The organization formed in 2025 out of the campaign against a supervised drug use site, which elected three councillors and three school trustees in 2026
Advance Richmond, registered as the Advance Richmond Community Association (ARCA), is an elector organization for Richmond and the Richmond School District. By its own account it grew out of resident opposition to a supervised consumption site and to supportive housing projects, and registered with Elections BC in 2025. In 2026 it ran seven council candidates and six school trustee candidates. Six were elected: Gary Law, who had the most votes of any council candidate, Sheldon Starrett and Kevin Lai for Council, and Rod Belleza, Danny Chang and Dean Billings for the Board of Education.
WHO THEY ARE
About Advance Richmond
Elections BC's Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, dated October 30, 2026, lists the Advance Richmond Community Association for Richmond and for the Richmond School District, with the other names ARCA and Advance Richmond and the ballot name "ARCA Advance Richmond Community Association". It names Yen Hung Lai as the authorized principal official. The City's declaration of election by voting prints the organization as "Advance Richmond".
The City's declaration of September 21, 2026 lists 13 Advance Richmond candidates: Kevin Lai, Gary Law, Wallace Pong, Sheldon Starrett, Grace Tsang, Jizhou William Wang and Sam Wang for Councillor, and Rod Belleza, Dean Billings, Danny Chang, Willy Sinconegue, Phyllis Tang and Sophia Woo for School Trustee. It ran no candidate for mayor.
The City's official results of October 21, 2026 show six of them elected. Gary Law had 15,759 votes, the most of any council candidate, 207 more than Carol Day. Sheldon Starrett had 13,576 and Kevin Lai 12,006, the eighth and last council seat. For School Trustee, Rod Belleza had 17,762 votes, Danny Chang 16,773 and Dean Billings 16,475.
The organization's own pages say Kevin Lai founded it, and Richmond News describes him as its president. voche.me has not confirmed whether Yen Hung Lai, the principal official named in Elections BC's register, is the same person.
Its site lists five values: fight drugs, create prosperity, strengthen unity, improve safety and take responsibility. Its About page says it "grew from community concern about drug policy and poorly planned housing proposals". Richmond News wrote on October 19, 2026 that the group refers to itself as the "pink" group, after its campaign colour.
Grace Tsang's statement to the City says that for the full platform, readers should refer to the statements of its councillor and school trustee candidates. Those statements, together with the organization's site and its October 2026 social media posts, are what voche.me read as the platform.
THE TEN ISSUES
Where Advance Richmond stands
Every party on this site is covered on the same four issues, so nothing is hidden by leaving a subject out. 4 of 4 have published policy behind them.
| Issue | Published position | Commitments |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Advance Richmond's candidates promised faster renovation and housing permits, with Grace Tsang's statement setting a target of three days for minor renovations and one year for high-rises. Kevin Lai's statement promised to use every lawful municipal power to oppose publicly funded housing that permits illicit drug use. The organization gives no number of homes and no cost. | 5 |
| Budget | In October 2026 posts the organization promised to freeze municipal property taxes for restaurants and grocery stores, to make all City-run parking free for Richmond residents while visitors keep paying, and to publish timelines and costs for City projects. Kevin Lai's statement promised "a builder's discipline" on municipal projects. The posts give no cost for any of these. | 6 |
| Governance | Advance Richmond's mission statement says "major decisions change with residents, not without them". Its candidates promised to use every lawful municipal power against supervised consumption sites, monthly meetings between councillors and residents, a one-stop hub for business licences and permits, a new bridge between Richmond and Burnaby paid for with senior governments, and family doctors hired by the City on the Colwood model. | 7 |
| Schools | Advance Richmond's trustee candidates promised to let the public speak on agenda items at board and committee meetings, to publish data on substance use, bullying and violence against staff, to set up a business advisory committee for the district, and to expand co-op and internship programs. All three elected trustees promised to advocate for adequate funding of public education. | 7 |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
10 questions about Advance Richmond
How many seats did Advance Richmond win in 2026?
Six. Gary Law, Sheldon Starrett and Kevin Lai were elected to City Council, and Rod Belleza, Danny Chang and Dean Billings to the Board of Education. Its other four council candidates and three trustee candidates were not elected.
Who were Advance Richmond's candidates?
