Tag Archives: politics

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.”

Does White Rock Need to Build More Towers to Expand Our Tax Base?

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There is a lot of misinformation out there that says White Rock is mandated to build more towers and that we need to do this to cover city costs and expand our tax base.

None of that it true!

White Rock has already built enough towers that were approved in 2016 to cover our regional growth targets past 2040. I know because I sat on the Metro Vancouver board when these targers were reviewed.

In addition, the Province’s Bill 43 and Bill 47 make it clear that the mandate for more towers do not apply to White Rock since we do not have any rapid transit such as sky train in White Rock. Only areas near sky trains are mandated to have towers approved. Bill 44 suggests that White Rock must approve multi-unit 4 story housing in single family neighbourhoods, but there is plenty of opportunity for cities to push back. Cities such as Port Coquitlam under Mayor Brad West have successfully done so. With the right people on City Council, White Rock can push back on Bill 44 too!

What about the need to expand our tax base?

No! That was already done by the push for towers in 2016.

  • In 2010, our unspent cash reserves were $20M or 50% of our annual budget
  • In 2018 when I was one Council, the reserves were up to $35M or about 80% of the budget
  • Today, the White Rock surplus is about $240M or about 400% of the annual budget
  • Taxpayers continue to get overtaxed even with the new towers and 30% of your taxes go unspent
  • City Staff have said that they want to increase this to $1B, but these funds are only for emergencies and other contingencies, and 50% of the annual budget is much more typical
  • What are they doing with this money besides getting very little interest in the bank

So why the push for more towers in White Rock?

  • Follow the money!
  • The new 30 and 40 story towers being pushed by Council is worth about $2.7B to real estate investors and developers.
  • The Mayor has said that she cannot stick to my version of the 2021 Official Community plan because developers cannot make money at 12 stories, and so they need at least 25 stories to make a profit! Shouldn’t the Mayor be more focussed on creating a better community for residents, visitors, and local businesses, rather than focusing on Developer profits?

The Mayor has said that she cannot stick to our version of the 2021 Official Community plan that reduced heights uptown to 12 stories because she claims that developers cannot make money at 12 stories, and so they need at least 25 stories to make a profit!

During the election, the Mayor promised voters that she would stick to the OCP 12. What happened to that promise?

Shouldn’t the Mayor and City Council be more focussed on creating a better community for residents, visitors, and local businesses, rather than focusing on Developer profits?

What are Scott’s Priorities?

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While on City Council from 2018 to 2022:

  • Scott Kristjanson honoured 100% of his promises!
  • Moved to reduce OCP maximum building heights
  • I support local businesses! After the 2018 election, I worked with staff to get the West beach parking lot near Primos restaurant re-opened for the public. The previous Council had stood by while it had been closed for over 2 years during the construction at Memorial Park. It took me just a few days to get the parking lot reopened. Closed parking lots hurts local businesses and hurts tourism!
  • Urged council and staff to speed up service dellivery for simple renovations and single family home permits. It can take years in White Rock to get a permit. The same permit in other cities takes weeks.
  • Moved to support affordable housing for seniors by setting aside $4M in financing
  • Moved to reduce taxes since millions of tax dollars since in 2018 we had $35M in reserves and we now have over $240M sitting in reserves not being spent. In 2024, of the approximately $80M collected in taxes, $29M was never spent and were put in the bank as unneeded reserve funds. That’s about a third of your taxes gathering dust every year! We need fiscal responsibility!
  • Moved to measure taxpayer satisfaction with city services as a way to improve city services to be faster and more efficient. You cannot fix what you do not measure! The Mayor and Council did not support my motion. This needs to change! Taxpayers deserve value for money!
  • First to reach out to local restaurants during Covid and ask them what they needed from Council.
  • Moved to make it easier for residents, visitors, and restaurant staff to have easier car-free access to the beach by bringing back free shuttle services from uptown to the beach.

Too many highrises? Not enough infrastructure? Too much red tape? Taxes too high? More businesses closing? Years to get simple building permits approved?

When re-elected, Scott’s Priorities will continue to be:

  • Your voice for residents and local businesses.
  • It’s your City By The Sea, you should have your say!
  • Slow down excess development. Snub-the-Hub! Stick to the OCP. Excess develop has made traffic and parking difficult for so many!
  • Fiscal responsibility. Reduce red tape, consulting costs, and lower taxes!
  • Improve city services and infrastructure. Ensure taxpayers get value for their money!
  • Encourage active living by improving access to fitness centres, pools, pickleball, beach shuttles
  • Ensure public input on major projects is heard and listened to.
  • Protect the environment and trees,
  • Safe drinking water.

Scott Kristjanson running for Re-Election in the Sept 27th White Rock By-Election

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I am proud to announce that I am running in the upcoming by election on Sept 27th 2025 for a seat on White Rock City Council. Voting is at the White Rock Community Center. Every vote counts! If elected, I will support the issues most important to residents and local businesses, not developers with deep pockets!

Tired of politicians who promise to stick to the official community plan that limits heights, only for them to ignore those limits once elected? The current mayor and the majority on council have pushed for 25 and 30 story towers within our city and along North Bluff, completely in violation of the 2021 Official Community Plan (OCP) that we created last term.

We have a chance to change that through the upcoming by-election on September 27th. If we elect two more city councillors that honour their promises and their fiduciary duty to vote for what the voters of this city want, then your voices can be heard and we can push back on all this excessive development such as the 25 storey City Hub that was proposed at Russell and Johnston!

Vote for Scott Kristjanson. As a member of city council from 2018-2022, I kept all my election promises including making a successful motion that reduced maximum heights from 24 stories down to 12 based on three years of public consultation by our Council. I supported local businesses, the arts, and active living by supporting the new pickleball courts, and advocated for investing in our infrastructure such the need for a new ice plant at the Curling Rink.

During my last term as your White Rock city councillor:

  • Successfully moved to change the maximum heights to align with what residents asked for: to lower maximum heights and densities within uptown from a maximum of 24 stories down to 12 stories maximum.
  • Supported Marine Drive Businesses allowing them to serve customers on extended patios that reached out to the North Lane of Marine Drive, at a time when the province prevented them from serving customers inside during covid.
  • Voted for Clean and safe Drinking Water
  • Moved to reduce taxes and $29M of $80M White Rock tax dollars did not get spent last year. The rest of the council opposed reducing taxes.

My priorities continue to be:

  • Moratorium on more high rise development
  • Scrub the City Hub – a proposed 30 story high rise with millions paid by city taxes
  • Clean safe drinking water
  • Protect the environment, sea, and tree canopy
  • Support for indoor pickleball courts during winter and a new ice plant for the curling rink.
  • Address long waits for building single family homes and permit process for business Focus on infrastructure and city improvements that enhance our community.
  • Retain all existing older affordable homes and focus on housing affordability
  • Reduce taxes for businesses and homeowners. We pay 30% more taxes than Surrey and receive less services. That’s not right!
  • Clean up and enhance Marine Drive to make it more welcoming for families and tourists and a better draw for local businesses
  • Add a wharf to the pier as a place for families to rent boats, kayaks, swim and play
  • Improved beach access for those with mobility issues
  • Restore Shuttle Service to the beach to support local businesses and residents