> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.langleyunion.ca/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Langley City's independents and the balance of power - URL: https://www.langleyunion.ca/langley-citys-independents-and-the-balance-of-power/ - Published: 2026-10-16T19:01:41.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-16T19:01:41.000Z - Description: Five independents are running for Langley City council: Samuel Otim, Bruce Downing, Gurjit Dhillon, Val van den Broek and Jennifer Denman. We asked about housing near SkyTrain, renters, taxes and Invest Langley City. Here’s what they said, and how they could shape the balance of power. - Author: Rainer Fehrenbacher - Tags: 2026 Municipal Elections, 2026 City of Langley Municipal Election, City, Politics Reader-supported journalism ### Help keep daily local news in Langley. The Langley Union publishes original local reporting every day. No ads, no sponsored content, no paywalls, because community journalism should be available to everyone who lives here, not just those who can afford an online subscription. That model only works when readers who can pitch in, do. If you find real value in this work and want to help keep it going, becoming a paying member or leaving a tip makes the next article possible. If you're just here to read, that's welcome too. No pressure. [Become a member](https://www.langleyunion.ca/p/9ee68844-587f-4e61-81da-6f9526083b9f/?member%5Fstatus=free#/portal/) [Leave a tip](https://www.langleyunion.ca/tip-jar/) Five people running for Langley City council belong to neither slate. Samuel Otim, Bruce Downing, Gurjit Dhillon, Val van den Broek and Jennifer Denman are running as independents. They face 11 slate candidates for six council seats on 17 October. **No independent is running for mayor.** Three of the five answered our questions. Due to the proximity of the election and my limited bandwidth for preparing these articles, the response timeline was tighter that I would have liked. **That gap is our failing, not theirs**. Dhillon declined to take part because of it, and Denman did not reply. We hold that against neither of them. In our view, independent candidates matter in this election. Two slates are running 11 of the 16 council candidates, and **either one can control council with four of seven votes**. **Voters can choose up to six councillors, from any mix of candidates.** Choosing independents instead of a full slate is one way to keep a balance of power on council. We do not endorse any candidate. This profile tests what each one has said against the values that guide our work. ## At a glance Each point is the candidate's position, in their own terms. Under each, ✅ marks where we think it fits our values, and ⚠️ marks a concern. A point with no concern is not an endorsement. It only means we found no conflict with the values we explain below. Independents are not a team, so each candidate stands on their own. Dhillon and Denman did not answer our questions, so their points come from their public candidate statements. **Samuel Otim** - 🏘️ **Homes at the stations, without parking minimums.** Apartments and shops within a short walk of both SkyTrain stations, and no minimum parking for new homes there. Accessible parking would stay. - ✅ *This is the transit-oriented growth we want to see. Parking rules add to the cost of every new home.* - ⚠️ *He also wants to explore park-and-ride lots for SkyTrain riders. Built near stations, they would take land that could hold homes.* - 🔑 **Renters keep their place.** Relocation help, a right to return at affordable rents, and encouraging replacement of lost rental homes. - ✅ *Protecting renters through redevelopment fits our values.* - 🚲 **A connected city.** Finish a safe walking and cycling network for all ages, linking neighbourhoods and downtown to the stations. - ✅ *Built for everyday trips, not just experienced cyclists.* - 🧮 **The full cost first.** Independent figures for building, borrowing, running and replacing each Invest Langley City facility, with options for both, one or neither. - ✅ *That is the honest accounting we ask of everyone.* **Bruce Downing** - 🔑 **Developers pay displaced renters.** At least 25 per cent off a new suite, and equivalent rental housing at the same rent for at least 12 months. - ✅ *Specific, and it puts the cost on the redevelopment that causes the move.* - 🏘️ **Apartments near SkyTrain, with parking.** Yes to apartments and mixed-use buildings near the stations. No to removing parking minimums, because families now have two cars. - ✅ *More homes near transit fits our values.* - ⚠️ *Parking minimums make every new home pay for stalls, whether or not a family needs them.* - 🚸 **Fix Grade Crescent.** Make it safe for people walking, cycling and using mobility devices, and enhance Pleasantdale Creek for salmon. - ✅ *Practical, local fixes.* - 📬 **Answer every resident.** Council would write back to anyone who writes to it or presents to it. - ✅ *Open government starts with a reply.* **Gurjit Dhillon** (public statements only) - 💼 **Living wages.** He says every worker deserves a wage they can build a future on. - ✅ *Worker-first policy fits our values.* - 🔍 **Transparency and long-term planning.** Open communication, and decisions based on what the community needs. - ✅ *Open government fits our values.* **Val van den Broek** - 🏘️ **Apartments near SkyTrain.** Yes to apartments and mixed-use buildings near both stations. On parking minimums, it depends: cut them site by site where data supports it. - ✅ *More homes near transit fits our values.