A new law that will disqualify MLAs from holding another local elected office will trigger a byelection in Abbotsford.
The Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act passed third reading on Tuesday (May 27). It is expected to receive royal assent on Thursday and become law.
The law will prevent MLAs from continuing to serve in local elected offices 鈥� such as city council or school board 鈥� after their election to the legislature.
It also says that, on the date the bill receives royal assent, any serving MLAs holding one of those posts will be deemed to have resigned their municipal role.
Eleven MLAs who previously held municipal positions resigned their posts after the provincial election last October.
But two B.C. Conservatives 鈥� Abbotsford West MLA Korky Neufeld and Langley-Aldergrove MLA Misty Van Popta 鈥� opted to remain in their municipal roles as a school trustee and city councillor, respectively.
Neufeld, who is serving his fifth term as a school trustee, on Tuesday reiterated that his primary reason for remaining in both roles was to save taxpayers the estimated $300,000 cost of a byelection.
Under the Local Government Act, a vacancy that occurs after Jan. 1 on the year of a municipal election does not require a byelection. The next Abbotsford election is on Oct. 17, 2026.
Neufeld said it was a 鈥渕utual plan鈥� of his and the Abbotsford board of education to carry out his responsibilities until Jan. 2, at which point he could have resigned without the 鈥渇inancial burden鈥� of a byelection.
鈥淭hroughout this period, I was able to virtually participate in my role as a trustee while managing my responsibilities as a newly elected MLA during the spring session, taking unpaid leaves as necessary to fulfill both commitments,鈥� he said.
Neufeld said had the B.C. Conservatives formed government last fall, he would have been forced to resign immediately due to potential conflicts of interest.
鈥淗owever, as a member of the Opposition, fulfilling both roles presented minimal conflicts, particularly with the support of both the board of education and the Conservative caucus to help navigate any challenges,鈥� he said.
Neufeld calls passage of the bill an 鈥渁larming overreach鈥� by the NDP government. He said it should be a decision of the constituents 鈥� and not of the provincial government 鈥� on whether an elected representative serves in two roles at once.
He said a byelection places an 鈥渦nnecessary financial strain鈥� on the Abbotsford school district.
鈥淭he requirement for the district to pay $300,000 for a trustee who earns a stipend of just $33,000 is a misguided use of resources that should be allocated to the classroom and our students,鈥� Neufeld said.
Shirley Wilson, chair of the board of education, said the board is also concerned about the district having to hold a byelection, "particularly in a year where boards across British Columbia are facing unprecedented budget challenges."
"We believe these public funds would be better invested directly in students and classrooms. This is a significant expense for a seat that would be in place for little more than one year before the next scheduled municipal election in 2026," she said.
Wilson said that since Neufeld was elected as an MLA, he "has remained a committed and engaged trustee, continuing to serve our district with dedication."
"His departure would be a significant loss to our board and to the students and families we serve," she said
Vam Popta also cited the cost of a byelection as the reason she was retaining her seat as a Township of Langley councillor.
A date for the byelection will not be announced until after the bill receives royal assent.
The bill was first presented March 3 in the legislature by BC NDP MLA Darlene Rotchford (Equimalt-Colwood).
It was supported by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, which said MLAs shouldn't be "double dipping" by collecting two paycheques for representing the same constituents.
