Misty Van Popta was first elected on October 19, 2024 as the Conservative MLA for Langley-Walnut Grove, with a constituency office in Langley Township. In the 43rd Parliament she served as the opposition critic for infrastructure and construction, a file that matched her day job. She is a project management professional in the construction industry, with education from Simon Fraser University and a Project Management Professional designation.
She arrived in Victoria with municipal experience already in hand. Elected to Township of Langley council in 2022 as part of the Contract With Langley team alongside Mayor Eric Woodward, she served on Metro Vancouver's Water Committee and its Climate Action Committee. Her earlier community roles included the township's Heritage Advisory Committee, the Langley Christian School Society and the Fort Langley Business Association. Her 2026 disclosure lists salary from the Township of Langley, where she served as a councillor, and a jointly owned residence in Fort Langley.
For a time she held both jobs at once. The dual role drew criticism in local news coverage, and a group of residents filed a court petition calling on her to step down from council. In May 2025 the Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act came into force, barring MLAs from holding municipal office, and she left her council seat. News reports quoted her saying the arrangement was always meant to be temporary and that she had planned to resign in 2026 to spare the township the cost of a byelection.
Her caucus biography notes she has also worked as a small business owner and spent time in the pharmaceutical software industry, and credits her with an understanding of urban planning challenges and the financial risks of housing development. She has said overcrowded schools, underinvestment in health care and transit, and provincial legislation affecting the community pushed her to run in 2024. A Langley native, she grew up in the community and raised her two daughters there, and she is a longtime resident of Fort Langley.
One note to avoid confusion: she is the provincial Conservative MLA, a different person from Tako Van Popta, the federal Conservative MP for Langley Township Fraser Heights.
Editor's note: the legislature was dissolved on September 22, 2026 and a provincial election was called for October 24, 2026. Offices above reflect the 43rd Parliament.
This profile is part of Apna News' Candidates series, introducing the people who represent Surrey and its neighbouring communities. Apna News is Surrey's new multilingual news platform. If you spot something to correct or add, reach us at info@apnanews.ca.
Official links: Legislature disclosure
