Straight answers

Confirmed fact Five candidates were nominated for Mayor of the District of North Vancouver in the 2026 general local election, Max Zahedi among them.

The official list, with each candidate’s nomination documents, is on the District of North Vancouver’s "See who is running" page, which also lists the candidates for the six councillor seats and four school trustee seats. That page is the authority; if it and this site ever differ, the District is right.

See who is running (dnv.org)

Confirmed fact Max Zahedi is an independent candidate for Mayor of the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, in the municipal election on Saturday, October 17, 2026. He has lived in North Vancouver for 38 years. He holds an MBA in Global Management and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He has owned and operated businesses, managed operations, worked in government and regulatory settings, written policy and procedures for a Crown corporation, and served on three strata councils. He speaks English and Farsi. His campaign focuses on accountability for the cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, property taxes, housing, traffic, public safety and a more responsive municipal hall. He is not part of any party or slate.

Meet Max

Confirmed fact The District of North Vancouver. The District and the City are separate municipalities with separate mayors and councils.

If you live in Lynn Valley, Deep Cove, Seymour, Edgemont, Capilano, Blueridge, Lower Lynn, Pemberton Heights or Norgate, you are in the District. If you are not sure, your property tax notice says which municipality issued it.

Confirmed fact General voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..

The District has published advance voting on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 (District Hall), Saturday, October 10, 2026 (District Hall and Parkgate Community Centre) and Monday, October 12, 2026 (District Hall and Parkgate Community Centre). Always confirm dates and places with the District of North Vancouver.

Voting information

Campaign priority Because residents keep being asked to pay for decisions that were never properly explained to them. The wastewater plant is the clearest example, but it is not the only one.

Max has spent 38 years in North Vancouver building businesses and running operations. In that world, a project that triples its budget triggers a review, a written explanation and a change to how the next one is run. Residents are entitled to the same standard from the government closest to them.

Confirmed fact No. Max is running as an independent, with no slate, no party and no organization directing his votes. The advantage is that he answers to residents. The trade-off is that the campaign has no machine behind it and depends on volunteers and individual contributions.

Confirmed fact Metro Vancouver’s estimate for the plant rose from about $700 million in 2013 to $3.86 billion in 2024. The plant is necessary and must be finished.

Max says residents are owed full reporting and a fair share of the cost. He proposes quarterly public cost reports, an independent review with published findings, advocacy for provincial and federal cost sharing, milestone-based contracts and a resident watchdog table. Most of these need Metro Vancouver’s cooperation, which a District mayor can press for but cannot impose.

The full five-point plan

Proposal Coordinate the District’s own road construction so neighbouring corridors are not closed at once, publish the schedule, review signal timing on District arterials, keep building safer walking and cycling routes, and use the mayor’s seat on the TransLink Mayors’ Council to push for more reliable North Shore transit.

Roads in the District are shared between the District, the Province (Highway 1 and both bridges) and TransLink (transit). Max does not promise to fix bridge congestion, which the District does not control.

The traffic and transportation page

Proposal Provincial legislation passed in 2023 requires municipalities to allow small-scale multi-unit housing and higher density near transit, and the Province has ordered the District to complete at least 2,838 net new homes between October 2023 and September 2028.

Max supports housing for families, workers and seniors built where roads, water, sewer, schools and parks can carry it. He proposes faster and more predictable permit timelines, requiring development to contribute fairly to infrastructure, and protecting neighbourhood character within the rules the Province sets.

The housing and neighbourhoods page

Campaign priority Max will not promise a specific tax number before seeing the books from inside. Council sets the tax rate each year in the financial plan, and the mayor has one vote of seven.

What he commits to is reviewing spending line by line, publishing a budget residents can understand, prioritising essential services, and explaining every increase in plain language, in advance. For 2026, council approved a municipal increase of 3.53%; about 45% of a District tax bill goes to other agencies the District does not control.

Where that figure comes from

Confirmed fact The mayor chairs council, holds one of seven votes, sets the agenda and represents the District on the TransLink Mayors’ Council, where every mayor in the region has a seat. Council appoints the District’s director to the Metro Vancouver board; that seat is currently held by a councillor, with the mayor as alternate.

A mayor cannot change provincial law, TransLink service or Metro Vancouver’s plant contracts alone. Max’s proposals say, for each item, which of these tables it needs.

Who decides what

Confirmed fact Email max@maxformayor.ca or call (778) 887-9000 and leave a voicemail with your name and neighbourhood. Messages answered within two business days.

You can volunteer or request a lawn sign on the volunteer page. Donations must follow Elections BC rules: BC residents who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, up to $1,429.70 in 2026, with no corporate or union contributions. Online donations open only once the financial agent has approved the payment system.

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