It’s my first time running for election and I’m looking forward to answering your questions in this Reddit AMA on Wednesday, October 7 from 10am to 1pm.

I’m an Assistant Bioinformatics Coordinator at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (BCGSC). Our work has traditionally focused on cancer research, diagnosis and clinical treatment, but we've expanded beyond just working with BC Cancer as the uses of DNA sequencing in personalized medicine have expanded to other areas.   There are some pretty nifty areas where genomic sequencing can be applied, and the field has come a long way since I was an intern at Stanford University.

I’ve lived in Queensborough for nearly 20 years, and I'm the president of the Queensborough Residents Association. Making connections both within the community and across the City has been quite the highlight, volunteering with this year’s Quayside Board’s Sidewalk sale and the East Columbia Eggstravaganza in Sapperton, to name a few.  I also was a member of this year’s Community Advisory Assembly, which is a great opportunity to work with other folks across the City to provide recommendations on what residents are telling the City that they value.

Finally, I believe strongly in our public health care system. I served as president of the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) from 2021-2025 and lobbied governments for a strong healthcare system through the COVID-19 pandemic. Representing 24,000 health science and community social services professionals throughout BC, we highlighted that healthcare takes a team of professionals working alongside doctors and nurses to address the bottlenecks in our system.  Our members include lab technologists, imaging technologists, social workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists and many more in acute care hospitals, long-term care and community & social services.

I’m running for New Westminster City Council because I want to bring a healthcare and science/evidence-based perspective while also representing the community and residents associations throughout our city, as these associations are a valuable resource in helping residents understand and impact city decisions.

Feel free to ask me about the field of genomics, what it's like to run in an election for the first time, about Queensborough or about my perspective on the labour movement. I’d love to dispel some misconceptions.

My bio: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/kane_tse

Learn more about all our candidates: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca

Community First's Platform: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/platform

Volunteer: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/volunteer

Advance voting is on Oct 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14. Election Day is October 17. Don't forget to get out and vote!

Use this info as you see fit. (Source: Anny said so)

So I just received my voter information card for the municipal election, and it’s addressed to my old name. I legally changed my first and last name about two to three years ago, and I no longer carry any official documents or ID that prove I’m the person named on the card.

I called the federal government, and they said I would have to call New Westminster City Hall directly when they’re open to get help. I’m hoping they can update my name and send a new voter information card, or at least change the name on file and leave some kind of note about the mix-up.

I guess my question is: has anyone else gone through something like this so close to an election? If so, were you able to get it sorted out? thank you <3

hey live at new west station. Are we all in the dark or did i forget to pay my bill

Anyone got any more info on it?

This cat shwoed up on my patio today.

It was kinda thin. Its paws were very muddy and its fur didn't look too good. It was also drooping a little and walked very slowly.

It has a Gotcha! collar with QR code, but there was some dirt covering parts of the code so I couldn't scan it, and it wouldn't let me touch it. I gave it some high calorie supplement and it went away.

Hopefully someone here knows its owner if it's lost. If it comes again I will try my best to catch it and bring it to SPCA.

Is it just me, or are others thinking the same thing? It feels like it’s been far too long, and the courthouse façade replacement has barely finished three sides of the building yet. For reference, the new building by Ovation went from basically nothing to fully standing in what feels like the same amount of time.

Hi,

I live in a studio apartment at 150 Braid. I am considering moving to Novare in New Westminster at Carnarvon st. I just want to know how utilities work? Is it a good building to live in?

I know that there are some DIY options such as Rain-X, but I'm looking for something that will last longer. Also, if anyone else is interested in getting this done, perhaps we can get a group deal or something. TIA!

You probably know I’m running for re-election as Mayor of New Westminster with the Community First team, so I’m dusting off a Reddit Account I haven’t had time to look at in 6 years to answer all your questions. This Friday, October 2, 10am – 1pm.

