Council Blogs

Mayor Siemens speaking at the University of the Fraser Valley’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Congratulating the University of the Fraser Valley on 50 years in our community



For the past 50 years our community has been a fortunate beneficiary of being home to the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).

Having a high-quality, local option for post-secondary education and training has been vital to our City and region…

On March 15, BC Minister of Agriculture and Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis met with Mayor Ross Siemens at City Hall for an economic development update.

Discussing economic growth and development with Minister Alexis



It’s not every day we have a provincial Minister of Agriculture who hails from our own backyard, but that’s the case with Pam Alexis, who is also the MLA for Abbotsford-Mission. As a result, we have no doubt that when she’s at the cabinet table, she…

On Feb. 22, Mayor Siemens met virtually with Sumas, Washington Mayor Bruce Bosch (left photo), and the following day he welcomed US Consul General Jim DeHart to City Hall.

Conversations continue with the US on flood mitigation



Working to keep the Fraser Valley safe from flooding doesn’t stop at the Canada-United States border.

In the aftermath of the 2021 flood, our previous and current City Councils have been advocating to senior levels of government for enhanced…

Councillors Kelly Chahal, Patricia Ross and Patricia Driessen marked International Women’s Day by sharing their thoughts on women in leadership.

City Council salutes International Women’s Day



International Women’s Day provides all of us with a chance to reflect on the women and girls in our lives and show appreciation for those who have supported and inspired us.

As a City Council, we embrace diversity as one of our community’s…

A representative from BC Assessment gave a presentation to City Council on Feb. 13.

A visit from BC Assessment



There are many factors that affect property value and the taxes that owners have to pay on their property. In fact, you may have recently received your annual BC Assessment property assessment notice (typically sent to property owners in January) and…

Mayor Siemens with his wife Kelly and daughters Ashley and Alexandra

A day to celebrate family



Every year the Family Day long weekend gives us a well-needed break from our busy lives to take a moment to appreciate what really matters: The people closest to us – our families.

By the time February rolls around the holidays are behind us,…

Mayor Siemens with media at the dikes

Advocating for flood protection



Over the weekend of Jan. 27, Abbotsford was once again met with heavy rain. City crews were actively monitoring the weather, inspecting storm water structure inlets to ensure they were all clear of debris, drawing down water levels in existing storm…

Council viewing strategic plan update at Council Meeting

Council approves 2022-2026 Strategic Plan Update



At our Jan. 30 meeting, Abbotsford City Council kicked off the second year of our term by approving an update to our Strategic Plan.

The directions identified in the Strategic Plan are the strategic focus for all of the work being done at the…

Council viewing OCP Update at Council Meeting

Official Community Plan proceeds to next stage



On Tuesday, Jan. 30, Abbotsford City Council endorsed the Stage 1 update work completed on the update of our Official Community Plan (OCP) as well as the engagement strategy, and we directed staff to begin work on Stage 2.

The OCP is the City’s…

Abbotsford Recreation Centre front doors

Federal grant helps Abbotsford Recreation Centre become more accessible and environmentally-friendly



On Jan. 9, Mayor Siemens and Minister Harjit Sajjan announced more than $4.45 million in federal funding for the Abbotsford Recreation Centre’s (ARC) Heat Recovery and Optimization project (HeRO) through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings…

Image of Ann Penner Order of Abbotsford and Council

Ann Penner, Nick Taylor and BC 55+ Games Directors honoured with civic awards



On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, we hosted our civic recognition awards to celebrate the past and present accomplishments of Abbotsford residents, and their contribution to our community.

This year, we presented long-time volunteer Ann Penner…

Image of Council Chambers

City passes 2024 Budget



As your City Council, financial stewardship is important to us and the budget is one way we ensure our financial decisions consider short and long-term costs alongside the value of our services to the community.

On Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, we…