Incumbent David Formosa has been re-elected as mayor of Powell River. Formosa earned 2,642 votes to defeat Ronald Woznow (1,992 votes) and Glenn Holstine (164 votes), according to data from CivicInfo BC.
Incumbent councillors Caroleann Leishman, Maggie Hathaway, Rob Southcott and Jim Palm were also re-elected. They will be joined by new councillors Cindy Elliott and George Doubt.
Below is the full list of mayoral and councillor candidates in Powell River.
Candidates
Mayor
David J Formosa (incumbent)
Glenn S Holstine
Ronald J Woznow
Council
William Ashworth
George Doubt
Allan K Drummond
Cindy Elliott
Kelli Gallagher
Maggie Hathaway (incumbent)
CaroleAnn Leishman (incumbent)
Terry Noreault
Jim Palm (incumbent)
Art Richards
Rob Southcott (incumbent)
Roger Whittaker
Sharon Wright
Boundary
You can find Powell River on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, just over 100 kilometres from Sechelt.
Population (2016)
13,157
History
Powell River formed part of the traditional territory of the Sliammon First Nation prior to settlement.
They’re a people who used the area to hunt, fish and trade, and they were also known for cedar canoes and totem poles.
Israel Wood Powell came to B.C. during the Cariboo Gold Rush in 1872.
He would become B.C.’s first superintendent of Indian affairs, serving in the role from 1872 to 1889.
Powell River would be named for him.
Logging camps set up in the area in the 1880s, and it also became a place where ships with the Union Steamship Company would stop.
A pulp paper mill was built in its waterfront between 1910 and 1912, and it would become the world’s biggest newsprint mill by 1930.
In 1910, Powell River started deducting money from workers’ paycheques to develop a medical plan, becoming the first B.C. community do so so.
The Patricia Theatre opened in 1913 and started showing movies in 1928. Today, it’s Canada’s oldest movie theatre that has continued operating.
Today, Powell River is also known for the “Hulks,” dismantled cargo boats and warships that form a breakwater in front of the city’s mill.
Powell River’s townsite was made a National Historic District in 1995.
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median
$101,120/$111,736
Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal/B.C.
65.04 (+6.38)/93.63 (-0.71)
RCMP — rural
37.86 (-36.41)/93.63 (-0.71)
Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal/B.C.
55.05 (+9.79)/74.86 (-9.81)
RCMP — rural/B.C.
41.79 (-62.98)/74.86 (-9.81)
Political representation
Federal
Rachel Blaney (NDP)
Provincial
Nicholas Simons (BC NDP)