Patricia Driessen - City Councillor, City of Abbotsford

06/18/2026

A big thank you to the members of City of Abbotsford Business, Innovation and Public Affairs Committee as we wrapped up our final meeting of this Council term.

Over the past four years, this dedicated group has provided valuable feedback on everything from commercial truck parking, housing legislation, and development approvals to business retention and expansion, digital modernization, the Official Community Plan, bylaw updates, and much more.

While we only met every few months, the conversations around the table helped shape policies, strategies, and initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our community. Thank you for generously sharing your time, expertise, and perspectives to help make Abbotsford stronger.

And, of course, we couldn’t resist showing our Team Canada spirit today by wearing red and white as we get ready to cheer on Canada in today’s big game! 🇨🇦⚽

06/11/2026

Flood mitigation remains a top priority for our region.

The Province, the Cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and the Semá:th and Leq’á:mel First Nations are inviting residents, business operators, and First Nation members to learn more about the Sumas River Watershed Flood Mitigation Plan and share their feedback.

📍 June 17, 2026
• 1:00–4:00 PM – Agriculture-Focused Session
• 4:00–7:00 PM – Open House
Semá:th Community Centre, 2800 Sumas Mountain Road

📍 June 20, 2026
• 12:00–4:00 PM
Clarion Hotel – Valley Room, 36035 North Parallel Road

📍 June 23, 2026
• 5:00–8:00 PM
Clarion Hotel – Pinnacle 1 Room, 36035 North Parallel Road

If you live, work, or own a business in Sumas Prairie, we encourage you to attend a session, learn more about the proposed plan, and provide your feedback. An online survey is also available for those unable to attend in person.

🔗 Learn more and complete the survey:
https://letstalkabbotsford.ca/sumasriverwatershedfloodmitigationplan

Your input will help shape the future of flood protection and resilience in our region.

The Province, the cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and the Semá:th and Leq’á:mel First Nations have developed a comprehensive Sumas River Watershed Flood Mitigation Plan. First Nation members, residents and business operators in Sumas Prairie are invited to learn more about this plan and share their feedback.

For more information, please visit: letstalkabbotsford.ca/SumasRiverWatershedFloodMitigationPlan.

05/20/2026

📖 Serving on the Fraser Valley Regional Library board for the past four years, all as Second Vice Chair, has been a privilege. I was elected by fellow board members, councillors from across the Fraser Valley, and I’m grateful for their confidence throughout my term. That trust reflects a shared commitment to strong, accessible library services. And while there’s no extra compensation, there is a bonus monthly two-hour meeting… 😉 a small price for meaningful work.

This past year, that work included working through a new collective agreement that will provide four years of stability across the system and kept our libraries open and accessible. We also launched a pilot program extending hours and opening libraries on long-weekend Sundays 👉 recognizing that many families stay local and value community spaces to learn, and connect.

Our board was also pleased to secure an enhancement grant from the Provincial Government that improved website accessibility, expanded Playground programming, and helped meet the growing demand for Ebook circulation.

Next month, the Summer Reading Club returns with its 2026 theme: Under the Sea 🌊🐡🐙🐬🪼 SRC continues to be a standout program in our libraries, bringing families together and helping children build a lifelong love of reading. 📚

05/13/2026

💻 Learn more and take the survey: https://letstalkabbotsford.ca/new-park-dianne-brook-ave

A new park is planned for the McKee Neighbourhood, and the City of Abbotsford is inviting local residents to share their input to help shape its design.

The new neighbourhood park will be located near the intersection of Dawson Road and Sumas Mountain Road in a quiet, single detached residential neighbourhood. The park will have a large forested natural open space with a smaller cleared area for park amenities and programming. Residents’ creativity will be essential to unlocking the full potential of this new neighbourhood amenity.

City staff are hosting an in-person community engagement event on Tuesday, May 26, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., at 36676 Dianne Brook Ave., the future site of the park. Local residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about the project and provide feedback.

For those unable to attend in-person but still want to have their voices heard, more information is available online, along with an online survey.

For the full Information Bulletin: www.abbotsford.ca/city-hall/news-media/city-seeking-input-new-mckee-neighbourhood-park

05/10/2026

Whether your days are full and fast-paced or quiet and steady, I see you… and you deserve to feel appreciated today. It all counts. Our children are 30% of the population right now, but they will be 100% of our future. 🌎

Happy Mother’s Day to the mamas and motherly influencers in our lives. 🌹

📍 Photo at Walmsley Lake in

05/07/2026

Serving Together at the Gleaners in celebration of BC Youth Week… and our last meeting/activity this Mayor and Council will have with the Abbotsford Youth Commission.