INDIA-BORN Harshan Ramadass is the new mayor of Fernie.
Fernie is a city in the Elk Valley area of the East Kootenay region of southeastern B.C., located on BC Highway 3 on the western approaches to the Crowsnest Pass through the Rocky Mountains. The municipality has a population of over 5,000 with an additional 2,000 outside city limits in communities under the jurisdiction of the Regional District of East Kootenay, according to Wikipedia. Fernie is the only city-class municipality in Canada that is fully encircled by the Rocky Mountains.
Ramadass bagged 1,524 votes (54.5% of the total votes cast) with his nearest rival Kyle Hamilton winning 1,194 votes (42.7%).
Ramadass, who is an engineer with an MBA degree, says on his website: “Fernie has been my home since 2011, where I live with my wife, Pru, and our daughter, Anya — born here and growing up here. I came here to work in the mining industry, a sector that has provided great careers, prosperity and identity to the Elk Valley. We stayed because of the community, the mountains, and the kind of life you can build here.
“Having grown up with limited means in India, I know what it means to stretch every dollar and plan for the long term. That mindset never leaves you — and it’s exactly the discipline I bring to how I think about public money. I have a deep respect for the blue-collar work ethic of this town and find a strong sense of kinship in the industrious ethos of the Elk Valley.
“For the past four years, I’ve served on City Council while holding a demanding full-time leadership role at Elk Valley Resources — one of the region’s largest employers. I know what it means to show up, do the work, and be accountable for results.”
