He’s throwing his hat back in the ring.
Mike Starchuk has decided to defend his seat in the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale in the upcoming provincial election.
Starchuk told the Cloverdale Reporter, as the NDP party begins to run its nomination meetings in ridings around the province, he’s crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s on the paperwork to launch his own campaign.
“The process is underway,” Starchuk said. “It’s not just a one-and-done thing for me. I want to continue.”
With the election less than nine months away, Starchuk said he still has a lot of work to do in the lead up to it.
He said he’s got a few weeks before returning to the legislature. During that time, he’ll be busy in the constituency preparing his pre-election work.
“There’s things I can do here in the evenings,” he said. “Let’s get this part of it done. Then after sitting (in the legislature), around the end of May, we can concentrate on the other things that we’re trying to do.”
Starchuk said even though he’s the incumbent, the party still makes him meet a certain set of criteria before he is allowed to accept the nomination for the riding. So he still has that prep work to do.
He said he got into provincial politics because, 1.) he was “un-elected” as a municipal councilor in Surrey in the 2018 election, and 2.) he had a good relationship with John Horgan. Now he wants to continue on because of the difference he says he made for the people in the riding.
Starchuk said there’s some specific things he’s proud of being able to help do in Cloverdale. He cites the Agriplex funding, getting more than $6 million for the soon to be built seniors’ affordable housing project Zappone Manor, assistance to small businesses during COVID, and a $1.5 million grant to the harness racing folks at Fraser Downs, as some highlights.
“Those are the things that are 100 per cent fueling my engine for another term, ” said Starchuk. “Just me trying to provide them with continued support.”
Starchuk said with the spring legislation that his party has proposed—centred around housing, the cost of living, and finding ways to put money back in the pocket of the regular person—he sees some good things on the horizon for British Columbians.
“I’m looking forward to the next spring session coming up and what it is we’ll be able to do,” he explained. “We talk with constituents on a regular basis and we ask how we can make it more affordable for people. Is it a B.C. Hydro rebate that goes directly back to a person’s pocket, is it the family benefits that come out, or child care? We’re just increasing more child care spaces as the year goes on. And making that more affordable for the young people that are there.”
In terms of the next provincial election, the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale has changed. The western portion, from Highway 15 west, including West Cloverdale, is now part of the new riding of Surrey-Serpentine River.
The provincial election will be held Oct. 19, 2024.