As the official start for the Non-Partisan Association’s two incoming city councillors approaches on Monday (December 5), Suzanne Anton is considering her next steps.

“I only had a plan A, I didn’t have a plan B, so obviously I’m considering various options right now,” Anton told the Straight by phone. She plans to first spend Christmas with her family and take a vacation in January.

The two-term councillor lost her mayoral bid in the November 19 election after receiving 58,152 votes, compared to Gregor Robertson’s 77,005 votes.

During the last meeting of the current city council on November 29, the mayor described Anton as “a very dedicated and hard-working public servant”.

Anton, who began her career as an advocate for better recreation facilities, told reporters following her final meeting at city hall that she has “loved being in politics”. In addition to serving six years on council, she also served one term on the Vancouver park board.

The politician plans to continue her involvement with the community in some way.

“It’s really what I’ve done all my adult life is be involved with my community one way or another, so that’s not going to stop now, I’ll just do it in a different role,” she said.

“I still believe that…we do not have the recreation facilities that we should have in a city like Vancouver, and we do not have the cultural facilities that we should have in the city of Vancouver.”

Anton reiterated her statement from election night that she believes having two NPA councillors at city hall will be “much better for democracy”. George Affleck and Elizabeth Ball will represent the municipal party in the council chambers.

“One of the real disappointments in the last council was the lack of debate,” she said.

“Having two people on council at least means that somebody will second your motion, and you can get debate underway, which I was not able to do.”

Anton added that she feels “very fortunate” to have been elected three times.

“I really have enjoyed almost every minute of it,” she noted.

“To be able to go into the community, to be able to talk to people, to be able to help people, to be able to move policy forward – it’s a great privilege to be able to do that, and I feel very thankful that I was able to do that for nine years.”

The new council will be inaugurated at a ceremony at the Creekside Community Centre on December 5.