City councillors from Fort St. John and Dawson Creek elected to NCLGA board

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Two city councillors from Fort St. John and Dawson Creek have been elected to the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) for the 2026-2027 board. 

According to a media release by NCLGA, Dawson Creek councillor Kyle MacDonald has been elected as the new president of the board, while Fort St. John councillor Tony Zabinsky has been elected for the second time as 1st vice president. 

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

MacDonald said he was nominated from the floor at the recent annual general meeting, held between May 20th and 22nd, and he faced elections and was elected as this year’s president. 

“I was humbled [and] I am extremely excited for the work ahead and working with the newly elected board of the NCLGA to continue our work on advocacy and promoting the issues facing the North Central Local Government Association and its members,” MacDonald said. 

The board’s plans moving forward are to continue on the path started two years ago, bringing better governance to the NCLGA. 

He added: “[The board will be] bringing the issues raised by our membership to Victoria and to the provincial government [and] bringing more attention to the issues we are facing day in and day out in the north.” 

Zabinsky, who was elected to the 1st vice president position for the second time, said the board’s main goal is to remain regionally focused and ensure it is achieving positive impacts on the governments representing the region. 

He said: “We want to be transparent, building trust and [increase] access to information to our members, and probably the big one is being nonpartisan.” 

Zabinsky believes the current board is “great” because the entire board believes in collaboration.

“I want to be part of this board because I believe in this board, and I believe in what NCLGA means to the region,” he said. “I want to make sure we have a voice for the North and it’s clearly heard.” 

Stepping into the role for the second time, Zabinsky hopes to build stronger relationships with regional areas.

“We have a large [number] of municipalities, regional districts and First Nations, [who] need to have their voice heard,” Zabinsky said.  

“I believe we have to make sure we reach out to them and find out what their concerns are, it’s essential for the North and also for B.C. to gather their perspective, [which] will shape the direction the association moves in.” 

Both Zabinsky and MacDonald said the board’s biggest challenge this year will be the local election. 

MacDonald said: “Our biggest challenge this year will be that it’s an election year and just continuing to do the work while facing [the] election.” 

Zabinsky said it’s always tough when it’s an election year, and it is a “wait and see game.” 

“You hope everyone gets re-elected, but if [they don’t], then you have to sit down and bring those new people up to speed,” he noted. 

When asked if he had a message for the northern communities, MacDonald said: “Your NCLGA will continue to work hard and bring forth the resolutions brought forth by the member[s] to Victoria to make sure our northern voices are heard and taken care of.”