* - ⚠️ *Case-by-case cuts would keep parking costs in new homes wherever minimums stay.* - 💼 **Keep the living wage.** As mayor, she voted for the City’s living wage policies for staff and contractors, and she would continue them. - ✅ *Worker-first policy fits our values.* - 🗣️ **Hear the people council misses.** Daytime and online office hours, and plain-language summaries before big money votes. - ✅ *One of the most practical answers we received to that question.* - 🧾 **Hold taxes down.** Increases at or below inflation plus growth, through a line-by-line budget review. - ⚠️ *She names no savings.* **Jennifer Denman** (public statements only) - ♿ **Accessible services.** Local support for seniors and people with diverse abilities, so they can live independently. - ✅ *Inclusion fits our values.* - 👪 **Families.** Safe neighbourhoods, reliable local infrastructure and strong community programs. - 🏪 **Local business.** Help homegrown businesses grow. Like what you are reading? The Langley Union runs with no ads, no paywalls, and no sponsored content. Only readers like you keeping it going. [Leave a one-time tip ](https://langleyunionca.outpost.pub/donate?ref=langleyunion.ca) #### About this profile ****How we evaluate.** We use the same values as our slate profiles. They include homes people can afford, and neighbourhoods where you can walk, bike or take transit. They also include an honest count of what growth costs, open government, a voice for renters and workers, and care for nature. We credit candidates where they fit those values, and raise concerns only where they don't. ****What we asked.** We emailed all five candidates. Each candidate received the same 11 questions, plus three to five about their own record. Where a candidate left part of a question unanswered, we say so. ****Sourcing.** We used candidates' replies, the City's candidate page, City records and local news coverage. A candidate's claim is attributed to them until we could check it. Where a candidate made a claim about a rival or the current council that we could not check, we left it out. Independents run without a party's staff, so a short platform is normal. We assess what each has actually said. ****Disclosure.** At the time of publication, I sit on Langley City's Environmental Sustainability Committee as a member at large. I also took part in the City's Citizens' Assembly with Bruce Downing. ## Where independents fit ### How council works Council has seven members: the mayor and six councillors. **Four votes win**. ### The slates Slates have not usually been part of City elections. This year there are two. Langley City First is running Mayor Nathan Pachal and six council candidates, including councillors Paul Albrecht, Rosemary Wallace and Mike Solyom. Achieving for Langley City is running Councillor Delaney Mack for mayor and five council candidates. Councillors Teri James and Leith White are not running for City council again, so at least three seats will go to people who are not sitting councillors. ### What one independent can do If the mayor's slate wins two council seats and the other slate wins three, **one independent casts the deciding vote on every close question**. Short of that, an independent can still ask questions in public, bring motions forward and press for information to be released. ### What one can't do One independent cannot block a four-vote majority alone. Two make it more likely that no slate reaches four. ### In our view A council where no single slate controls every decision would face more questions and public accountability before big votes. That is a reason to consider independents, whichever slate you prefer. **You can mark up to six names for council, from any mix of candidates**. General voting day is Saturday 17 October, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Timms Community Centre. ## Who is running | Candidate | Lives in | Background | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Samuel Otim | Township of Langley, near the City boundary | Economist with a PhD; has taught college; has served on a regional labour council’s executive board | | Bruce Downing | Langley City | Community volunteer; has brought projects to council since 2018 | | Gurjit Dhillon | Langley City | Wood and timber technologist; strata council member; ran for City council in 2022 | | Val van den Broek | Langley City | Mayor 2018 to 2022; councillor 2014 to 2018; endorsing Achieving for Langley City | | Jennifer Denman | Langley City | Support worker | ## Samuel Otim ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/c4/4cc4e4f9-b586-4a72-8664-0bd9dc7aec41/content/images/2026/10/Otim_Samuel_2026.webp) ### Who he is Otim holds a PhD in economics and says he has more than 15 years of experience in economics, data and public policy. He has taught at the college level. He served on the executive board and political action committee of the New Westminster & District Labour Council. On that committee, he helped vet candidates for local office, including in the Langleys. Before moving to Langley more than eight years ago, he lived in Burnaby and made presentations to its council. The City's candidate list gives his home as the Township of Langley. He says he lives a block from the City boundary, and that his family plans to move into the City. He says he has never held a role with, donated to or campaigned for a party, riding association or municipal elector organization. ### What he proposes Safe streets, smart growth and a shared future: community safety, growth matched by infrastructure, and a strong local economy. He also promises careful spending, transparency and public engagement. ### What