City councillor receives NCLGA’s lifetime achievement award

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A city councillor has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA). 

According to a media release by NCLGA, at the 2026 annual general meeting (AGM), Councillor Trevor Bolin was announced as one of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The NCLGA is an advocacy body for local government officials in North Central British Columbia. 

Bolin said this award was “surprising,” as he was not able to make it to the NCLGA AGM this year due to his cancer operation. 

“I didn’t know ahead of time this was happening, and it wasn’t until I received a text from the mayor and council they had accepted this Lifetime Achievement Award on my behalf,” he explained. 

Receiving this award, he said: “It was surprising, a moment filled with gratefulness, and it’s been some time reflecting on the last 18 years that I’ve been on council.” 

Bolin joked the last 18 years have been “more wrinkles, less hair and maybe less sleep.” 

He said: “It’s been amazing, I joke about it [but] I’m actually serious when I say more wrinkles and less hair, but that’s because I was in my 20s when I got elected.” 

“If I were to sum it up in a word, [it] would be gratitude.” 

Bolin said he will keep doing this as long as the residents in Fort St. John want him. 

“In the last election, I was overwhelmed with the response and the support I got,” he noted. “We’re coming up to another election, this fall. It’s time for me to figure out what that looks like come October.” 

Looking back to when he was first elected, Bolin shared tax rates were increasing, there was a 13 per cent increase in business taxes, and the Pomeroy Sports Centre was being built. 

He said: “We opened [the centre] up to missing bleachers and no fire egress and all sorts of issues, we’ve paved over 180 kilometres worth of road [and] added as much sidewalk and street light.” 

“I couldn’t even begin to think of all the great things we’ve done as a council with our residents, with our businesses, with our friends, families, and neighbours, because truly all of us have been what it’s taken to build Fort St. John, as great as it is today.” 

Bolin said at that time there was a “difference of opinion” on tax rates, spending, and using capital money for operations. 

He said: “I really felt that Fort St. John should…[have] a better financial position in our future.” 

“Fort St. John had one of the most modest increases, more tied to inflation and CPI than anything else. I’m proud of what we’ve done [and] accomplished with the residents.” 

Bolin believes it all comes down to listening and acting on the wishes of those who elect and support the council.

When asked what this recognition means to him both professionally and personally, he said: “At first I thought, does that mean I need to retire? You get a lifetime achievement award and you start to question if that’s the end of the lifetime of that position.” 

“But, I think when I read a little bit further into it, it’s based on exceptional leadership and the award was given not because it’s over, but maybe this is just the midway point.” 

Bolin said although the last 18 years have been phenomenal, they are nothing compared to what the next 18 will look like. 

Even though the awards are great and the accolades are nice, Bolin said his biggest achievement is hearing back from residents. 

“The biggest achievement is when you hear back from residents that I got it right,” he explained. “There was something that was an issue in this community and I was able to listen, I was able to communicate, we were able to be transparent and we were able to solve the issue.” 

Bolin believes no other council in any city in the province has residents with easy access to it. 

“I’m grateful for the fact that the residents want to see Fort St. John be bigger and be better, and that’s what I’ll keep pushing for,” he noted. 

Some of the biggest challenges he faced as a councillor were major projects like the 100th Street and the RCMP building.

He said: “I think it’s good residents always question what decisions are being made, but take the time to learn the facts around it as well.” 

Bolin believes the biggest lesson he learned from being on the council is just because people don’t show up, it doesn’t mean they don’t care. 

“Before the days of social media, we’d have to rely on people showing up to ask questions,” he explained. “I think the biggest lesson became is [that] not everybody can be there and life happens all around us…[councils] of the future need to rely on all forms, whether it’s digital formats and social media.” 

Bolin said over the course of 18 years, he has learned something new by just listening. 

“I’ve been able to see something in a different light, and I thank the residents for enabling me to do that and teaching me,” he added. 

Bolin’s family, who have been a part of the community for 100 years, said: “Never will you find a place where you know when somebody needs help, there [are] so many residents willing to help them.” 

“I’ve been inundated with messages, calls and support with what I’ve been going through lately, and I don’t think you’d find it anywhere else.” 

Bolin feels as Fort St. John continues to grow, new residents and families will come, and the community will get stronger as they adapt to the Fort St. John way. 

“I think it’s just going to continue to make us the best city ever,” he said. 

Bolin credits the residents of Fort St. John for receiving the lifetime achievement award. 

He said: “It’s the residents, it’s the staff at the city, it’s the support, and my message would truly be, thank you for trusting in me with the decisions of the community that directly affect their lives, and I really look forward to continuing this in the coming years.” 

NCLGA also gave the City of Fort St. John two awards: the Community Leadership Award for Social Responsibility and the Community Leadership Award for Economic Development.