Michael Wolfe
Michael Wolfe
Michael Wolfe is seeking re-election for a second term. A centrist, elected in 2018 during a time of deep frustration with establishment politicians, Michael’s youth and extensive volunteer experience coupled with his integrity, have given him an advantage on council.
Known for his thoughtful, forward-thinking ideas and his ability to put power back into the hands of Richmond residents by listening to their concerns and ideas, Michael’s key policy initiatives have included taken action to protect farmland from sprawling, mega-mansions to ensure food security for generations to come; and helping stop dangerous illegal hunting.
A tireless advocate for the environment, Michael, a Richmond high school teacher with a master’s degree, has influenced and inspired a new generation of students. If again elected, in his second term, Michael plans to facilitate cooperation among council colleagues, senior staff, and property developers to create a vision for a sustainable future.
Committed to a new kind of leadership, Michael has the best attendance record (by far) for all council and committee meetings.
A lifelong resident of Richmond, Michael his wife and young daughter live in the Hamilton neighbourhood, where they grow berries, fruits and vegetables in their backyard.
Why am I running for City Council?
Michael is seeking re-election to Richmond City Council, as he has invested a great deal of time by attending more meetings than all the other councillors and has learned a great deal from attending committees that he is not even appointed to. His first term has been filled with pandemic-related issues and is hoping to take on his first standing committee chair position. With a new Chief Administrative Officer, a new Fire Chief, and a new RCMP Officer in Charge, Michael hopes to work with the next mayor and council to bring forward some much-needed policy changes that will bring us back better than before the pandemic. Some of his notable accomplishments have been raising attention to young family issues (as he has a 3-year-old daughter), raising issues for East Richmond and Hamilton residents (as he lives there), advocating for public environmental enhancement grants to restore and rewild our island, advocating for cycling training for public school students, and visiting all development sites BEFORE council considerations.
To learn more about Michael watch the video below:
— Michael Wolfe Quotes for Platform items —
“As a daily commuter along River Road, I have constant awareness of the issues that Richmond will face in a warmer world, as the tides combine with freshet runoff to surge the waters up our dike wall. For the 15 years before being elected and during this term, I have advocated for expediated dike raising and preservation of permeable surfaces inland. I am here to serve as Richmond’s resilient leader in a time of crisis.”
“As the youngest member on council, I’ve also been left behind by many people my age who cannot afford to buy or rent in Richmond. I’ve seen the majority on council vote for mega mansions, condo towers and luxury townhouses as fast as they can, going against our housing needs and city strategies, often leaving me in disbelief – as we have the solutions available to us.”
“Our budgetary process is flawed, due to a lack of collaboration between mayor and council. We’ve heard from staff that hiring new people can be spread over years, yet the majority chooses to hire as soon as possible, causing a jump in the property tax rate and takes away from other important costs that do not get considerations. We need a reboot on what taxes we collect and who should pay their fair share.”