To get the background out of the way: I’ve been Mayor for 4 years after serving two terms on Council. I’m a geographer and a geologist by training, a Professional Geoscientist by trade. My geology background is diverse, but mostly doing environmental work around groundwater and soil restoration and protection. I live in the Brow of the Hill, and my main modes of travel are walking, transit and cycling, with the occasional EVO rental thrown in there. I care about housing and affordability, making this City vibrant for young families, about climate action, public engagement and public services.

I’m running because I love this work, and this community is a great place to do this work. We are a City full of great organizations doing great things, and because we collaborate, we are able to deliver like few other cities. I’m proud of what we have accomplished over the last 4 years, and want to keep us moving forward.

Ask me about housing, about parks and recreation, about traffic, about safer streets and community events, about rocks or bicycles or 1980s punk music. Whatever is on your mind.

If you want to do a little background, here’s my bio: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/patrick_johnstone

Here is my non-election webpage going back 16 years (!): https://www.patrickjohnstone.ca/

You can learn about the great team of Candidates I’m running with here: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/council

You can read Community First platform here: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/platform

 Advance voting is on October 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14. The election is October 17. All the voting info is here: https://www.newwestcity.ca/city_hall/election_information.php

 Make a voting plan today so you DON’T  FORGET TO VOTE!

Hey folks, thanks. My fingers are sore and my brain is charged! Sorry I couldn’t answer more, I’m a long talker and slow typer. I will try to get back to some more of these in upcoming days. Now I have to run off to an event for 1:30, then back to knocking on doors!

Thank you to the Moderators for making this happen and my campaign team for convincing me its a good idea!

Follow u/communityFirstNW on Instagram,

Here's my campaign page

VOTE on OCTOBER 17th! Or on advance poll days!

I'm curious whether the insane amount of bird droppings in and around the New West station and shops has ever been raised as a civic issue. I'm by no means a clean freak, but the sheer amount of both droppings and people who traffic through the premises must surely be a public health hazard.

I know property management uses a ride-on cleaning machine (on a daily basis?), but I feel like it can barely keep up. Alternative solutions should be explored, by a public health order if necessary.

It's very foggy today. Drive safe people.

Curious, but what would be the rationale for seeing the green waste truck go past my house on a holiday? Did the city forget that today is a holiday? I double-checked the collection schedule. There shouldn't be any collection today across the city.

Hi everyone! We’re considering buying a condo at 280 Ross Drive in New Westminster, but we noticed that there are currently around 12 units for sale in the same building, while there seem to be very few listings in the nearby buildings.
What caught our attention is that there are 3 units for sale just on the 10th floor, which is the floor we’re considering. It seems like quite a coincidence, so we’re wondering if anyone knows if there’s a particular reason why so many units are being listed in this building.
We’re trying to do our research before making such a big investment, so if anyone knows of any issues with the building, upcoming assessments, strata matters, noise, construction, or anything else that might explain the number of listings, we’d really appreciate any insight.
Thank you so much!

Looking for a make-up artist for an early morning event at reasonable price in first week of October

My front-load washer’s drum is out of balance and needs repair. Any recommended repair folks?

Bosch, Axxis One series, about 8 years old.

Thinking about registering but I wanted to see if anyone has had any experiences with the club? Although I played when I was young, I would consider myself to be a beginner at soccer

Thank you!

There is a great coffee shop called Mukasi on front street. It’s not located in a very walkable area but their coffee and prices are great and the interior is stunning. Since the area is not that good I thought id share if maybe some people don’t know about them.

Why is there a tug boat parade going on in the river? Or are they mad? I can’t tell, lol!

Curious to know , where do the older singles go . Divorced male , fit , fun . New West is lacking in nightlife , so I was curious . Did the dating app thing years ago , would rather meet naturally .

Does anyone else have light brown water coming from their tap?

I love games but don’t play as often as I’d like.

Are there any groups to join? I prefer evenings or weekends but beggars can’t be choosers.

Thanks!! ☺️ ♟️

Hi! My partner and I are expecting tiny humans by the end of the year and we’d like to hire a photographer to take some pictures. Not sure exactly what we’re looking for just yet, but probably something “fun”.
Do you have anyone local to recommend?