Chilliwack Chamber CEO files to run for city council

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Kemp grew up in North Delta, and but what drew her to Chilliwack, and what keeps her here, is the small-town feeling where people tend to know each other, along with the outdoors, the river, the mountains, the lakes, and unique local spaces like the Rotary Trail.

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“This is where my kids are growing up, and I want it to always feel like home for them,” Kemp said. “I want them to want to raise their own kids here one day, to build a career or a business here. That means growing responsibly, in a way that keeps what makes Chilliwack unique, while giving us the amenities other communities wish they had.”

Kemp built her leadership career over more than two decades. It began with 21 years in high-level management with McDonald’s restaurants, leading teams and being held accountable for real results. That was followed by two years working with a small non-profit, and for the past eight years, leading the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce as CEO.

During her career, Kemp says she has developed a track record of bringing people together to get things done. For example, she created a community-to-community dialogue committee, bringing local government, economic development organizations, and First Nations government and economic teams together for informal, honest conversation. Seven of Chilliwack’s ten local First Nations are currently at the table, and two dialogues have already been held.

Kemp also co-founded the Chilliwack Economic Resource Network, a standing group of business organization leaders who meet three to four times a year to work through community challenges together. She currently serves as chair of the Provincial Executives of BC board and holds an elected seat on its national board.

“My focus is infrastructure, the economy, and public safety, and housing runs through all three,” Leanna Kemp said. “I think outside the box, and I know how to get people who don’t normally sit at the same table talking to each other. That is where the real answers come from. I want to keep doing that work, and doing it out loud, from the council table.”

Kemp intends to formally release more information about her platform at the all-candidates debate on October 7, and share more details to follow in the weeks ahead.