Monthly Archives: October 2025

Scott Kristjanson Announces Candidacy for Mayor of White Rock

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White Rock, BC – October 14, 2025 — Former City Councillor Scott Kristjanson has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of White Rock, pledging to restore accountability, transparency, and balance to City Hall — and to put residents and local businesses, not developers, first.

Kristjanson, who served on White Rock Council from 2018 to 2022, is known for his independent voice, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to the community. He has a proven track record of keeping promises and standing up against excessive development that threatens White Rock’s small-town character.

“White Rock deserves a mayor who listens to residents and local businesses — not developers,” said Kristjanson.

“We need to fix what’s broken: improve our infrastructure, reduce red tape, and bring back common sense and accountability to City Hall. The Mayor of White Rock should get things done for residents and local businesses — not just do what developers want.”

As Mayor, Kristjanson says he will focus on practical solutions that deliver real value for taxpayers — improving infrastructure and city services rather than building more towers.

Actions That Matter

• Getting the Basics Right – Focus on the core responsibilities of local government and deliver them well. It’s not always flashy, but it’s what matters most.

• Reduced Heights & Slower Growth – Stick to the Official Community Plan (OCP) and keep White Rock livable. The city already has a strong tax base from existing towers — collecting over $29 million in taxes that go unspent each year, with reserves nearing $200 million. White Rock doesn’t need more towers — and certainly not a 25-storey “Community Hub” tower replacing City Hall.

• Improved Infrastructure – Upgrade water quality by connecting to Metro Vancouver’s water supply, and improve drainage and roads to better serve existing residents.

• Reduced Red Tape & Wait Times – Streamline approvals for renovations and new homes. It shouldn’t take years to get a permit.

• Fair Taxes, Real Value – End wasteful spending and focus on essential city services. With nearly $200 million in reserves, it’s time to put residents’ tax dollars to work.

• Safer Streets & Better Enforcement – Continue to invest in RCMP, Fire Services, and bylaw enforcement to keep our city safe.

• Shuttle Service to the Beach – Restore the beach shuttle to help customers, workers, and families access the waterfront.

• Real Solutions for Homelessness – Partner with the province and local agencies to provide compassionate, effective support to help people off the streets.

• Protect Our Trees & Environment – Enforce the Tree Protection Bylaw and strengthen environmental safeguards to preserve slopes, prevent erosion, and keep White Rock green and beautiful.

• Support Local Businesses & the BIA – Partner with the business community to revitalize storefronts and patios. City staff should help local businesses and contractors succeed — not stand in their way.

Kristjanson brings extensive experience in software engineering, project management, and computer science, as well as a deep understanding of the arts and public service through years of local volunteerism and community advocacy.

“I’m running for Mayor because I believe in White Rock — its people, its beauty, and its potential,” Kristjanson said.

“Together, we can restore trust at City Hall, strengthen our community, and keep White Rock the vibrant, welcoming city we all love. Let’s build a City Hall that helps us all succeed — not one that gets in our way.”

White Rock Doesn’t Need More Towers to Pay Its Bills

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Many residents believe White Rock must “keep growing” to afford city services. But that’s simply not true.

No one wants White Rock to stagnate — some growth is healthy — but we need to push back against plans for a Community Hub and multiple 30- and 40-storey towers along North Bluff.

Since 2006, more than 20 new towers and high-density developments have already been approved and built. They’ve brought in plenty of new tax dollars. In fact, White Rock is collecting far more than it spends.

In 2024, the City took in about $80 million, yet $29 million went unspent and was placed in “reserves.” That means 36% of every tax dollar you pay sits in a bank account instead of improving our roads, parks, or services.

Those reserves now total nearly $200 million, and the City Manager has said he wants to grow them to $1 billion — yes, one billion dollars — for a city of only 22,000 people. That’s excessive by any measure.

When I served on Council, I repeatedly called out these sky-high taxes and oversized reserves. I even moved to cut property taxes by 5% to give residents and small businesses some relief. Council rejected that — choosing instead to match Surrey’s tax increases. We can do better.

White Rock’s Reserves Over Time

  • 2010: $20M reserves on a $35M budget → 50% of budget
  • 2018: $35M reserves on a $44M budget → 80% of budget
  • 2024: $200M reserves on an $80M budget → 250% of budget
  • Future plan: Grow to $1 billion in reserves. Ouch.

A healthy reserve should be about 50% of the annual budget. We hit that goal in 2010 — but since then, taxes and reserves have skyrocketed, even after all those new towers expanded our tax base.

It’s time for taxpayers to get value for their money — through better services, not bloated bank accounts.

Imagine what $29 million could do for our city in 2024:

✅ Improve infrastructure
✅ Restore shuttle service from Uptown to the beach
✅ Support seniors and small businesses
✅ Reduce approval times and improve city services

A Transparency Problem

When I asked the City for detailed financial data for the past 10 years, I was told it was too difficult to provide.

Why?

There are only two possible explanations:

  1. The City doesn’t have the data readily available — which raises serious questions about how budgets are managed; or
  2. They have the data but won’t share it — which raises even more serious questions about transparency.

Either way, taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going.

What do you think?
Should White Rock keep building towers as described in the North Bluff Study and the 11 Pillars White Paper, while $200 million sits unused in reserves?
Or is it time for real transparency, improved services, and fair taxation?