Meet Your Council
The Mayor is the Head and Chief Executive Officer of the municipality. The Mayor is responsible to provide leadership to Council by recommending bylaws, resolutions and others measures that in the Mayor’s opinion may assist the peace, order and good government of the municipality.
The Mayor also communicates information to Council, presides at Council meetings, provides, on behalf of the Council, general direction to municipal officers respecting implementation of municipal policies, programs and other directions of the Council. The mayor’s role is to represent the best interests of the citizens of the municipality.
Owen Torgerson
Mayor
Coming from a civil construction and mining background, Mayor Owen Torgerson is a life-long resident of Valemount. He has been actively involved with local government since 2011, volunteering at first with the Village of Valemount Advisory Planning Commission, Integrated Sustainable Community Planning Team, and the Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiatives Adjudication Committee. In 2014 he was elected municipal Councillor where much of his focus was on recreational development and tourism, forestry, municipal infrastructure management, and emergency planning. In 2018, Owen was elected Mayor of his hometown, where he and his wife Korie love where they live, work and play.
Mayor Owen Torgerson serves as Ex-officio on all committees of Council and represents the Village of Valemount on several boards and committees.
Hollie Blanchette
Councillor
Councillor Blanchette is in her fourth term as councillor for the Village of Valemount and she loves it. Councillor Blanchette is passionate about Valemount, and moving forward she strives to work hard, listen and learn. Councillor Blanchette has been working at Valemount’s public library since 2005; it has been a wonderful experience as she interacts with people and she perceives what issues are of concern. Blanchette’s goal as a municipal councillor is to help be part of a happy, healthy and vibrant community. Councillor Blanchette believes that committee work is a connection to many issues that relate to our community and is a big part of this job. Valemount is a beautiful place to live and being involved in it moving forward is a wonderful opportunity that Councillor Blanchette enjoys every day.
Donnie MacLean
Councillor
The upcoming term is Councillor MacLean’s second term as a councillor for the Village of Valemount. The MacLean family has been in Valemount since 1960 and community involvement is a family tradition. Donalda (Donnie) participates in community life by volunteering her time for community on various committees and boards but she sees her role as a Village councillor as, by far, the most important role and is excited to be granted this opportunity.
She and her husband, John, returned to Valemount to rejoin family in 2000 (after living away for 25 years) and work in the forest industry. They own and operate a small forestry consulting business here in Valemount, the Village they have always loved and thought of as home. Valemount is changing and growing, and Donnie sees as many opportunities with this as there are challenges. She is pleased and excited to be a part of this Council as they seek out and embrace opportunities and manage these unprecedented changes in the interests of the residents of Valemount.
Hugo Mulyk
Councillor
Councillor Mulyk is a long-time resident of Valemount. After 29 years with BC Parks, he retired as Senior Park Ranger at Mount Robson Provincial Park. There, Councillor Mulyk was able to develop his skills of working with people from all walks of life. He has helped plan and implement numerous volunteer projects and values collaboration and working with others to achieve common goals. Councillor Mulyk has also served for two years on the Columbia Basin Trust Resident Directed Grants Adjudication Committee.
Pete Pearson
Councillor
Raised in Prince George, Councillor Pete Pearson started a 34-year career with Canadian National Railway in the Signals & Communications department that covered all of BC and Alberta before settling in Valemount in 1998. Based in Valemount his territory eventually was Blue River to Jasper to Dome Creek before retiring in 2017. After retiring Councillor Pearson took a job with Canoe Valley Recreation Centre and was able to check driving the Zamboni off the bucket list. Serving on many committees and boards as member, director and chair in the Village including Minor Hockey, Slowpitch Assn, Sportsday Committee, Oldtimers senior hockey, Gun Club, Senior Citizens Housing Society and Entertainment Society. As a 36-year member of the Royal Canadian Legion he has been very involved with Branch 266 including 7 years as President.
First elected to Council in 2018 Councillor Pearson continues to serve the community he and his wife Kerry call home. Looking forward to a second term working with Council and staff, listening to the community and making Valemount the “Middle of Everywhere” Councillor Pearson appreciates the opportunity he has been given.