Four sitting Delta councillors are running under the party name One Delta in this fall’s civic election, and they have a familiar face in their corner.
On Tuesday (April 7), councillors Daniel Boisvert, Rod Binder, Jennifer Johal and Dylan Kruger announced the new name of their slate, and that former longtime city councillor Bruce McDonald is One Delta’s party president.
“Delta deserves steady leadership that empowers all members of council and respects taxpayers,” McDonald, who served nine terms on council and in 2023 became only the fourth person ever to receive the Freedom of the City Award, said in a press release.
“I’ve spent 35 years watching mayors come and go, and I’m very worried about the current leadership and the impact it’s having. The strongest teams are those willing to ask tough questions and have open, respectful debate. One Delta brings together experienced leaders who are not afraid to do just that. Taxpayers can have confidence in a team committed to accountability, transparency and putting the community first, which is why I’m standing with One Delta.”
First elected in 1988, McDonald retired from public office in 2022, endorsing Mayor George Harvie’s Achieving for Delta slate ahead of that year’s municipal election.
Boisvert, Binder, Johal and Kruger were all elected in 2022 as Harvie’s slate swept the race for council and won all but one school board seat.
However, the working relationship between the four and the mayor soured over the ensuing term, and early last December the councillors were served notice that Achieving for Delta would not be endorsing them as candidates in the coming civic election.
In a joint statement at the time, Boisvert, Binder, Johal and Kruger said Harvie’s “unilateral” decision to remove them from the slate was “aimed at silencing voices that have raised concerns about the mayor’s pattern of reckless spending and increasingly erratic decision-making.”
“Delta residents deserve a council that collaborates effectively. Our goal has always been to work together, engage in open debates, and respect differing opinions. Unfortunately, the mayor seems more focused on exerting control,” the councillors said.
The four previously announced they were forming a new municipal party on Feb. 12, at the time under the name “Delta First.” However, unbeknownst to them, another slate had also applied to register that name with Elections BC, submitting their paperwork days ahead of the four councillors.
The team then submitted to register the name One Delta, waiting until they received confirmation from Elections BC before re-announcing their campaign.
According this week’s press release, One Delta is focused on “rebuilding trust at city hall, strengthening financial oversight, and continuing city-wide improvements to Delta’s roads and facilities.”
Other priorities include strengthening transparency; supporting police, fire and emergency preparedness teams; encouraging open council debate and citizen-led committees; and making city hall more welcoming and responsive to residents.
“Residents want city hall to get back to basics,” Kruger said. “They want dependable services, well-maintained roads and parks, and leadership focused on practical results, not political theatre. Having someone with Bruce McDonald’s experience and reputation step forward to support this team reinforces how important it is that we restore trust and put Delta first.”
The four councillors say it’s time for leadership that listens, plans for tomorrow and delivers for residents, noting that improving transparency and public involvement is essential to restoring trust.
“We want people to feel welcome at city hall, instead of feeling like they’re fighting it,” Johal said. “Residents deserve to know their voices matter and that their input will shape local decisions. It’s time we trust our residents and make them part of the process.”
Public safety is a core focus of One Delta, with the party committing to support first responders and ensure neighbourhoods remain safe.
“When people feel safe where they live, the whole community benefits,” Binder said. “We will continue advocating for the resources that our first responders need to do their jobs well.”
On infrastructure, the party says Delta must continue making steady, city-wide improvements to the facilities residents rely on every day.
“Playgrounds, sports fields, and recreation centres must continue to be maintained, and all parts of Delta deserve access to these services,” Boisvert said. “Consistent investment requires leadership that listens and plans. We’re going to keep improving what residents use most, upgrade what’s aging and build for the future.”
“One Delta is ready to lead,” Kruger said. “Taxpayers deserve a city hall that treats their money with care, makes decisions in the open and never forgets who we’re here to serve. We have the experience, the focus and the commitment needed to build a stronger, more affordable community for the people who call Delta home.”
The party intends to run a full slate of candidates in the 2026 municipal election — set for Saturday, Oct. 17 — and it is registered with Elections BC to run candidates for both city council and Delta school board.
However, One Delta has not announced any other candidates, nor indicated who will its candidate for mayor, with Tuesday’s release stating the party will announce the full slate at a later date.
Rumour has long circulated that Dylan Kruger intends to mount a campaign for mayor. In mid-February, Kruger told the Reporter he was “actively considering a run for mayor,” but had not made a final decision.
Harvie has not yet officially announced he is running for third term, but has previously indicated he intends to do so. His slate, Achieving for Delta, is registered with Elections BC to run candidates for council and school board, but has yet to make any official announcements.
Current councillors Alicia Guichon and Jessie Dosanjh, both previously elected under the Acheiving for Delta banner, have not announced whether they intend to seek another term in office.
On March 11, a new civic party named Delta First announced its slate of candidates running in this fall’s municipal election, including the first officially-announced candidate for mayor: BC Lottery Corporation director of board governance Melissa Granum, who worked as corporate planning manager with the Delta Police Department before serving as the inaugural executive director of the Surrey Police Board from 2020-2025.
Granum is joined by three council candidates: local Realtor Leah Bach, CPA Tammy Hansen, and Jat Puri, operations specialist – terminal programs with the Vancouver Airport Authority.
Delta First launched its campaign with endorsements from former attorney general Wally Opal and retired Delta Police chief Jim Cessford.
The B.C.-wide Conservative Electors Association has also registered to run candidates for council in Delta, but has not yet named any. Similarly, ParentsVoice BC has registered to run candidates for Delta school board, but has not yet announced any names.