- Chartered Professional Accountant with senior management experience and a strong financial oversight lens.
- Professional background in healthcare, not-for-profit and public-sector settings.
- Born and raised in New Westminster, with roots in Sapperton and a current home in Glenbrooke North.
- Community board service with organizations including the Catholic Health Association of BC and Saint Mary’s Hospital.
- Husband, father of five and grandfather of seven, bringing deep local roots and a multi-generational perspective.
Richard Folka brings financial rigour, public-sector experience, and a steady, practical perspective to the New West Progressives team. A Chartered Professional Accountant with senior management experience in healthcare, not-for-profit and public-sector settings, Richard understands the discipline needed to manage complex budgets, evaluate priorities, and make decisions that protect taxpayers.
Richard believes New Westminster needs a council with stronger financial oversight, clearer priorities, and a sharper focus on the services and infrastructure residents rely on every day. His priorities include accountable spending, better service delivery, public safety, taxpayer respect, responsive engagement, and decisions rooted in real community needs.
Born and raised in New Westminster, Richard grew up in Sapperton and now lives in Glenbrooke North. His service on community boards, including the Catholic Health Association of BC and Saint Mary’s Hospital, reflects a long-standing commitment to public service and responsible governance. As a husband, father of five and grandfather of seven, he will bring deep local roots, financial discipline, and the practical rigour council needs.