Alice Maitland, the longest-serving mayor in British Columbia’s history, has passed away at the age of 91. Maitland served as mayor of Hazelton for an extraordinary 42 years, after being first elected to the town council in 1965. She became mayor in 1976 and remained in office until 2018.
Born in Hazelton in 1933, she spent most of her life in the town she helped shape, despite leaving for part of her education. Maitland’s leadership is remembered for her ability to keep the small village of around 300 residents thriving, including achieving her biggest accomplishment—getting the town paved.
Maitland was also a strong advocate for environmental causes, working alongside the Gitxsan nation to challenge unfair forestry practices. Her contributions were recognized with a lifetime achievement award in 2016 and the Ann MacLean Award in 2020 for her role in championing women in municipal politics.
Her daughter, Julie Maitland, is now the current mayor of Hazelton, continuing the family legacy in local governance.
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