Erica Beard of Achieving for Delta, Ammen Dhillon and Masako Gooch of One Delta, Joe Muego of Achieving for Delta, and Val Windsor of One Delta were also inaugurated.
Mayor Granum, city council members, representatives from the teachers' association and CUPE 1091 attended the board ceremony, the Delta Optimist reported.
The board's first decisions
As their first order of business, the board re-elected Joe Muego as chairperson and Ammen Dhillon as vice-chairperson, according to the Delta School District. This is Muego's third year as chairperson and Dhillon's second as vice-chairperson. Both have served on the board since 2022.
Dhillon was named the district's representative to the BC School Trustees Association, with Bissett-Laza as her alternate. Beard was appointed as the representative to the BC Public School Employers' Association and the Provincial Bargaining Council, with Muego as her alternate.
Muego said the gavel represents privilege more than power, the Delta Optimist reported. "My job as chair is to elevate and amplify their voices, and then also consolidate and project them forward as a unified board of education," the Delta Optimist quoted him saying.
What comes next
The first regular meeting of Delta City Council is scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2026, at the North Delta Centre for the Arts at 11425 84th Avenue, starting at 7 p.m. Meeting schedules, agendas and minutes are posted at delta.ca/city-hall/delta-council.
The next public board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2026. Delta residents can follow board activities at deltasd.bc.ca.
Both council and the board of education will be working through their new priorities over the next several months. Delta residents can track promises made by each elected person at /bc/delta-2026/tracker.
Questions this story answers
When was Melissa Granum sworn in as mayor of Delta?
Melissa Granum was sworn in as Delta's new mayor on Monday, November 2, 2026, at city hall, according to the North Delta Reporter. The oaths were administered by Justice Tina Dion. Councillors Sylvia Bishop, Daniel Boisvert, Alexander Fischer, Alicia Guichon, Tammy Hansen and Jat Puri were sworn in at the same ceremony.
Who was elected chair of the Delta Board of Education?
Joe Muego of Achieving for Delta was re-elected as chairperson of the Delta Board of Education at the inaugural board meeting on November 3, 2026, according to the Delta School District. This is his third year serving as chairperson. He has served on the board since 2022.
Who is the vice chair of the Delta Board of Education?
Ammen Dhillon of One Delta was re-elected as vice-chairperson at the inaugural board meeting on November 3, 2026, according to the Delta School District. This is her second year serving in that role. She has served on the board since 2022 and was also named the district's representative to the BC School Trustees Association.
What are the main priorities in Delta mayor Melissa Granum's first 90 days?
According to the North Delta Reporter's report on her inaugural address and the Delta First platform, Granum's 90-day plan includes opening a public review of the Official Community Plan, developing an enforceable code of conduct, restoring public question period at council meetings, re-establishing citizen advisory committees, undertaking a legal review of provincial legislation on development, developing tree protection bylaws, and reviewing police and fire resources.
When is the first regular Delta City Council meeting?
The first regular meeting of Delta City Council is scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2026, at the North Delta Centre for the Arts at 11425 84th Avenue, starting at 7 p.m., according to the North Delta Reporter. Meeting schedules, agendas and minutes are posted at delta.ca/city-hall/delta-council.
When is the next Delta Board of Education public meeting?
The next public board meeting of the Delta Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2026, according to the Delta School District. Information about board meetings, agendas and minutes is available at deltasd.bc.ca.
Which new trustees joined the Delta Board of Education?
Tamara Bissett-Laza and Jesse Bierman of One Delta were sworn in for the first time at the inaugural board meeting on November 3, 2026, according to the Delta School District. The other five trustees, Erica Beard, Ammen Dhillon, Masako Gooch, Joe Muego and Val Windsor, are returning members.
What did Mayor Granum say about working with councillors from different slates?
According to the North Delta Reporter, Granum said in her inaugural address that not everyone on council campaigned together and not everyone will always agree, but called that both the reality and the strength of local democracy. She said residents built the council team and gave all members a shared responsibility. She committed to leading a council where every voice is heard, where disagreement is welcome, and where collaboration is expected.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- North Delta Reporter: Delta's mayor promises transparency, co-operation during inaugural address, by James Smith, November 4, 2026northdeltareporter.com
- Delta Optimist: Delta's new school board takes oath and commences four-year term, by Radha Agarwal, November 4, 2026delta-optimist.com
- Delta School District: Inaugural Board Meeting and the Annual Election of the Chair and Vice Chair, November 4, 2026deltasd.bc.ca
- City of Delta: Delta Council meetings, agendas and minutesdelta.ca
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