Coquitlam council on Tuesday (Sept. 7) granted a leave without pay to Coun. Bonita Zarrillo, the federal NDP candidate in Port Moody-Coquitlam.
Zarrillo requested the leave of absence from her civic duties from Aug. 15 — the date that the writ was dropped for the election — until Sept. 21, the day after the campaign.
Zarrillo took a similar leave in 2019 when she ran for the NDP; she lost her bid by 153 votes to Conservative MP Nelly Shin.
Municipal councils are allowed to grant leave of absences to a council member under sections 125 (5) and (7) of B.C.’s Community Charter.
City councillors in Coquitlam received a base salary of $74,405 in 2019.
