Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Local News

Richmond 'alderman' congratulated for 50 years on council

Harold Steves was first elected to council in 1968
Maria Rantanen
Council 79
Harold Steves (top row, second from right) has been a Richmond councillor for 50 years. This was the council from 1979 to 1981.

Harold Steves was congratulated at Monday’s council meeting for 50 years of service as a Richmond councillor.

Steves was elected to council in 1968, but left in 1973 to serve for one term as the NDP MLA.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie thanked Steves for his 50 years of service on behalf of council and Richmond residents.

Brodie explained Steves was a “young school teacher,” when he was first elected as a Richmond “alderman,” as councillors were referred to then, and went on to a “long and industrious career.”

Steves was the MLA for Steveston in the mid-seventies when the NDP were in power.

“During (this) time, he was instrumental in a number of initiatives, the most prominent and that has been long-lasting is the Agricultural Land Reserve, but I emphasize there were a whole number of initiatives that Coun. Steves was part of,” Brodie said.

Steves said at the council meeting that he’s had people ask him how he’s lasted 50 years, and his reply has been: “Don’t expect things to happen instantly – some things take a long time.”

An example of a long-term project is the Terra Nova Slough, which will soon be opened for spawning salmon, Steves said. This was something that was first discussed in 1968.

“Sometimes it takes 50 years – so, that’s why I’m still here,” he said.

Brodie also pointed out Steves was involved in getting the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will soon be upgraded from a primary plant to a tertiary plant but will have many issues that will have to be dealt with municipally and provincially.

“We’ll draw on your long experience on that one as just one example,” Brodie said.

Steves isn’t planning to run again for council. The next municipal election is in 2022.