Chiliwack – Make it a “Family Tradition” – Hank Williams Jr.
Lifelong Chilliwack resident, small-business owner and longtime
community advocate Raylene Mumford has announced her candidacy for Chilliwack City
Council.
Her brother Jarred is also running for COuncil. He was once of the Chilliwack School Board.
Born and raised in Chilliwack, Raylene’s decision to run is rooted in her connection to the
community and a belief that good local government begins with listening and understanding how decisions affect people’s everyday lives.
“Chilliwack has shaped my work, my values and the way I have chosen to live my life,”
Raylene said. “I am running because I believe responsible leadership begins with listening
to residents, understanding their experiences and making thoughtful decisions that reflect
the needs of the whole community.”
Raylene’s commitment to community service began in her youth, when she volunteered as a
candy striper at Chilliwack General Hospital. For more than two decades, her work has
continued to centre around supporting people, building programs and finding practical solutions
to challenges facing communities.
Her professional background includes trauma-informed mental health, recovery support,
advocacy and community program development. She is currently completing a Master of Arts in
Counselling Psychology and has worked as a school advocate and She formerly served as a
Health Director within a First Nations community, overseeing community health services and
working with provincial and regional health partners. She has also contributed her leadership
and experience through service on several nonprofit and community boards.
Throughout her career, she has developed community programs, contributed to governance and
strategic planning, worked with complex and provincially funded budgets, assisted with the
licensing of treatment centres and participated in emergency-response efforts alongside the Red
Cross. She has also volunteered with local organizations, service clubs and nonprofit boards.
As the Founder and Executive Director of the registered non-profit, the Free Store Canada
Society, she volunteers seven days a week helping oversee programs that support thousands of
local families. Through the organization’s zero-barrier hamper program and other community
initiatives, she has spent years working directly with people from many different walks of life,
including working families, lower-income families, youth, seniors and residents facing
unexpected hardship.
That experience has given her a direct understanding of some of the pressures facing people in
Chilliwack from the rising cost of groceries and raising a family to finding opportunities, staying
connected and feeling that there is a place for everyone in the community.
“When we talk about building a better city, we’re not just talking about roads and
buildings,” Raylene said. “We’re talking about whether a teenager or young adult has
somewhere safe and affordable to go on a Friday night, whether a family can afford to
participate in their community and whether people actually feel connected to the place
they call home.”
Raylene believes Chilliwack’s continued growth requires more than simply expanding outward.
She supports growth, but believes development and municipal planning should be approached
with intention and an understanding of the broader effects decisions can have throughout the
community.
“Growth brings opportunity, but it also comes with growing pains,” Raylene said. “Every
decision has a ripple effect. We need to think about accessibility, infrastructure, usability
and how the choices we make today will affect the people who live here tomorrow.”
Her priorities include thoughtful and sustainable growth, responsible municipal planning,
supporting local and family-owned businesses, strengthening opportunities for youth and young
adults, and making Chilliwack a community where people of different ages and circumstances
can participate and feel connected.
As a small-business owner herself, Raylene understands that a strong local economy is about
more than attracting new businesses. It is also about creating opportunities for local people to
live, work and build their lives within the community. She believes thoughtful development can
support both housing and employment while helping local and family-owned businesses remain
an important part of Chilliwack’s future.
She also believes responsible municipal spending means looking beyond the immediate cost of
a project and considering its long-term value to the community.
Raylene says she is running for Council to bring a practical, community-focused perspective to
local government.
“I will work hard, remain accessible, listen before speaking and understand before
deciding,” Raylene said. “I want residents to know their concerns matter and that they
deserve to feel heard. Chilliwack is growing, and I believe we can move forward
thoughtfully while continuing to build a community where people feel connected, included
and proud to call home.”
Municipal elections are October 17.
