Jatinder “Jay” Sidhu, a former BBC News journalist and the constituency office manager for BC Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote, has announced he is running for West Vancouver Council.
According to the news release issued by Sidhu, he managed Valeriote’s successful 2024 provincial election campaign. Valeriote went on to become the first Green MLA elected on the BC mainland. Since the election, Sidhu has worked as Valeriote’s non-partisan Constituency Office Manager.
Sidhu was born and raised in Birmingham, England, and moved from London to West Vancouver in 2018 with his wife, a family physician, and their three children, who are now teenagers. He has been a frequent visitor to BC since his parents considered moving from the UK in 1992.
According to the news release, Sidhu spent more than 20 years as a journalist with BBC News. His volunteer work in Canada and the UK has included serving as a Scout Leader and prison human rights monitor.
He has also served as a board director with the West Vancouver Memorial Library and Enhance West Van, as a member of the District’s Community Engagement Committee and on the West Vancouver School District Parent Advisory Council executive.
“Our approach to constituency work is to look for solutions,” Sidhu said, describing public service as “problem-solving and working together to tackle individual and collective challenges.”
Sidhu co-founded Positive Voices, a local advocacy group and registered non-profit society, in 2021. The organization aims to support progressive initiatives addressing environmental, economic and social challenges in West Vancouver.
He said he wants to help address challenges including housing, transportation, climate and economic sustainability. He also founded Ambleside parkrun, a free 5-kilometre run and walk held every Saturday morning from the Ferry Building. According to the news release, the event has been running since July 2022 and attracts more than 150 people each week.
As a science graduate and former journalist, Sidhu said he supports evidence-based policy and is prepared to work with any mayor or councillor. “Call me old-fashioned, but if we start with the facts and work in good faith, I believe we can find agreement and achieve better results,” he said.
Sidhu also called for wider and more effective community consultation, suggesting West Vancouver could consider a model similar to New Westminster’s Community Advisory Assembly, which helps steer council decisions. “There are better ways to do public engagement and secure community support,” he said.
