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Nearly $17K raised by Burnaby's mayor thus far in Greater Vancouver Food Bank challenge

The friendly competition runs until May 31.
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
City-of-Burnaby-mayor-Mike-Hurley
City of Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley.Jess Balzer

The finish line is near. 

With 11 days left of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) mayors' challenge, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley currently sits in third place — raising $16,946.40 as of this publication (May 20). 

The City of North Vancouver is in second place ($26,980), while New Westminster holds the top spot ($29,164.30). 

The competition includes mayors from throughout Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland to see who can raise the most money per capita, with an overall campaign goal of $500,000. 

According to the GVFB, value per capita will be determined by combining cash raised and food value ($2.62 for each pound of food collected), and then dividing that total by the 2016 Census population data for each city.

Last year's winner was the City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan with $68,905 raised between money and food, equating to $1.20 per capita. 

The GVFB says, during February, there were 3,221 visits to its distribution location at its warehouse in Burnaby on Winston Street. 

Out of the visitors, 34 per cent were children and youth and 11 per cent were seniors. 

"As the cost of living continues to rise in Metro Vancouver, it puts pressure on families who are trying their hardest to put food on the table," Hurley said in a news release. 

"By supporting your local food bank and the Mayors’ Food Bank Challenge, you can help ensure that families in our community continue to have access to nutritious and healthy meals." 

Donations can be made to the overall campaign or to Burnaby and Mayor Mike Hurley's campaign online. 

The leaderboard as of May 20, 2022, is as follows: 

  1. New Westminster - Mayor Jonathan Coté: $29,164.30 ($0.36 raised per capita)
  2. City of North Vancouver - Mayor Linda Buchanan: $26,980 ($0.47 raised per capita)
  3. Burnaby - Mayor Mike Hurley: $16,964.40 ($0.29 raised per capita)
  4. Vancouver - Mayor Kennedy Stewart: $16,246 ($0.02 raised per capita)
  5. Coquitlam - Mayor Richard Stewart: $5,400 ($0.04 raised per capita)
  6. Chilliwack - Mayor Ken Popove: $2,725 ($0.03 raised per capita)
  7. Port Coquitlam - Mayor Brad West: $1,068 ($0.02 raised per capita)
  8. White Rock - Mayor Darryl Walker: $900 ($0.04 raised per capita)
  9. Port Moody - Mayor Rob Vagramov: $200 ($0.01 raised per capita)