Raymond Johnston
Candidate for Councillor, Pouce Coupe (incumbent). All Pouce Coupe candidates
| Running for | Councillor, Pouce Coupe |
|---|---|
| Status | Incumbent; elected 2014, defeated 2018, elected 2022 (fourth, 154 votes)[1][2][3] |
| Occupation | Parts technician; twenty years at Gear-O-Rama Supply, recently with another employer (self-reported)[4] |
| Ties to Pouce Coupe | Moved to Dawson Creek in 1989 and to Pouce Coupe in 2002 (self-reported)[4] |
| Place of residence (official) | Pouce Coupe[5] |
| Campaign page | None found |
Background
From his Village biography (self-reported): born in Matsqui, B.C.; moved to Dawson Creek in 1989 and to Pouce Coupe in 2002; twenty years as a parts technician at Gear-O-Rama Supply before moving to another employer, not named.[4]
Electoral history
Elected councillor in 2014 with 97 votes,[1] lost his seat in 2018,[2] and was elected fourth of seven in 2022 with 154 votes.[3]
Council record, 2022 to 2026
- Attendance. About 18 absences in roughly 103 recorded meetings, the most on council (approximate count).
- Budgets. The majority's usual seconder and mover of bylaw readings: seconded the 10 percent increase (April 2024);[6] moved adoption of the 2025 financial plan;[7] moved first reading of the 2026 to 2030 plan.[8]
- Moved the sewage lagoon work program, carried 3-1 with Wall opposed (December 2023).[9]
- Moved adoption of the Council Code of Conduct policy (July 2023).[10]
- Moved the purchase of the fire command truck, carried 3-2 over Veach (April 2024).[11]
- Lone vote against adding a question period (April 2024).[12]
- As acting mayor in January 2026, on the infrastructure master plan: "By getting the facts before we spend the money, Council is building a clear plan of what water and sewer assets to fix and in what order."[13]
- No conflict declarations found.
Stated positions
In 2018: "Important issues to me are the aging infrastructure and the growth of the community." He favoured expanding the village boundary "for industrial and commercial businesses... If we do not expand the Village could become just a bedroom community to Dawson Creek," and said "Pouce Coupe needs more policing... I can suggest a community night watch group."[14]
2026 campaign and platform
No statement or campaign page found. Named as seeking re-election by Energeticcity.ca and The Broken Typewriter.[15][16]
Promises and delivery
No 2014 or 2022 campaign promises could be found. The rows below are his stated positions from 2018, a race he lost, compared with his 2022-26 record.[14]
| What they promised | When | What happened | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrade "aging infrastructure; for example our sewage, water lines, and street repairs." | Oct 2018 (lost that race)[14] | Moved the December 2023 lagoon work program[9] and spoke for the 2026 infrastructure master plan as acting mayor.[13] Seconded the September 2026 approval of water and sewer capital plans.[17] Line replacement itself has not started. | Partly delivered |
| Expand the village boundary "for industrial and commercial businesses." | Oct 2018 (lost that race)[14] | No boundary-expansion motion found in the 2022-26 minutes. | No record found |
| The library "should be in its own building." | Oct 2018 (lost that race)[14] | No motion toward a separate library building found. In April 2024 he seconded the $73,000 library budget.[6] | No record found |
What the record shows
Facts. A two-term councillor with a consistent infrastructure-first focus since 2018 and a dependable vote for the Veach majority on budgets and tax increases. The most absences on council this term.
Our reading (inference, not fact). A steady, low-profile continuity candidate who has said nothing new in 2026.
Questions worth asking. His attendance. Does he still favour expanding the village boundary? What tax path does he see after 2026?
Sources cited on this page
- Energeticcity.ca, Nov 16, 2014, "Mayor William Plowright wins election in Pouce Coupe". energeticcity.ca/2014/11/16/mayor-william-plowright-wins-election-in-po…
- Energeticcity.ca, Oct 21, 2018, "Three new councillors elected in Pouce Coupe". energeticcity.ca/2018/10/21/three-new-councillors-elected-in-pouce-coup…
- Energeticcity.ca, Oct 16, 2022, "Danielle Veach elected mayor of Pouce Coupe". energeticcity.ca/2022/10/16/danielle-veach-elected-mayor-of-pouce-coupe/
- Village of Pouce Coupe, Mayor & Council page (official biographies). poucecoupe.ca/government/administration/mayor-council/
- Village of Pouce Coupe, Notice of Election by Voting, Notice No. 10-1 (Sept 23, 2026). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52236/
- Village council minutes, Apr 3, 2024 (10 percent tax increase). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/42654/
- Village council minutes, Apr 30, 2025 (2025 financial plan adopted). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/47224/
- Village council minutes, Mar 11, 2026 (2026-2030 financial plan, first reading). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/49239/
- Village council minutes, Dec 20, 2023 (lagoon work program). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/41271/
- Village council minutes, July 19, 2023 (code of conduct adopted). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/39521/
- Village council minutes, Apr 17, 2024 (fire command truck; food policy). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/42678/
- Village council minutes, Apr 25, 2024 (question period). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/42968/
- Energeticcity.ca, Jan 29, 2026, "Pouce Coupe to determine cost of water and sewer infrastructure upgrades". energeticcity.ca/2026/01/29/pouce-coupe-to-determine-cost-of-water-and-…
- Dawson Creek Mirror, Oct 16, 2018, "Pouce Coupe council candidate responses" (Wayback Machine). web.archive.org/web/20221005115556/https://www.dawsoncreekmirror.ca/loc…
- Energeticcity.ca, Sept 4, 2026, "2026 B.C. general election nomination period week one wrap-up". energeticcity.ca/2026/09/04/2026-b-c-general-election-nomination-period…
- The Broken Typewriter, Sept 7, 2026, "A tale of two Peace regions: incumbents". brokentypewriter.ca/p/a-tale-of-two-peace-regions-incumbents
- Village agenda package, Sept 9, 2026 (park Phase 2). poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52234/