The village of McBride has a new mayor, after Gene Runtz handily beat incumbent Loranne Martin. Runtz earned 127 ballots for 45 per cent of the vote compared to Martin’s 23.8 per cent, according to unofficial results posted by CivicInfo BC.
All four council candidates have been acclaimed after no other challengers came forward. Two of the councillors, Lucille Green and Rosemary Hruby, will serve their first full terms after being elected to council in a 2017 byelection. Allan M. Frederick and Diane R. Smith have been acclaimed to council for their first terms.
Below is the full list of the candidates for mayor and council.
Candidates
Mayor:
Loranne Martin (incumbent)
Gene Runtz
Rick Thompson
Council:
Allan M. Frederick
Lucille Green (incumbent)
Rosemary Hruby (incumbent)
Diane R. Smith
Boundary
McBride is located in central eastern B.C., along the Yellowhead Highway and the Fraser River. It’s just over 200 kilometres from Prince George.
Population (2016)
616
History
The McBride area was home to the Secwepemc and the Lheidli T’enneh before a railway was built through the Yellowhead Pass in 1872.
It would be the early 20th century before McBride started to grow, as the Grand Trunk Railway was built through the Robson Valley.
Rail and shipping would become early industries for McBride alongside agriculture and forestry.
McBride became a village in the 1930s, and the Yellowhead Highway would arrive in 1970.
McBride residents have included draft dodgers, forestry workers, Mennonites, farmers and artists.
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median
$101,632/$111,736
Political representation
Federal
Bob Zimmer (Conservative)
Provincial
Shirley Bond (BC Liberal)
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