Fiona MacDermid — A Life Built on Hard Work, Business and Community

Fiona MacDermid has called White Rock home since 1993. Over more than three decades, she has built a life based on hard work, business, community involvement, and a willingness to stand up and speak when she believes something is important.

Fiona's working life began at just 17 years of age, when she started working in her father's manufacturing plant. The company manufactured products for the construction industry, and from an early age Fiona was immersed in the world of manufacturing, machinery, production, employees, customers, and business.

Her father did more than introduce her to the family business. Before his death, he personally trained Fiona as a tool and die maker—a highly skilled trade requiring precision, technical knowledge, problem-solving, and attention to detail. At a time when very few women were entering skilled industrial trades, Fiona was learning a profession that was overwhelmingly male-dominated.

Then Fiona's life changed dramatically.

Her father died at an early age, leaving Fiona and her mother to take responsibility for running a substantial manufacturing business. Fiona suddenly found herself carrying responsibilities that would have been challenging for anyone, particularly a young woman working in an industry where women were still very much the exception.

Instead of stepping away from the challenge, Fiona stepped up.

She and her mother worked together to keep the business operating. Fiona's early experience taught her lessons that have stayed with her throughout her life: that nothing is accomplished without hard work, that you have to understand the details before making decisions, that people depend on you to follow through, and that sometimes difficult decisions simply have to be made.

Her career later expanded beyond manufacturing into mining and farming, giving her experience across several very different industries. These experiences provided Fiona with a practical understanding of the challenges faced by employers, workers, entrepreneurs, and people working in industries where costs, regulations, equipment, labour, markets, and changing economic conditions can determine whether a business succeeds.

This background has strongly influenced Fiona's approach to municipal government.

She believes that taxpayers' money must be treated with the same care that a responsible business owner would use with their own resources. Governments need to establish priorities, understand the costs of decisions, plan for the future, and be accountable for the results.

After moving to White Rock in 1993, Fiona became increasingly involved in her community. For more than 15 years, she has been actively advocating on issues affecting White Rock residents. She has never been afraid to ask difficult questions or challenge decisions when she believes residents deserve better answers.

Since 2010, Fiona has also volunteered at White Rock community events. She believes a strong community is built by the people who live here—the residents who volunteer, the businesses that employ local people, the seniors who have invested decades in the community, and the families who want to build their future here.

Fiona's experience as a Strata President has given her another practical perspective on the challenges facing homeowners. She understands firsthand the responsibilities placed on volunteer strata councils and the challenges of managing budgets, maintenance, insurance, repairs, regulations, and unexpected costs.

Today, Fiona is particularly concerned about the direction of growth and development in White Rock. She believes development must be accompanied by proper planning and infrastructure. Roads, drainage, water, sewage, parking, emergency services, parks, and other community services must be considered before decisions are made—not after problems appear.

Fiona also believes that White Rock's small-town character is one of its greatest assets. Growth should not mean losing the qualities that made people want to live here in the first place.

Her approach comes directly from her life experience: work hard, understand the details, ask questions, take responsibility, and never be afraid to stand up for what you believe is right.

Fiona learned those lessons at 17, working beside her father and learning the skilled trade of tool and die making. She learned them again when her father died and she and her mother had to take responsibility for the family business. She continued learning them through her experiences in manufacturing, mining, farming, community advocacy, volunteering, and strata leadership.

Those experiences have given Fiona a perspective that is grounded in the real world.

She understands what it means to meet a payroll. She understands what it means to operate machinery and work with your hands. She understands the importance of skilled trades and the people who build, manufacture, maintain, and operate the things communities depend on. She understands that money does not appear out of nowhere and that every decision has consequences.

After more than 30 years of calling White Rock home, Fiona remains passionate about the city's future. She believes residents deserve a strong, independent voice at City Hall—someone who will listen to them, examine the facts, ask difficult questions, and hold decision-makers accountable.

Fiona is running for White Rock City Council because she believes her lifetime of experience can contribute to practical and responsible leadership.

Her commitment is simple: Put White Rock residents first. Protect the character of our community. Respect taxpayers' money. Support local businesses and working people. And make sure residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape the future of White Rock.

Fiona MacDermid has spent her life building things, solving problems, taking responsibility, and standing up when circumstances demanded it.

Now she wants to bring that experience to City Hall.