Use the City's powers against drug use sites, meet residents monthly, and push senior governments for a new bridge and City-employed doctors

HOW THE CITY IS GOVERNED

Advance Richmond on governance

The organization's home page says its mission is that "major decisions change with residents, not without them". Its About page says that in early 2024 more than 120 residents registered to speak against a supervised consumption site and council still voted to approve a study motion. Richmond News reported on February 5, 2024 that eight of nine councillors voted to explore a site at the hospital grounds, and that Sheldon Starrett held a press conference against it that morning with former MP Kenny Chiu.

After the vote, Starrett told Richmond News that his first item will be to rescind that 2024 motion, and that he wants the City to work with Vancouver Coastal Health on a secure detox and treatment centre and to write a homelessness policy. Gary Law told the same paper he wants regular meetings between the mayor, a councillor, the officer in charge of Richmond RCMP and citizen representatives.

Posts of October 15, 2026 promise to push Ottawa and Victoria for a new bridge linking Burnaby and Richmond, with the City paying "its fair share", and to follow what the organization calls the Colwood model, where a city hires family doctors as employees paid from provincial patient-care payments. voche.me has not checked how Colwood's program works.

Gary Law's statement to the City names transparent governance and decisions guided by current data. Dean Billings' statement, for the school board, makes the same point for that body.

7 PUBLISHED COMMITMENTS

What they say they will do

• Use every lawful municipal power against supervised consumption sites

  Kevin Lai's statement to the City promises to use every lawful municipal power to oppose supervised consumption sites. Sheldon Starrett told Richmond News on October 18, 2026 that his first agenda item is to rescind the 2024 council motion on a consumption site at Richmond Hospital.

  City of RichmondRichmond News

• Monthly meetings between councillors and residents

  Grace Tsang's statement to the City promises monthly meetings where councillors meet residents and give City updates. The organization's site promises forums and town halls.

  City of RichmondAdvance Richmond Community Association

• A one-stop hub for business licences and permits

  Grace Tsang's statement to the City promises a one-stop municipal hub to streamline business licences and permits. Kevin Lai's page on the organization's site lists "small business and permitting reform" as a priority.

  City of RichmondAdvance Richmond Community Association

• Regular meetings of the mayor, a councillor, Richmond RCMP and citizens on safety

  Gary Law told Richmond News on October 18, 2026 that regular meetings between the mayor, a city councillor, the officer in charge of Richmond RCMP and citizen representatives are among his short-term goals.

  Richmond News

• Push senior governments for a new bridge between Richmond and Burnaby

  A post of October 15, 2026 promises to push Ottawa and Victoria to build a new bridge linking Burnaby and Richmond across the North Arm of the Fraser River, with the City committing to pay its fair share. It gives no cost and no share.

  Advance Richmond Community Association

• Family doctors hired by the City on the Colwood model

  A post of October 15, 2026 proposes that the City hire family doctors as employees with a salary, benefits and a pension, funded, it says, by provincial patient-care payments. It calls this the Colwood model.

  Advance Richmond Community Association

• A secure detox and treatment centre, and a homelessness policy

  Sheldon Starrett told Richmond News on October 18, 2026 that he wants the City to work with Vancouver Coastal Health on a "secure detox and treatment centre" and to come up with a more comprehensive homelessness policy. His statement to the City lists "end the drug sites" first among his priorities.

  Richmond NewsCity of Richmond