he told us On housing, he said yes to apartments and shops near both stations, and **yes to removing minimum parking for new homes there**. Extra parking raises building costs, he said. He would balance this with on-street parking management. He wants Langley City to be "a connected city, not a congested city," and would also explore park-and-ride lots for people from surrounding areas. On renters, he would push for relocation help, compensation and a **right to return at affordable rents**, and would encourage replacing lost rental homes and building more non-market housing. He told us about meeting a couple while canvassing who had rented the same home for nearly 20 years. **On taxes, he offered a method, not a target**: essential services first, and the most scrutiny for projects that need ongoing subsidy. He wants to grow the tax base rather than keep asking current owners to pay more. He would publish the Invest Langley City borrowing scenarios for both expansions, one or neither. He cites the City's workbook: $73 million for Al Anderson Memorial Pool, and $107 million for Timms Community Centre and a performing arts centre. He would weigh the opinion vote seriously. He supports a living wage for City staff and contract workers. From the Citizens' Assembly, he would champion its balanced safety recommendation, which pairs a visible presence with outreach and support. For people without homes, he would put shelter, housing and health supports first. His climate action is an all-ages walking and cycling network to the stations. He would start with the meeting of 56 Avenue, Douglas Crescent and 203 Street, near a future station. **He would rule out amalgamation for the next term.** He named working families, renters, young people, newcomers, minority communities and seniors as least heard, and would hold youth and neighbourhood forums. He would work with Langley City First on SkyTrain readiness, and with Achieving for Langley City on spending review and budget transparency. ### In our view Otim's answers fit our values closely. He backs homes and an end to parking minimums at the stations, for the reason we would give: parking rules raise the cost of housing. His renter plan includes a right to return, and his climate action is a network built for everyday trips. On taxes he offers a method, not a number. His interest in park-and-ride lots is worth watching, because parking near stations uses land that could hold homes. ## Bruce Downing ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/c4/4cc4e4f9-b586-4a72-8664-0bd9dc7aec41/content/images/2026/10/Downing_Bruce_mug2026city.webp) ### Who he is Downing has brought several proposals to council and staff since 2018\. He says they led to a paved walkway on Grade Crescent, a walkway and student crossing at Simonds Elementary, and signs marking two historic railways around the City. This year, he says, he started a salmon project on Pleasantdale Creek with partners including Fisheries and Oceans Canada. He says he was a working member of the City's Citizens' Assembly. He says he missed two candidates’ forums because of a family Thanksgiving trip he had planned last spring. ### What he proposes An independent voice who will speak up and still work with council. His campaign centres on better communication between council, staff and residents, and on projects that take too long at City Hall. ### What he told us He said yes to apartments and mixed-use buildings near the stations, but **no to removing parking minimums**, because "families are now two car families." Developers would have to compensate tenants displaced by redevelopment, with at least 25 per cent off a new suite and equivalent rental housing at the same rent for at least 12 months. **He would set no tax plan before seeing the budget and holding an open house**. He would publish the Invest Langley City borrowing scenario. Asked how he would treat the opinion vote, he answered yes for the pool and no for the other expansion. He wants a citywide road plan before dividing street space. Council received a draft of the City’s 25-year transportation plan, Transportation 2050, in January 2026\. He says Grade Crescent is a hazard for people walking, cycling and using mobility devices. His climate action is enhancing Pleasantdale Creek for salmon. He would support a living wage depending on its cost and on residents' support. On homelessness, he would cost out solutions and ask people without homes what they need. On the Citizens' Assembly, he says no formal report or budget went to its members, council or staff, and asks whether residents got value for money. The Assembly's seven recommendations went to council in the 9 February 2026 agenda package, but did not include a total cost figure. On the Township, he would bring in a professional negotiator. He sees amalgamation as a question of power, control and money, and wants a financial analysis before council takes a position. He did not name the residents council hears least, beyond the silent majority, and named no issue to work on with either slate. On past political activity, he answered that he had none at this time. His example of delay is a sign about salmon in Pleasantdale Creek. He says he proposed it to council in May 2025 and has received no letter from council, staff or the environment committee about the delay. He would make sure council answers every resident who writes to it or presents to it. ### In our view Downing's renter plan is one of the most concrete we received. It puts the cost of displacement on the project that causes it. His push to fix Grade Crescent would make