The City's declaration lists Kevin Lai, Gary Law, Wallace Pong, Sheldon Starrett, Grace Tsang, Jizhou William Wang and Sam Wang for Councillor, and Rod Belleza, Dean Billings, Danny Chang, Willy Sinconegue, Phyllis Tang and Sophia Woo for School Trustee. It ran no candidate for mayor.
Who leads Advance Richmond?
Its site names Kevin Lai as its founder, and Richmond News calls him its president. Elections BC's register names Yen Hung Lai as the authorized principal official. voche.me has not confirmed that these are the same person.
Advance Richmond Community AssociationRichmond NewsElections BC
When was Advance Richmond formed?
By its own account it grew out of opposition to a supervised consumption site in 2024 and registered with Elections BC in mid-2025. Elections BC's register gives no date. Richmond News called it a newly formed slate in October 2026.
Advance Richmond Community AssociationElections BCRichmond News
What does Advance Richmond promise on drug use sites?
Kevin Lai's statement to the City promises to use every lawful municipal power to oppose supervised consumption sites and publicly funded housing that permits illicit drug use. Sheldon Starrett told Richmond News his first item will be to rescind the 2024 council motion on a site at Richmond Hospital. Drug treatment and health care are provincial responsibilities.
What does Advance Richmond promise on taxes?
A property tax freeze for restaurants and grocery stores, free City-run parking for residents, and public cost reporting on City projects, all from its October 2026 posts. Sheldon Starrett's own statement lists "freeze tax increases". No post gives a cost.
What does Advance Richmond promise on housing?
Faster renovation permits, Grace Tsang's "3-3-3-1" approval timeline (three days for minor renovations up to one year for high-rises), legal rental suites under a neighbourhood-protection rule, and affordable home ownership for younger families. It gives no number of homes.
What does Advance Richmond promise for schools?
Public delegations at board and committee meetings, published data on substance use, bullying and violence at schools, a business advisory committee for the district, more co-op and internship programs, and advocacy for adequate funding. Each trustee candidate's statement says the full platform is the sum of all its trustee statements.
What did Advance Richmond say about the claim that it did not pay its bills?
On October 17, 2026 it published a statement saying photos and videos circulated online alleged it refused to pay bills and lacked funds, that it has continued to pay suppliers, and that the claim is false. The people behind the material are not named. voche.me found no news report of the allegation and no complaint on Elections BC's site.
Where can I see Advance Richmond's finances?
Elections BC has published no financial report from Advance Richmond so far. The report on the 2026 election is due within 90 days after voting day, and it will appear in Elections BC's Financial Reports and Political Contributions System.
Sources
A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true.
- Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, as of October 30, 2026 Elections BC · published · checked
- Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting Elections BC · checked
- Financial Reports and Political Contributions System: local elections search Elections BC · checked
- Declaration of Election by Voting, September 21, 2026 City of Richmond · published · checked
- Declaration of Official Election Results, October 21, 2026 City of Richmond · published · checked
- Candidate profile: Kevin Lai, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Grace Tsang, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Sheldon Starrett, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Rod Belleza, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Dean Billings, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Danny Chang, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Advance Richmond: home page and values SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: About ARCA SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: 2026 Richmond Election Candidates SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Latest News and community updates SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond Congratulates Six Team Members Following the 2026 Richmond Election SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · published · checked
- Advance Richmond: Kevin Lai SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Gary Law SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Sheldon Starrett SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Rod Belleza SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Dean Billings SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond: Danny Chang SAYS SO ITSELFAdvance Richmond Community Association · checked
- Advance Richmond adds four more candidates to slate Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond election 2026: A complete list of local candidates Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Newly formed slate Advance Richmond elects three councillors Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Five fresh faces on Richmond city council Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Municipal election turnout rises by 15K in 2026 Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond council votes 8-1 to explore safe drug consumption site Richmond News · published · checked
- Scores rally against supportive housing, B.C. drug policy in Richmond Global News · published · checked
- Richmond election results in minimal change Richmond Sentinel · published · checked
- VoteMate: Advance Richmond, 2026 BC Local Elections VoteMate · checked
Compare Advance Richmond with the other five parties
Every party is covered on the same four issues. The comparison pages put them side by side, one issue at a time, with the source next to each position.