FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JULY 14, 2026

MAPLE RIDGE, BC — Long-time Maple Ridge resident, award-winning community leader, and environmental advocate Leanne Koehn has announced her candidacy for Maple Ridge City Council as part of the A Better Maple Ridge team in the upcoming municipal election.

Born and raised in Maple Ridge, Koehn has spent decades contributing to the community through environmental leadership, arts and culture, heritage preservation, and volunteer service. Her career has included roles with the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, the Maple Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the Pitt Meadows Museum, and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Koehn is widely recognized for her community involvement, including organizing Maple Ridge's Earth Day celebrations for the past 15 years, serving as the inaugural Chair of the City's Environmental Advisory Committee, supporting local arts and cultural initiatives, and founding Maple Ridge Repair Cafes. In 2024, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her community service.

“I am passionate about the arts, the environment, and social inclusion,” says Koehn. “One of my personal mottos is 'do what you can when you can.”

Her commitment to sustainability is reflected in the award-winning “Hammond Forever House” – a craftsman-style heritage house built by her grandfather in 1923 that she and her husband renovated to become a nationally recognized model of environmental innovation.

Koehn says she was drawn to the A Better Maple Ridge team because of its commitment to diversity and kindness, as well as their proactive, pragmatic approach to balancing economic initiatives with making the city an appealing place to live, work, and visit.

“Over the past four years, the team has courageously tackled long-standing local issues that many would side-step,” says Koehn, “While addressing climate change, economic development, and replacing aging infrastructure, they have racked up a resume of impressive initiatives and accomplishments. That’s a team I want to be part of.”

“Leanne focuses on the work and gets things done. She is thoughtful, dependable, and deeply committed to our community. Those are the qualities that make strong leaders and strong teams. I couldn’t be more excited to have her join us as we continue building a better Maple Ridge together,” said Mayor Dan Ruimy.

If elected, she says her priorities will focus on social inclusion, arts & culture, and environmental, economic, & social stability.

“I am running for people who think you have to become someone else to be a politician,” said Koehn. “I want to represent the voices who have not traditionally been provided with a safe space to be heard. These voices may be tentative, unsure, or feel unsupported, but they are essential for creating a rich, diverse community.”