Newly elected North Vancouver mayor to tackle housing, traffic

Reported by Alberto Tufano

North Vancouver city’s new mayor says she is eager to begin the job of tackling solutions for the region’s biggest problems.

“We need to move forward because there are big challenges,” said Linda Buchanan, who will be taking over the reins from Darrell Mussatto after his 12 years as mayor. “First of all housing affordability, and people are frustrated with the traffic congestion. We need immediately to start with these issues.”

Buchanan won the race for mayor with a slim 401 vote lead over Guy Heywood, the 59-year-old accounting and finance expert who wanted to develop a plan with the district to reduce gridlock.

Buchanan, a longtime councillor, emphasized her creative solutions to affordable housing during her campaign.

She will be getting support from new council members like Tony Valente.

“I am looking forward to working with the new mayor and the entire team,” he said.

Buchanan said she hopes to achieve a lot with her new team.

“This is going to be an amazing council,” said Buchanan, observing that city council has been rejuvenated by all the newcomers.

“I am sorry only for Mack [McCorkindale],” she said about the only councillor not elected from the team supporting her. “He is in his 20s and it’s not easy to put yourself out there.”

Buchanan is the third female mayor in the city’s history, following Carrie Cates and Barbara Sharp.

“I think we need a lot of women in leadership roles,” she said. “It’s really hard for women sometimes, but I am really proud of the [other] women who are going to be in council with me, too, and the men.”

Buchanan was not the only female mayor elected on the North Shore. In West Vancouver, Coun. Mary Ann Booth narrowly defeated Mark Sager, a former mayor who came forward to challenge her after being out of politics for years.