On October 17, 2026, Richmond will elect its next mayor, eight city councillors, and seven school trustees. For residents, it is an opportunity to consider what kind of leadership they want at City Hall and what priorities should guide Richmond through the years ahead. (City of Richmond)
Dickens Cheung has announced his campaign for Mayor of Richmond with a platform centred on accountability, affordability, public safety, responsible government, infrastructure, economic development, and community representation.
His campaign presents a straightforward idea: municipal government should listen carefully to residents, manage public resources responsibly, and remain accountable to the people it serves. (We Are Richmond)
Cheung’s campaign describes him as a Richmond resident and father of four who has built his career in business while remaining involved in community organizations.
He studied business at the University of British Columbia, with his campaign identifying his educational background as UBC Sauder School of Business with a specialization in finance. He also has more than 15 years of experience in the natural-health and business sector and co-founded UNBUTTON Health. His UBC education and business background are also reflected in publicly available professional information. (We Are Richmond)
Cheung has also served with community and nonprofit organizations.
His campaign lists roles including Director of the D.A.R.E. BC Society, Director of the Coalition for Better Health Care Society, Director of Indians in Richmond BC Society, Board Member of EE Global Ministries, Treasurer of the A.R. MacNeill Secondary School PAC, and Secretary of the William Cook Elementary School PAC. (We Are Richmond)
D.A.R.E. BC independently lists Dickens Cheung as a director and identifies him as a co-founder of UNBUTTON Health. (D.A.R.E. BC Society)
For Cheung, these experiences form part of the leadership case he is presenting to Richmond: experience in business, involvement with parents and schools, participation in nonprofit organizations, and direct exposure to community concerns.
Cheung’s mayoral campaign currently identifies eight major commitments.
One of the central themes of Cheung’s campaign is that residents should have greater visibility into how important decisions are made.
His campaign argues that City Hall should listen to residents before major decisions are finalized and that elected officials should view public office primarily as a responsibility to serve.
For voters concerned about trust in government, the question will be how those principles would translate into specific policies, consultation processes, disclosures, and decision-making practices at City Hall.
Municipal governments manage substantial public budgets, and every new program, infrastructure project, and service ultimately has a cost.
Cheung says he wants to bring a business-oriented approach to municipal finances, emphasizing spending discipline and responsible management of taxpayers’ money.
His stated platform includes what his campaign calls “common-sense fiscal responsibility.” (We Are Richmond)
The practical test of that commitment would be how a Cheung administration proposes to balance taxes, services, infrastructure spending, reserves, and Richmond’s long-term financial requirements.
Affordability has become an important concern throughout Metro Vancouver.
Although municipal government cannot control every factor affecting the cost of living, it does influence property taxes, municipal fees, development policies, infrastructure costs, and the regulatory environment.
Cheung’s campaign lists lowering the cost of living and taxes among its central priorities. (We Are Richmond)
This places affordability near the centre of his proposed approach to municipal government.
Public safety is another major part of Cheung’s platform.
His campaign calls for safe streets, neighbourhoods, and communities and advocates an approach to addiction that places greater emphasis on integrated treatment. (We Are Richmond)
Cheung has previously made public safety and drug policy prominent issues in his political involvement. During the 2024 British Columbia provincial election, when he ran as an independent candidate in Richmond Centre, public safety was among the issues he emphasized. (VoteMate)
Richmond continues to develop, and population growth places increasing demands on roads, transportation, utilities, recreation facilities, public spaces, and other municipal infrastructure.
Cheung’s campaign says infrastructure should adequately serve Richmond’s growing population. (We Are Richmond)
That raises an important municipal policy question: how should Richmond accommodate growth while maintaining the services and quality of life residents expect?
Cheung also identifies the defence of private property rights as a core campaign commitment.
This distinguishes property rights as a specific issue within his broader approach to municipal planning and government authority. (We Are Richmond)
For homeowners, businesses, developers, and other property owners, the details of how this principle would affect planning, zoning, development, taxation, and municipal regulation would be an important part of evaluating his platform.
Richmond is home to major commercial centres, restaurants, professional services, manufacturers, logistics operations, tourism businesses, retailers, entrepreneurs, and thousands of small businesses.
Cheung’s campaign says that revitalizing Richmond’s local economy would be one of his priorities as mayor. (We Are Richmond)
His business background forms an important part of the experience he is presenting in support of that objective.
Economic development is not the only form of community development included in Cheung’s platform.
He also lists the development of culture and arts as one of his eight commitments. (We Are Richmond)
This is consistent with positions he expressed during the 2024 provincial election, when he spoke in favour of supporting artists, cultural organizations, arts education, and purpose-built arts facilities. (Richmond Arts Coalition)
Richmond is one of Canada’s most culturally diverse communities.
Cheung’s campaign emphasizes his own cross-cultural background as part of his approach to leadership. It says he is a second-generation Canadian-born Chinese, raised by immigrant parents from Hong Kong, and fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. (We Are Richmond)
His campaign also says the slate he intends to lead will include candidates from several cultural backgrounds.
The broader message behind that approach is that municipal government should be accessible to residents across Richmond’s different neighbourhoods, generations, languages, and cultural communities.
A recurring theme throughout Cheung’s political messaging is the idea that elected officials should regard themselves as servants of the public rather than authorities above it.
He used the idea of “Servant Dickens” during his previous political campaign, and his current campaign continues to emphasize listening, accountability, community participation, and public service. (We Are Richmond)
Whether residents agree with every element of his platform or not, Cheung is presenting a clearly defined approach to the mayor’s office: a stronger focus on public accountability, fiscal discipline, affordability, safety, infrastructure, local business, property rights, arts and culture, and community participation.
The Richmond municipal election will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with advance voting scheduled for October 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10. (City of Richmond)
As the campaign develops, voters will have the opportunity to compare Cheung’s proposals with those of other mayoral candidates, examine the details behind each commitment, and decide which vision best reflects their priorities for Richmond.
Dickens Cheung is asking to be considered on the basis of his business experience, community involvement, family perspective, multilingual background, and an eight-part platform focused on how Richmond is governed and how the city prepares for its future.
For Richmond voters, the next step is to examine the proposals, ask difficult questions of every candidate, and make an informed decision about the leadership they want at City Hall.