Image: Korky Neufeld via Facebook / With over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, Korky Neufeld, a 15-year member of the Abbotsford Board of Education, will run as an MLA candidate in the Abbotsford West riding in this year's provincial election.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Abbotsford West riding

Abbotsford school board trustee, construction manager to run as an MLA candidate

Feb 12, 2024 | 10:51 AM

ABBOTSFORD — With over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, a 15-year member of the Abbotsford Board of Education will run as an MLA candidate in the Abbotsford West riding in this year’s provincial election.

Korky Neufeld has been acclaimed as the Conservative Party of B.C. candidate for the October 2024 election, pitting him against longtime Abbotsford MLA Mike de Jong of BC United.

Neufeld is described as an enthusiastic and hard-working individual with a diverse professional background in the industrial, political and faith-based sectors. He currently works as role as construction manager for Servicemaster Restore of the Fraser Valley, enabling him to work with municipal systems to help people who have undergone life-altering events.

Neufeld was born into a family of 10 children. His parents emigrated from South America in 1964 with a dream of a better life for future generations. He has been married to his wife, Cynthia, for 40 years, and has four children and two grandchildren.

Korky is presently in his 15th year as an Abbotsford school board trustee. In that time, he also served several years as the chair and vice-chair, working closely with the superintendent, the lead educator, and the secretary-treasurer, the operational leader. These positions have enabled him to learn what it takes to affect important educational change on a systemic level.

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One of Neufeld’s important roles over the years on the Abbotsford Board of Education has been to represent Abbotsford at the British Columbia School Trustee Association, a provincial consortium comprised of 60 boards from all over the province and over 350 elected trustees as its members. Korky was elected for two terms by his peers to represent them as one of seven directors on this provincial board. This leadership experience broadened his knowledge, facilitating the opportunity to see beyond his district’s level into the needs of diverse regions across the province. It also allowed him to further build into his skill set for best representing unique and complex issues, according to a news release from the Conservative Party of B.C.

Neufeld has served on a variety of provincial and advisory committees, including the Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association, which advocates for restorative processes for first-time offenders; Bridgehouse Committee at Abbotsford City Hall, which reviews the efficacy of recovery programs and setting guidelines for future recovery programs within the city of Abbotsford; and the Abbotsford Christian Leaders Network, which serves the community through initiatives like large faith-based events that unified the city. As an example, Love Abbotsford mobilized the community with intentional acts of kindness and empowered people to bring to fruition ministry ideas and passions like the Cyrus Centre and Psalm 23 Transition Society.

Neufeld’s campaign platform calls for serious substantive reform to address chronic shortages in physicians and nurses. He says ICU capacity has become painstakingly clear that it’s time for serious reform.

“More doctors, more nurses, and prioritizing government funding and support for post-secondary programs and students,” Neufeld said in relation to health care reform.

When it comes to the economy, Neufeld calls for lower taxes and smaller government while saying wasteful spending should be cut and the savings returned to taxpayers. He wants to champion small and medium-sized business, saying useless and redundant regulations need to be removed.

On the education front, Neufeld says he supports parental choices and believes parents have the right to determine how and where their children will be educated.

“Korky is passionate, energetic and committed,” the Conservative Party of B.C. wrote in its news release. “He will represent the Abbotsford West riding whole-heartedly. His interest in people, awareness of the connection between community and provincial issues, and his strong family values will benefit this region.”