a street safer for people walking, cycling and using mobility devices. Our concern is parking. Minimums make every new home near transit pay for stalls, whether or not a family needs them, and that works against the affordability he wants for renters. ## Gurjit Dhillon ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/c4/4cc4e4f9-b586-4a72-8664-0bd9dc7aec41/content/images/2026/10/Dhillon_Gurjit_mug2026.webp) ### Who he is Dhillon is a wood and timber technologist who works with major utilities. He serves on technical committees that help develop industry standards, and is an active strata council member. He ran for City council in 2022. ### What he proposes Transparency, accountability and responsible long-term planning. He supports living wages, affordability, strong local businesses and careful use of tax dollars. He says "every worker deserves dignity, stability, and ability to build a future here." ### What he told us Dhillon declined to answer our questions. He said the short reply window was unfair to independents. #### In our view Dhillon's support for living wages and his focus on open government fit our values. He has not said publicly where he stands on housing near SkyTrain, parking or Invest Langley City. That is a gap in the public record, not a judgment against him. ## Val van den Broek ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/c4/4cc4e4f9-b586-4a72-8664-0bd9dc7aec41/content/images/2026/10/van20den20Broek_Val_2026.webp) #### Who she is Van den Broek was elected to council in 2014 and served as mayor from 2018 to 2022\. Pachal defeated her in 2022\. She says she has 25 years of service with the RCMP, the Township and Langley City Hall. She says she sat on TransLink’s Mayors’ Council when it decided to extend SkyTrain to Langley. **She is running as an independent, but says she is "personally endorsing Delaney Mack for Mayor and her 5 candidates."** She endorsed Mack and three other council candidates in 2022, when she did not run with a slate. ### What she proposes Reasonable taxes, a return to core services instead of what she calls vanity projects, and Community Safety Officers trained in mental health. She would also work with the Township to keep the RCMP in Langley, and promises open communication. ### What she told us She said yes to apartments and mixed-use buildings near SkyTrain. **On parking minimums, it depends**: she would cut them site by site where data shows it works, since families, trades and seniors still need vehicles. On renters, she would review the City's tenant relocation policy after the election. **She would hold tax increases at or below inflation plus growth** through a line-by-line review. Her 38.52 per cent figure is the 2023 to 2026 increases, compounded. She would publish the Invest Langley City borrowing scenario with yearly debt costs. If residents vote no on the expansions, she would not support going ahead this term. She said she brought the living wage policy to council as mayor. Council minutes show it came forward as a staff report in April 2021, but do not show who asked for it. She voted for both parts: a living wage for City staff, which passed with no votes against, and one for contractors, which passed 4 to 3\. She also voted against an amendment that would only have encouraged contractors to pay a living wage. She would keep the policy. She has not seen a final Assembly report with costing. Her Community Safety Officers would handle low-risk calls and connect people to services, paid for by shifting existing safety spending. She could not yet estimate their cost. For people without homes, she wants housing and supports, not only enforcement. Her climate action is a review of the City's tree canopy and stormwater system, with a plan to maintain them. She would look first at Fraser Highway and 203 Street. On the Township, she would share services where it saves money, under written agreements. On the RCMP, she would make a costed case, negotiate in good faith and have a backup plan. **She would support an amalgamation referendum if residents, the Province or both councils formally proposed one.** Our [amalgamation article](https://www.langleyunion.ca/should-the-langleys-amalgamate-and-what-does-the-evidence-actually-say/) sets out the evidence on that question. She named renters, youth, newcomers and people working multiple jobs or shifts as least heard. She would vote issue by issue. She would work with Langley City First on fiscal transparency, and with Achieving for Langley City on downtown safety. On her record, she pointed to her push for fiscal transparency, and said serving as mayor through COVID reinforced for her the value of respectful debate. She did not answer our question on past political activity. ### In our view Van den Broek's record on the living wage is a real credit, and her answer on hearing from renters, youth and shift workers is one of the most practical we received. Her case-by-case approach to parking would leave the cost of stalls in new homes wherever minimums stay, and her tax cap comes with no named savings. Her renter plan waits until after the election. Her endorsement of a full slate sits alongside her pledge to vote issue by issue. Voters can weigh both. ## Jennifer Denman ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/c4/4cc4e4f9-b586-4a72-8664-0bd9dc7aec41/content/images/2026/10/Denman_Jennifer_2026.webp) ### Who she is Denman is a support worker. ### What she proposes She says she is running to "make sure every voice in our community is heard and supported." Her priorities are **accessible services for seniors and people with diverse abilities**, safe neighbourhoods and reliable infrastructure for families, and support for homegrown businesses. ### What she told us **Denman did not reply to our questions by the deadline.