Richmond-Steveston’s choice on the Cowichan ruling and the Massey crossing: Gordon Zhang or Bruce Kong

In October 2025, about 150 property owners in South Richmond opened a letter from their city hall. The B.C. Supreme Court had found that the Cowichan held Aboriginal title to 7.5 square kilometres of land along the Fraser, including farms, port land and businesses, and the City wrote to warn them that the ruling could compromise the validity of their ownership. One of them told Global News: “We don’t want to be moving anywhere.” Richmond’s mayor, Malcolm Brodie, asked the question every owner was asking:¹

A year later Richmond is choosing a new MLA. Kelly Greene, who has held Richmond-Steveston for the BC NDP and sat in cabinet as Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, is not running again. She announced it a day after her own government approved the expansion of the Tilbury LNG plant across the river, and her letter to constituents said so:²

The NDP has nominated Bruce Kong, who owns an auto body shop in Richmond. The Conservative candidate is Gordon Zhang, who has taught business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Richmond campus for more than 17 years.³⁴⁵ Both answered the same twelve questions from the Richmond News. In our view, their answers settle the choice.

Where they stand, in their answers to the Richmond News

Gordon ZhangConservative

Bruce KongBC NDP

Why they are running

“I am running because I want Richmond-Steveston to have an MLA who listens and understands the challenges families and businesses face.”⁵

“As a small business owner, I understand the anxiety that many business owners are facing right now.”⁶

Richmond Hospital

“We’ll fully maintain health care funding and focus it on the front lines.”⁵

“We’ll complete the new acute care tower at Richmond Hospital.”⁶

The dikes

“Flood protection is core infrastructure, and a city on a floodplain can’t afford delays.”⁵

“Our BC NDP government has been working with the federal and municipal governments to invest $13 million – including over $8 million from the province – into projects in the City’s Flood Protection Management Strategy.”⁶

The Cowichan ruling

“The Cowichan ruling created uncertainty for Richmond homeowners and businesses.”⁵

“We’re working with First Nations to create jobs and grow our economy through major projects.”⁶

01 The NDP cancelled the Massey bridge in 2017. Its tunnel now costs $8.5 billion and opens in 2031.

In 2017 the new NDP government cancelled the 10-lane George Massey Bridge, when the project was very close to awarding its contract. It chose a tunnel instead. In July this year the government more than doubled the tunnel’s price, from $4.15 billion to $8.5 billion, and moved its opening from December 2030 to September 2031.⁷

Asked whether they support building the replacement, both candidates said yes. Here is how each of them said it:⁶⁵

In our view, Zhang has the record right. Nine years after the NDP cancelled a bridge that was close to contract, the people of Richmond and Delta are still queuing at a tunnel built nearly seven decades ago, and the NDP’s plan has doubled in price on the way.

02 On the Cowichan ruling, Bruce Kong talked about major projects. Gordon Zhang talked about Richmond homeowners.

The City of Richmond, the Musqueam Indian Band and the provincial government are all appealing the ruling.¹ The Richmond News asked each candidate how reconciliation should continue in light of that appeal.

In our view, only one of them answered for the 150 owners who got that letter. Kong’s answer did not mention them. Zhang named them in his first sentence.

03 Bruce Kong attacked the Conservatives in seven of his twelve answers. Gordon Zhang talked about Richmond.

Read side by side, the two questionnaires are different kinds of document. Kong named the Conservatives or their leader in seven of his twelve answers, on housing, on social disorder, on homelessness, on the dikes, on the tunnel, on reconciliation and on the environment. Zhang named the NDP in three of his.⁶⁵

Zhang’s answers stayed on the riding. On the dikes that protect a city built on a floodplain, he wrote that “flood protection is core infrastructure, and a city on a floodplain can’t afford delays.” On why he is running, he wrote:⁵

04 Gordon Zhang has taught business in Richmond for 17 years and helped build an N95 line here in the pandemic.

Gordon Zhang

Conservative Party of BC candidate, Richmond-Steveston

Work

Business instructor at KPU’s Richmond campus for more than 17 years

Pandemic

Helped set up an N95 respirator line and an accredited testing laboratory in Richmond

Community

Chaired Lions Club charity galas; fundraising for Richmond Hospital Foundation

Off hours

Fishing with his family

Portrait: Conservative Party of BC. Details in his own words to the Richmond News.

In his questionnaire Zhang describes himself as an educator and a Richmond entrepreneur. He has taught business at KPU’s Richmond campus for more than 17 years, he has chaired Lions Club charity galas and he has raised money for the Richmond Hospital Foundation. In the pandemic, he wrote:⁵

Kong owns an auto body shop in Richmond and is a father of two, according to his party page, and his questionnaire leads with the worries of small business owners in a trade war.⁴⁶ Both of their records in public life are short. In our view, the difference is what each of them chose to say when the paper handed them the floor.

05 338Canada leans Richmond-Steveston to the Conservatives, and the 2024 margin was 484 votes.

338Canada, which turns the published polls into a projection for every riding, leans Richmond-Steveston to the Conservatives. Its update of 16 October puts them at 48% and the BC NDP at 44%, each with a margin of eight points either way, and gives the Conservatives about a seven-in-ten chance.⁸

Richmond-Steveston, projected vote

338Canada, update of 16 October 2026. Bars show the projection; the thin lines show its margin either way.⁸

Gordon Zhang, Conservative

48%

Bruce Kong, BC NDP

44%

CentreBC

5%

Independent

3%

0%30%60%

A lean is not a win. In 2024, Greene held the seat by 484 votes over the Conservative candidate, Michelle Mollineaux, 44.3% to 42.2%. About 240 voters switching would have flipped it.⁹ The projections overlap within their margins, and the seat will be decided by who turns out.

In our view, if you want Richmond-Steveston to stop being an NDP seat, Gordon Zhang is the vote.

06 Richmond owners were told their titles were in question. On 24 October, they choose who answers for them.

Advance voting runs until 21 October, and Final Voting Day is 24 October. Elections BC’s Where to Vote app lists every advance voting place and every voting place in the riding.¹⁰

A year ago, the people who got that letter from city hall wanted to know if anyone would ever buy their land again.¹ Asked about the ruling, the NDP candidate talked about major projects, and the Conservative candidate talked about them. In our view, that is the choice.

Richmond deserves an MLA who answers for Richmond. In our view, Gordon Zhang answered first.