The organization launched in July 2026 with former MP Kenny Chiu, which elected him to Council and re-elected trustee Alice Wong
Common Sense, registered as the Common Sense Alliance Association, is an elector organization for Richmond and the Richmond School District. Richmond News reported that it announced its candidates on July 29, 2026, with MP Chak Au as its policy adviser. It ran three council candidates and one trustee candidate. Kenny Chiu, a former Member of Parliament, was elected to Council with 13,119 votes, and Alice Wong was re-elected to the Board of Education with 16,101. Its platform has five pillars, including a City-run medical clinic, a one-stop service system at City Hall and AI traffic lights.
WHO THEY ARE
About Common Sense
Elections BC's Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, dated October 30, 2026, lists the Common Sense Alliance Association for Richmond and for the Richmond School District, with the other names CSA and Common Sense Alliance and the ballot name Common Sense. It names Thomas Leung as the authorized principal official.
The City's declaration of September 21, 2026 lists Kenny Chiu, Thomas Leung and Glenda Strang for Councillor and Alice Wong for School Trustee. The City's official results of October 21, 2026 show Chiu sixth among council candidates with 13,119 votes, Leung twelfth with 9,132 and Strang with 6,485. Wong was sixth among trustee candidates with 16,101 votes.
Richmond News reported on July 30, 2026 that the group had announced its candidates the day before with three core principles and a five-pillar platform, that Chiu was MP for Steveston-Richmond East from 2019 to 2021, and that its policy adviser is Chak Au, the MP for Richmond Centre-Marpole and a former city councillor, in whose office Chiu has worked since 2025.
The organization's site names 12 practical solutions. Its English pages set them out as five pillars; the full list of 12 is on a poster in Chinese on the site. Each council candidate's statement to the City says they support the team's 12 solutions.
Elections BC's scanned reports search listed no filing from the organization on October 30, 2026. The organization is new, so no earlier filing is due.
THE TEN ISSUES
Where Common Sense 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 | Common Sense's five pillars promise to break ground on "Made-in-Richmond housing initiatives" in the first term, to take full municipal jurisdiction over supportive housing so the City can enforce management standards, and to provide secure local housing for first responders. The platform names no project, no number of homes and no cost. | 4 |
| Budget | The second pillar promises strict fiscal responsibility. The platform also promises spending: a municipally operated medical clinic, AI traffic light systems, digitized municipal forms and housing for first responders. It gives no cost for any of them and no tax target. | 4 |
| Governance | The second pillar promises a one-stop City Hall service system managed by caseworkers and a councillor duty-shift roster so residents always know whom to call. The first pillar promises three new global partner cities to make Richmond an international business hub. The fourth pillar promises drug prevention and recovery programs. | 5 |
| Schools | Common Sense has no school platform of its own; Richmond News's columnist noted this on September 30, 2026. Alice Wong, its one trustee candidate and a two-term trustee, told the City she is committed to putting students first, preparing students for the future, building strong school communities and responsible, transparent stewardship of public education resources. In the Richmond News questionnaire she said yes to more trades education, drug awareness in high school and the district's SOGI policies. | 4 |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
7 questions about Common Sense
How many seats did Common Sense win in 2026?
Two. Kenny Chiu was elected to City Council with 13,119 votes and Alice Wong was re-elected to the Board of Education with 16,101. Thomas Leung and Glenda Strang were not elected.
Who leads Common Sense?
Elections BC's register names Thomas Leung as its authorized principal official. Richmond News reported that MP Chak Au is its policy adviser. Its site names no leader.
Is Common Sense the same as the Richmond Community Coalition?
No. Elections BC's register lists them separately: the Common Sense Alliance Association, and the Save Richmond Community Coalition Association, formerly Richmond Community Coalition. Chiu's page on the organization's site says he co-founded the Richmond Community Coalition.
What are Common Sense's 12 solutions?
Its English pages set out five pillars: a forward-looking city (three new partner cities, AI traffic lights), an accountable city (fiscal responsibility, a one-stop City Hall, a councillor duty roster, property rights), a healthy city (a City-run clinic, housing for first responders), a safe city (drug prevention and recovery, municipal control of supportive housing) and an inspired city (education and jobs, Made-in-Richmond housing, digital forms). The list of 12 is on a poster in Chinese.
Common Sense Alliance AssociationCommon Sense Alliance Association
What does Common Sense promise on housing?
Made-in-Richmond housing initiatives in the first term, full municipal jurisdiction over supportive housing, housing for first responders, and protection of fee simple property ownership. It gives no number of homes or cost.
Does Common Sense have a plan for schools?
No platform of its own. Alice Wong, its one trustee candidate, told the City she will put students first and use district resources responsibly, and told the Richmond News she supports more trades education, drug awareness in high school and the district's SOGI policies.
Where can I see Common Sense's finances?
Elections BC has published no financial report from the organization 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 scanned reports 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: Kenny Chiu, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Thomas Leung, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Glenda Strang, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Candidate profile: Alice Wong, statement to the City City of Richmond · checked
- Common Sense Alliance: home page SAYS SO ITSELFCommon Sense Alliance Association · checked
- Common Sense Alliance: Core Values and Pillars SAYS SO ITSELFCommon Sense Alliance Association · checked
- Common Sense Alliance: Our Candidates SAYS SO ITSELFCommon Sense Alliance Association · checked
- Former Richmond MP vies for city council seat in fall election Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: School trustee candidate Alice Wong Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes - Column: Breaking down Richmond's school board candidates Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: 29 council candidates face off in debate Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Five fresh faces on Richmond city council Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Setting campaigns aside, Richmond trustees prepare for new term Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond council votes 8-1 to explore safe drug consumption site Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond election results in minimal change Richmond Sentinel · published · checked
Compare Common Sense 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.