Longtime Surrey councillor Villeneuve won’t run again
Judy Villeneuve, who has served as a Surrey city councillor for nearly three decades, has announced that she is not seeking re-election in October.
Villeneuve released a statement on Wednesday saying she is stepping down from her role to spend more time with her family. She also said she would not run for mayor.
“My 29 consecutive years on council have given me a tremendous opportunity to watch our city evolve and mature, and while I know there’s still plenty more to be done in the years ahead, I also know I want to spend more time with my family and make room for new voices who can continue building and shaping our city’s future,” said Villeneuve, who has been on Surrey city council since 1989.
Villeneuve said it has been a pleasure and privilege to be a city councillor, but made no mention in the statement of what she plans to do next.
“I’ll miss being on council, but I’m also very excited about what comes next,” added Villeneuve.
The Surrey First councillor said candidates are still submitting their names to run for mayor, and she has not endorsed a specific candidate.
Mayor Linda Hepner, who announced earlier this year that she would not run again in October, praised Villeneuve as a “tireless worker and advocate” for Surrey.
“When Judy speaks, people in Surrey listen, because they know she always puts their interests first, particularly when it comes to shaping neighbourhoods, and tackling important issues such as homelessness, art and culture, public safety and urban design. No one on council has Judy’s years of experience, and that’s been of tremendous value as we continue to write the next chapter in the Surrey story,” Hepner said in a statement.