Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart launches re-election campaign

He’s been the mayor of Coquitlam since 2008 and it looks like Richard Stewart wants to stay in the city’s top job.

Stewart has announced he’s running for re-election in the upcoming civic election.

“I’ve lived all my life in this community, and I truly believe it’s one of the best places to live, to invest, to raise a family,” he wrote in a Facebook post Monday, highlighting some of his city’s accomplishments during his time as mayor.

While many incumbents have announced their intention to seek re-election across Metro Vancouver, Stewart’s decision might surprise people in the Tri-Cities after he previously said that the last election in 2018 would be his last.

He addressed that in his announcement Monday, saying he had contemplated “other opportunities” that were “outside of the nastiness and viciousness of politics.”

“We certainly saw some of those vicious politics during that campaign. And the voters of Coquitlam gave me an unprecedented level of support, with an overwhelming election victory, for which I am truly grateful,” Stewart wrote.

However, he notes that the pandemic brought on new challenges, pressures, and stresses. Stewart says it also brought the community together — even when many people were forced to be physically apart.

He believes there’s still a lot of work to be done, especially on an issue that hits close to home.

Stewart has been the driving force behind “Mayors for Mental Health” — an initiative aimed at taking the stigma away from mental health issues, something he’s been very public about, after his daughter was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.

“My family and I have spent much of the last six months contemplating this decision, and weighing the costly realities of public life, something my wife Anna Rosa and our children know too-well. And we have concluded that this important work needs to be completed,” he said.

“As a result, I will be putting my name forward for one final term as Mayor of Coquitlam. The work ahead of us is incredibly important, and while some of it was delayed during COVID, we now have the opportunity to make sure our solutions help make our community even stronger and more resilient.”

Municipal elections across B.C. are set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 15.