New Westminster City Councillor Jaimie McEvoy met up with NewWest.tv at the recent New Westminster Economic Forum. Jaimie has lived in New Westminster for 25 years, and this is his fifth term on City Council. He has also been involved in many of the City's non-profits working to make life better for vulnerable residents and all residents.

Susan Millar – Local Journalism Initiative

He provides a long view of the City's history – how it went into a depressive dip after the sawmills left, and then its gradual rise over the years to a city that has a very strong sense of community, rather than just a bedroom community to Vancouver.

He says that the decision to make New Westminster a friendly, family-oriented city rather than a bedroom community was quite deliberate. The city made many careful choices to make the city livable and attractive by adding parks and various amenities.

His overview puts into context how a city becomes a vibrant one, and what plans made it is what it is today, although he admits, it has not necessarily been clear sailing all the way.
In his capacity of councillor he chairs a number of committees including the Affordable Housing and Child Care committee among a number of others.
Jaimie has been very involved in working to alleviate homelessness, poverty, and crime and affordable housing in New Westminster and he is Director of the New Westminster Food Bank. He has been involved in cleaning up Twelfth Street which has been plagued by crime. He has also been involved in many other of the city's associations.