Langley feud escalates as township mayor signals possible run in neighbouring city

The decades-long tension between the Township of Langley and the City of Langley is resurfacing in a public way, as Township Mayor Eric Woodward raises the prospect of a political showdown in the neighbouring city.

Woodward, who leads the township-based Progress for Langley party, confirmed that the group has registered with Elections B.C. to run candidates in the City of Langley’s civic election next year. He argues that the smaller city is poorly managed, citing higher crime rates, an overreliance on township resources, and limited preparation for the SkyTrain extension set to arrive in 2029.

“Langley City will be the smallest municipality in the region with SkyTrain,” Woodward said. “They don’t have the resources to deal with the challenges it will bring — and the township will end up paying the bill.”

The City of Langley was carved out of the township in 1955, largely over disputes about who should pay for urban services. Amalgamation has been debated off and on ever since, but Woodward’s latest comments have pushed the issue into the spotlight.

City Mayor Nathan Pachal dismissed Woodward’s overtures, framing them as an attempted takeover rather than an invitation to collaborate. He defended the city’s crime record, saying incidents have dropped in recent years, and argued that Woodward is eyeing the $7–8 million the city receives annually from Cascades Casino revenues.

“Mayor Woodward has told me he wants the casino revenue,” Pachal said. “It’s not about collaboration. It’s about money and weakening our community.”

Woodward denies that revenue is the motive, saying it would make little difference to the township’s finances. He insists he simply wants stronger coordination between the municipalities, though his party’s registration signals a willingness to directly challenge Pachal’s administration at the ballot box.

The dispute plays out against a backdrop of financial pressures in both municipalities and resurging conversations about whether Langley should exist as two governments or one. With a township byelection looming next month, where Woodward’s defeated 2022 rival is campaigning on debt concerns, the vote could double as a test of public appetite for his confrontational style.

“Politicians in the city need the city to exist so they can be politicians,” Woodward said. “But I think residents deserve a real discussion about whether we’d be better off working as one.”