Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan says he’s “not confirming anything” ahead of the Friday (December 16) vote to elect a new Metro Vancouver board chair and vice chair.

Surrey councillor Marvin Hunt and District of North Vancouver mayor Richard Walton have told the Straight that Corrigan is in a two-horse race with Port Coquitlam mayor Greg Moore to replace outgoing chair and Delta mayor Lois Jackson.

“It’s not impolite at all to announce beforehand as to what you’re going to do, but I’ve said before, I’ve been considering it and I’m not sure,” Corrigan told the Straight by phone on December 14, citing concerns about the additional work. Moore did not return a message by the Straight’s deadline.

Corrigan said he takes on every job “very very seriously”, and even though the nature of the Metro chair’s job does not frighten him, “the other commitments” have caused him to pause.

“With [wife and NDP MLA] Kathy [Corrigan] working in Victoria, it makes it really difficult,” the mayor added. “So I’m really just balancing my personal life against the choice of taking on another job.”

With files from Charlie Smith.