> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.upperfraservalley.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 2026 Municipal Election Guide - Agassiz and Hope - URL: https://www.upperfraservalley.news/upper-fraser-valley-news-2026-municipal-election-guide/ - Published: 2026-10-03T16:19:07.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-03T16:22:27.000Z - Description: There is no contested mayoral race in either Agassiz/Kent or Hope in 2026. Both mayoral candidates are the sole nominees and will therefore take office by acclamation. In Agassiz, the municipal government is formally the District of Kent. - Author: Editorial Team - Tags: Agassiz, Hope, Kent ## Agassiz / District of Kent Mayor ### Susan Spaeti **Acclaimed Mayor — District of Kent** ![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/f18a6d1cde4b205199de8729a6637b42/2026/10/Councillor-Susan-Spaeti---Fraser-Valley-Today.png) Councilor Susan Spaeti - Fraser Valley Today ### Background Susan Spaeti is a **three-term District of Kent councilor**, first elected in **2014**. She announced her mayoral candidacy after longtime Mayor Sylvia Pranger decided not to seek re-election. Spaeti said during her announcement that she has served on council for the past 12 years and described Agassiz as the community where she grew up and raised her family. No other candidate filed for mayor, so the 2026 District of Kent election is being held only for the **four council positions**. ### Municipal experience Spaeti enters the mayor's office with substantial experience in the council and committees. During the current council term, her assignments have included: - Parks, Recreation and Trails Committee; - Regional Aquatic Centre Fundraising Committee; - alternate member of the Kent Agricultural Advisory Committee; - Harrison-Agassiz Chamber of Commerce; - Fraser Health Municipal Government Advisory Council; - Healthy Communities; - Tourism Harrison River Valley Board; - alternate representative to the Fraser Valley Regional District and Fraser Valley Regional Hospital District; and - Deputy Mayor from May through October 2026\. That portfolio gives her experience across recreation, tourism, health, agriculture, business and regional government. ### Community involvement Publicly available information also identifies community and education-related volunteer work. Her LinkedIn profile lists previous service as a **PAC treasurer with School District 78**, including Harrison Hot Springs Elementary and Agassiz Elementary Secondary School, as well as service as treasurer of the Cheam Vista Concert Society. She has also completed Level 1 and Level 2 Local Government Leadership Academy certification. ### Why she says she sought the mayor's office Spaeti framed her candidacy principally around **continuity, community service and collaboration**. In announcing her candidacy, she said she wanted to continue giving back to the community and emphasized listening and working together while helping build what she described as a strong and positive future for the District of Kent. ### Issues to watch Because there was no mayoral contest, Spaeti has not had to publish the kind of detailed competitive campaign platform that we are seeing in Chilliwack. However, based on her current municipal responsibilities and the major issues before Kent, areas worth following during the next term include: **Agriculture and farmland** — Kent remains one of the Upper Fraser Valley's most agriculture-dependent municipalities. **Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge** — the Highway 9 rehabilitation is a significant regional transportation issue affecting residents, farms, businesses and tourism. **Recreation infrastructure** — Spaeti has served on the Regional Aquatic Centre Fundraising Committee, making the new Lets'emó:t Regional Recreation & Aquatic Centre particularly relevant to her municipal record. **Tourism and business development** — her existing assignments include both the Harrison-Agassiz Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Harrison River Valley. **Regional cooperation** — particularly relationships among Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, neighbouring First Nations, the FVRD and provincial agencies. ### Election status **Susan Spaeti — elected mayor by acclamation.** The October 17 vote in Kent is therefore for **four councilors**, not mayor. ## Hope Mayor ### Victor Smith **Incumbent Mayor — acclaimed for another term** ![](https://cdn.mymidnight.blog/f18a6d1cde4b205199de8729a6637b42/2026/10/Victor-Smith-Mayor-of-Hope.png) Mayor Victor Smith ### Background Victor Smith was **born and raised in Hope** and has a long record of local business, volunteer and municipal involvement. Before becoming mayor, Smith served a four-year term as a District of Hope councillor. He ran for mayor in 2022 and defeated former mayor Wilfried Vicktor by **1,103 votes to 495**. He is now the incumbent mayor and also represents Hope on the **Fraser Valley Regional District board**. ### 2026 election status Smith was the **only candidate nominated for mayor in 2026**. As a result, there is no mayoral contest in Hope; he will return as mayor by acclamation. Hope voters will still go to the polls on October 17 to elect **six councillors**. [Hope](https://hope.ca/index.asp?DE=C7E88928-B191-4EA2-A1DE-6379DAA025CB&SEC=D9102FD9-B15E-4F79-BA32-9DB7853D746F&utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) ### Business and community background Before his mayoralty, Smith owned **Riggers Industrial Sales** and served as president of the Hope & District Chamber of Commerce. His broader community record includes approximately: - 10 years as president/director of the Hope & District Chamber of Commerce; - 12 years coordinating Hope Communities in Bloom; and - 10 years as chair, vice-chair or director of Community Futures Sun Country. That gives Smith a background extending beyond municipal politics into business development, tourism-oriented beautification and regional economic development. ### Issues emphasized during his mayoralty Smith's publicly documented municipal priorities have included several recurring themes. **Infrastructure** He has emphasized roads, utilities, asset management and long-term infrastructure replacement. In the District's recent annual report, Smith said the Council has continued to invest in roads, utilities, and major capital projects while working to address longstanding infrastructure deficits. **Dyking, river health and emergency preparedness** These have been longstanding concerns for Smith. A published biography identifies dyking, river health, community safety and infrastructure improvements as priorities. That matters considerably in Hope, given its location at the confluence of major rivers and the intersection of several transportation corridors. **Financial management** Smith has publicly emphasized the need to balance infrastructure investment with the impact on taxpayers and businesses. In the District's recent reporting, he described financial management, long-term planning and sustainable funding as continuing council priorities. **Housing** Housing affordability was among Smith's stated priorities when he was elected mayor in 2022\. At the time, he specifically discussed the need for smaller and more affordable housing options for people struggling with rising costs. **First Nations relationships** Smith's recent mayoral reporting also highlights improved communication and engagement with neighbouring First Nations. **Regional relationships** His published biography emphasizes building partnerships and maintaining regional relationships as central to his approach to municipal leadership. ## ### I ###