** ### In our view Denman's focus on accessibility and independence for seniors and people with diverse abilities fits our values. Her work as a support worker brings front-line experience to the race. She has not said publicly where she stands on housing, parking, taxes or Invest Langley City. #### What we asked Every candidate received these 11 questions, plus three to five about their own record. 1. Would you support apartments and mixed-use buildings within a short walk of the two planned SkyTrain stations, and removing minimum parking for new homes there? 2. What would you do to protect renters, including people displaced by redevelopment? 3. What is your plan for property taxes? Should the City publish the full Invest Langley City borrowing scenario? How will you treat the Community Opinion Vote? 4. How would you divide street space and spending between driving, walking, cycling and transit? Name one street or intersection you would change. 5. Would you support making the City a living wage employer for staff and contractors? 6. Which Citizens' Assembly recommendation would you champion, and is there any you would not support? What would you do for residents experiencing homelessness? 7. What one climate or environmental action should the City take next term? 8. How should the City work with the Township? Will you rule out amalgamation, support a referendum, or take another position? 9. Which residents does council hear from least, and what would you do to hear from them? 10. If one slate holds a majority, how will you decide your votes? Name one issue where you would work with each slate. 11. Have you ever held a role with, donated to, or campaigned for a party, riding association or municipal elector organization? ## References ### The election - City of Langley, [Local Election 2026](https://www.langleycity.ca/city-hall/local-election?ref=langleyunion.ca): candidate profiles, voting dates and the Community Opinion Vote - City of Langley, [Declaration of Election by Voting](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/declaration-election-voting-list?ref=langleyunion.ca), 21 September 2026 - City of Langley, [2022 official election results](https://langleycity.ca/news/2022-official-election-results-announcing-your-langley-city-representatives?ref=langleyunion.ca) - Global News, [B.C. municipal election 2022: Langley City results](https://globalnews.ca/news/9124383/bc-municipal-election-2022-langley-city-results?ref=langleyunion.ca) ### Candidates - Samuel Otim, [City candidate profile](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/2026-election-councillor-samuel-otim?ref=langleyunion.ca) and written reply, 15 October 2026 - Bruce Downing, [City candidate profile](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/2026-election-councillor-bruce-downing?ref=langleyunion.ca) and written reply, 14 October 2026 - Gurjit Dhillon, [City candidate profile](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/election-2026-councillor-gurjit-dhillon?ref=langleyunion.ca) and [campaign website](https://www.gurjitdhillon.ca/?ref=langleyunion.ca) - Val van den Broek, [City candidate profile](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/election-2026-councillor-val-van-den-broek?ref=langleyunion.ca), [campaign website](https://www.val4langleycity.ca/?ref=langleyunion.ca) and written reply, 15 October 2026 - Jennifer Denman, [City candidate profile](https://www.langleycity.ca/media/file/2026-election-councillor-jennifer-denman?ref=langleyunion.ca) - Langley Advance Times, [2014 Langley City election results](https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/news/schaffer-wins-city-of-langley-mayors-seat-updated-with-video-2461028?ref=langleyunion.ca) - CityNews, [Val van den Broek new mayor of Langley City](https://www.citynews1130.com/2018/10/20/langley-election-results/?ref=langleyunion.ca), 20 October 2018 - Aldergrove Star, [Langley City elects Nathan Pachal mayor](https://www.aldergrovestar.com/news/langley-city-elects-nathan-pachal-mayor/?ref=langleyunion.ca), 2022 ### City plans and records - City of Langley, [Invest Langley City](https://letschat.langleycity.ca/Invest?ref=langleyunion.ca) and [Community Opinion Vote preview](https://letschat.langleycity.ca/download%5Ffile/view/446/569?ref=langleyunion.ca) - City of Langley, [2026 Financial Plan](https://www.langleycity.ca/city-hall/finances-taxes/2026-financial-plan?ref=langleyunion.ca) - City of Langley, [Transportation 2050](https://www.langleycity.ca/city-hall/reports-plans-strategies/transportation-2050?ref=langleyunion.ca) - City of Langley, [Citizens' Assembly](https://www.langleycity.ca/community-culture/community-services/strategic-initiatives-social-planning/citizens-assembly?ref=langleyunion.ca), and [regular council minutes](https://pub-langleycity.escribemeetings.com//FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=20517&ref=langleyunion.ca), 9 February 2026 - City of Langley, [Community Safety Team](https://www.langleycity.ca/city-services/public-safety/community-safety-team-formerly-bylaw-enforcement?ref=langleyunion.ca) - City of Langley, [council minutes](https://pub-langleycity.escribemeetings.com/Meeting?Id=c5c1bd96-db4f-4b6d-8254-60224a5a0f4f&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=30&Tab=attachments&ref=langleyunion.ca), 12 April 2021 (living wage policies) --- ### What did you think? 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