Graeme Hutchison enters Abbotsford school trustee race

Hutchison previously ran in the recent school trustee byelection and provincially in 2024

Graeme Hutchison enters Abbotsford school trustee race Published 9:44 am Monday, July 13, 2026 Graeme Hutchison has become the fourth person to enter this fall’s Abbtosford school trustee race. Hutchison made the announcement in a press release on Sunday (July 12) night.

He most recently ran in the 2025 Abbotsford school trustee byelection and placed fourth with 276 votes. Hutchison also ran as the NDP candidate for Abbotsford West in the provincial election in October 2024 and placed second with 7,255 votes. Hutchison is known to some in the community as a veteran soccer referee, but began his career in his homeland of the United Kingdom after earning his degree.

He worked as a schoolteacher and later became a university professor teaching Information Technology. He then moved to Abbotsford with his family in 2000, where he transitioned into the banking and finance sector, working as a corporate trainer and software developer. He later served as President of MoveUP, a union representing more than 14,000 members throughout the province.

In this role he represented staff at several companies including BC Hydro, FortisBC, BC Transit, Capilano University and ICBC. Hutchison also served as an officer with the BC Federation of Labour and on the regional council of the United Way of BC. He currently serves on the board of the Fraser Valley Youth Society.

He stated that he believes his combination of teaching experience, financial background and leadership roles has allowed him to understand complex organizational systems and those skills make him an ideal candidate. “My goal is to represent the entire community,” Hutchison said. “I believe in fairness, dignity and respect across all of Abbotsford’s schools.”

Both of his sons graduated from Robert Bateman Secondary and the University of the Fraser Valley. He credits the dedication of teachers, staff, and the Abbotsford community for supporting his family’s educational journey. Hutchison noted that challenges facing today’s schools, include class sizes, diverse learning needs and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence in education.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring that students feel safe, supported, and included and that families have meaningful opportunities to share their perspectives. For more on his campaign, visit graemehutchison.com. He joins other declared candidates Rhonda Pauls, Benjamin Mehrer and Raj Patara in the election, which is set for Saturday, Oct. 17.