New Westminster (May 11, 2022): Mayoral candidate Ken Armstrong is pleased to announce that long-time New Westminster resident Daniel Fontaine will be seeking a seat on council with the New West Progressives this fall.
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“It’s great to see someone with Daniel’s background, experience and commitment to New Westminster put his name forward once again to become a city councillor,” says Armstrong. “As an Indigenous person of Metis heritage, he brings a thoughtful perspective and understanding regarding how our city can better listen and engage with our residents, including those who have been historically marginalized.”
Fontaine was a council candidate in the 2018 civic election with the NWP. He garnered almost 5,300 votes and came in 7th place, falling just short of securing a seat on council. Fontaine has worked in senior roles for several high-profile non-profit organizations as well as the private sector. In 2015 he established Fontaine Consulting and he previously worked as a civic affairs columnist and radio commentator.
“I’m a resident of Quayside who lives in a dense urban area. That means I’ve got a front-row seat regarding some of the key challenges and opportunities associated with higher density,” says Fontaine. “I want to make sure that city hall doesn’t lose sight of the fact we need to address core issues like the poor state of our crumbling sidewalks, roads and infrastructure, as well as building affordable housing and reducing crime in our city.”
In March 2022 Fontaine was inducted into Canada’s Marketing, PR, Advertising and Communications Hall of Fame. In 2012 Fontaine was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for public service. He remains an active volunteer with the New Westminster Minor Hockey Association. In 2016 they presented him with the Volunteer of the Year award. Fontaine also was appointed by Mayor Cote to the Mayor\’s Taskforce on Public Engagement.
The NWP announced earlier this year that Paul Minhas, Jiayi Li-McCarthy and Rick Folka will be running as city council candidates. Additional city council and school board candidates will be announced in the coming months. The civic election is taking place on October 15, 2022.