Image: Blair Whitmarsh via Facebook / Blair Whitmarsh celebrates his by-election win Saturday night with supporters.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

New councillor elected

Langley voters elect new councillor in by-election, reject soccer association head’s endorsement

Oct 28, 2025 | 10:22 AM

LANGLEY — A well known candidate who ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, balanced growth and overall community well-being has been resoundingly elected in Saturday’s by-election in the Township of Langley.

Blair Whitmarsh, who works as the dean of the School of Human Kinetics and Athletics at Trinity Western University, cruised to victory with 52.6 per cent of the 5,904 votes cast, easily defeating former Langley MP John Aldag, who received 27.7 per cent of the vote (1,638 votes). Aldag ran in the provincial election last year in the Langley-Abbotsford election but lost by nearly 22 points to Harman Bhangu.

“Today, I’m filled with immense gratitude and humility,” Whitmarsh said in a post-election message to his supporters. “Winning this by-election isn’t just my victory; it’s a reflection of the incredible support, trust, and faith that this community has shown. From the countless conversations at doors, coffee shops, and community events, to the words of encouragement I received from friends and neighbours, every single interaction reminded me why I love serving this community.”

Seven candidates ran in the by-election to replace MLA Misty Van Popta, who was elected in 2022 as part of the Contract With Langley team alongside Mayor Eric Woodward.

Whitmarsh is a familiar name to Langley voters. He served on the Township of Langley as a councillor for two terms between 2014 and 2022. He received a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Trinity Western University and a PhD in sports psychology from the University of Alberta in 1998.

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He coached youth soccer in Langley and served on the boards of private schools, the Canadian Sports Institute, Christian Life Assembly Church, and the Community Council for the Gateway of Hope in Langley.

“I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who stood beside me—my family, campaign team, volunteers, and every person who believed in what we could achieve together. Your dedication, energy, and belief made all the difference,” Whitmarsh said.

Oddly enough, the executive director of the Langley United Soccer Association waded into the by-election by throwing his support behind Aldag on social media. In a Facebook message dated Friday, October 24, at 1:47 p.m., Marcel Horn said the by-election would impact whether the township would advance in terms of investments in public facilities and civic infrastructure, or basically regress.

“Over the past 15 years, I’ve seen what happens when our community works together—and when it doesn’t. For too long, our facilities couldn’t keep up, and we had to turn kids away despite full teams and willing families,” Horn wrote. “Two years ago, a council member (Eric Woodward) preparing to campaign for Mayor asked a question that changed things: What do our youth truly need? Once elected, he stayed true to that conversation—backing real investment that started to close the gap for our fields, families, and programs across the community. This Saturday’s by-election will impact whether that progress continues or drifts back to the old pattern of delay. I’ve taken time to meet both leading candidates and understand what each brings. One offers familiarity. The other—John Aldag—brings a fresh, service-driven perspective from his years working in parks, community development, and culture at the federal level.”