For over a year, Langley Township has been entangled in a truck parking quagmire leading to heavy-handed crackdowns while lacking adequate solutions. Under Woodward’s leadership, the council’s actions have often exacerbated the situation, leaving truckers, businesses, and residents all frustrated. The following timeline outlines the key events and decisions that have gotten us to this point.

January 2024: Crackdown

In early 2024, Langley Township initiated a major crackdown on truck parking. Many truckers, predominantly South Asian owner-operators, had been parking their rigs on Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) farmland due to a shortage of designated parking areas. Instead of addressing the root cause, the council responded with bylaw enforcement, issuing over $50,000 in fines. One trucker recounted receiving a stack of tickets in the mail, too late to contest them.

At the January 29 council meeting, Woodward announced a court injunction requiring a property owner on 16th Avenue to clear the site within 60 days or face enforcement actions. However, this approach did not provide legal parking alternatives for truckers.

February 2024: Truckers Struggle; Council Unmoved

As enforcement intensified, truckers pleaded with the Township council for viable parking solutions. The Canadian Trucking Association of BC, emphasized the urgent need for 5,000 additional truck parking spaces in Langley, arguing that punitive measures without alternatives unfairly targeted hardworking truckers.

Moreover, soaring land prices made it financially impossible for trucking companies to acquire property for parking. Truckers proposed a compromise: to permit limited, licensed parking on ALR land. The Woodwardian council, however, outright dismissed the suggestion.

April 2024: Woodward to Truckers

By April, tensions between truckers and the council hit a boiling point. At the April 15 council meeting, a delegate from the trucking community made a compelling plea for help. Holding up a basket of food and other essential goods, he explained how truckers were responsible for delivering these necessities to Langley’s residents. Then, he held up a basket filled with bylaw fines, showing the Township’s response to their essential service.

Rather than addressing the concerns seriously, in true Woodward style the Mayor responded with a smirk and a condescending remark, brushing-off the truckers’ request. Instead of acknowledging the hardship caused by the relentless ticketing campaign, Woodward mocked the delegate’s concerns, reinforcing what many had already suspected—that this council was more interested in optics than solutions for hardworking residents who provide a vital service. This exchange left truckers stunned and further alienated from a council that seemed determined to punish them rather than help.

Following the exchange, at the April 29 council meeting, the Woodwardian majority reaffirmed their opposition to ALR-based parking solutions, opting instead to direct staff to “explore options” without clearly defined deadlines or commitments. This vague and noncommittal approach only solidified the perception that Langley’s leadership was unwilling—or incapable—of delivering meaningful solution or action.

May 2024: Aldergrove

Facing mounting pressure, council approved a temporary truck parking facility in Aldergrove. The 9.5-acre site accommodated 40 trucks under a three-year permit. While Mayor Woodward heralded this as significant progress, truckers viewed it as insufficient given the scale of the shortage.

Industry representatives organized a rally in Surrey, criticizing Langley’s inaction and demanding a comprehensive plan. The BC Trucking Association weighed in cautioning that the crisis would escalate as freight demand grew, the council remained unresponsive.

Late 2024: Gloucester

After a year of delays and unfulfilled promises, Woodwardian council authorized an on-street truck parking pilot in the Gloucester Industrial Area. This initiative permitted overnight parking along industrial roads rather than establishing dedicated truck yards.

The decision was met with immediate backlash. Business owners in Gloucester expressed frustration over the obstructed road access, and truckers noted that the 72-hour parking limit failed to offer a long-term solution. Even residents who had initially supported strict enforcement started questioning the absence of a strategy for a permanent parking solution. Without a clear plan to accommodate truckers the problem was merely being shuffled around the Township, creating new congestion issues in other areas while failing to address the core issue.

Where are we now?

A year into this crisis and Langley’s truck parking issues persist. Council approved a second Aldergrove parking site for an additional 90 trucks, but this measure barely addressed the massive shortage. Truckers continue to face fines, struggle to find legal parking, and there doesn’t seem to be a long lasting solution on the horizon.

Over the past year, Mayor Woodward’s handling of the truck parking crisis led to ineffective punitive actions, temporary fixes that lack capacity, and an apparent lack of strategic vision. Truckers are exasperated, businesses are inconvenienced, and residents are becoming increasingly skeptical of Woodward and his council’s leadership.

At the April 15 exchange Woodward’s outlook and attitude toward truckers in its purest form was on full display—dismissive, condescending, and entirely out of touch with the working people who keep Langley’s economy running.As the situation continues to deteriorate, the community must consider how much longer it can endure governance that prioritizes short-term optics over effective, long-term solutions.