Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleMelissa Granum is set to become Delta’s mayor after the City officially declared her elected with 16,197 votes, defeating incumbent George V. Harvie and fellow challenger Dylan Kruger. Her first-term agenda centres on rebuilding public trust at City Hall, reviewing municipal spending, protecting neighbourhood character and increasing public engagement.
The official declaration records 9,460 votes for Kruger and 7,782 for Harvie. It also confirms six councillors elected: Sylvia Bishop, Daniel Boisvert, Alexander Fischer, Alicia Guichon, Tammy Hansen and Jat Puri.
A governance specialist entering elected office
Granum’s candidate biography describes nearly 20 years of senior governance work in public bodies, including 12 years with the Delta Police Department. It says she helped Delta Police and Surrey Police Service develop policies, budgets, long-term planning and governance systems. She is also identified as the Director of Board Governance at the BC Lottery Corporation.
That background places public-sector oversight, police governance and financial accountability at the centre of her mayoral pitch. Her campaign says she wants to restore public confidence in council processes, make decisions more transparent and give residents a stronger voice before major decisions are finalized.
Delta First’s first 90 days
Granum ran under the Delta First banner. The slate’s published First 90 Days Plan groups its proposals under accountability, liveability and affordability.
- Accountability: develop an enforceable council code of conduct, restore Question Period for residents, encourage independent councillor decision-making and repeal the delegation of development permits and variances to City management.
- Liveability: begin a public review of the Official Community Plan, review Ladner village’s revitalization plan, re-establish citizen advisory committees, develop tree-protection bylaws and review police and fire resources against population growth.
- Affordability: launch a zero-based review of City departments and council spending, publish clearer budget information and develop a strategy to increase non-market and affordable housing.
These are campaign commitments, not measures already approved by council. Some proposals, including changes to development-permit authority and provincial housing legislation, will require legal review and may depend on provincial rules rather than a decision by Delta council alone.
What Delta residents should watch
The first test will be whether the new council turns the First 90 Days Plan into formal motions, public timelines and measurable results. A zero-based budget review could affect how City departments prioritize services and capital projects; residents will want to see what spending is examined, what savings are identified and whether service levels change.
The proposed review of the Official Community Plan and Ladner village revitalization plan will also be closely watched by residents, businesses, farmers and developers. The City must balance growth, infrastructure capacity, neighbourhood character and the need for more affordable housing across North and South Delta.
Granum’s background in police governance may also shape discussions about Delta Police and Delta Fire resources. Her campaign plan calls for a review of staffing and resources against population growth; the new council will need to define the scope, data and public reporting for that review.
What happens next
Delta’s new council consists of one mayor and six councillors elected for a four-year term. The City says council sets strategic direction through policies, bylaws, plans and budgets, and makes decisions about municipal programs and services. Granum’s first 90 days will show how quickly her campaign commitments become formal work for staff and council.
Related StudioX coverage: Delta’s 2026 mayoral candidates and their platforms.
Sources
- City of Delta: Declaration of Official Election Results, October 21, 2026
- City of Delta: 2026 candidates and elector organizations
- Delta First: campaign platform
- Delta First: First 90 Days Plan
- Melissa Granum: candidate-submitted biography and commitments
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
