Sean Bujtas decided to wade into municipal politics after the 2011 local government elections, inspired by his desire to improve the city in which he was born and raised.
Bujtas, who turns 39 this December, is currently general manager of Chances Terrace, formerly a bingo hall and now a casino regulated through the BC Lottery Corporation, where he has worked since 1997.
Coming from a soccer-loving family, his parents, George and Bev Bujtas, were awarded the Order of Terrace in 2006 for their work in youth soccer, a legacy which Bujtas says he is continuing.
"I recently joined the competitions committee for BC Youth Soccer so the north would have a voice. I am on their competitions committee," he said.
Bujtas says some of his priorities will include infrastructure (both functional and recreational), housing and youth recreational spaces.
"There are some changes I would like to see, such as to infrastructure," said Bujtas. "I support economic growth in the community but being cognizant of our environment at the same time and making sure we are going in the right direction.
"Changing the overpass isn't enough, we need to make sure we have the land available for the second overpass in preparation for when we build it," said Bujtas of dealing with the traffic volume using the Sande Overpass.
He said densification is good, but green space is important.
"It seems everything is being gobbled up for development but if you don't have green space here and there it's not inviting, you just become this giant bedroom community."
And Bujtas said it's important young people have an adequate number of activities and places to go. "I go into that Skeena [Middle] School now and I go wow, we need more stuff that is new [like the school]," he said. His wish list would include a new swimming pool and work to address the lack of a community centre.
Bujtas also advocates drawing up civic project plans ahead of time so that as infrastructure and other grants from senior governments come up, applying for them is quicker and more efficient.
He was nominated by Christopher Gair and Troy Hansen.