Promises have been made, platforms have been released and debates have been had—now it’s time for BC to vote for their next provincial government.
In an effort to make things easier for undecided voters in Greater Victoria, here is a breakdown of all the candidates in the region, what they stand for and what their experience is that will help them best represent the people who vote them into power.
To find what riding you will be voting in, click here.
Victoria-Beacon Hill
Last election, this electoral district voted in Grace Lore from the BC NDP.
BC NDP – Grace Lore (incumbent) is currently serving BC as Minister of Children and Family Development with Premier Eby’s cabinet. Previously, she served as the Minister of State for Child Care and Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. Lore says her priorities lie in building homes, hiring doctors and other healthcare workers, expanding affordable childcare and building services and support for the community’s most marginalized individuals.
BC Conservatives – Timothy Thielmann is a lawyer who has previously worked closely with First Nations and environmental groups. He is against SOGI programs in schools and against activism in classrooms. Thielmann says he would also like to see the provincial carbon tax ended and has endorsed an expanded two-tier healthcare system in BC, which prioritizes privatized healthcare.
BC Greens – Sonia Furstenau (party leader) was previously serving as MLA for the Cowichan Valley electoral district and has been in the Legislative Assembly since 2017. As leader of the BC Greens, her goals are central to the party’s platform. These priorities are in an emphasis on compassionate care for people, prioritizing healthy environmental decisions and basing decisions on facts and data.
Polls: The Victoria-Beacon Hill electoral district is leaning towards the BC Greens at the time of this publication, with 41% of the popular vote.
Victoria-Swan Lake
Last election, this electoral district voted in Rob Fleming from the BC NDP who chose not to seek re-election.
BC NDP – Nina Krieger says her priorities are advancing education, justice and creating a brighter and more equal future for everyone in British Columbia. She works as the Executive Director of Western Canada’s leading Holocaust Museum and has dedicated her career to anti-racism education. Krieger has also worked to create educational materials for newcomers to Canada.
BC Conservatives – Tim Taylor has been a residential and commercial realtor for upwards of 20 years in Victoria and has sat on boards involved in housing for seniors and unhoused community members as well. Taylor says his priorities are to build a strong economy with solid educational options, bountiful jobs and affordable housing.
BC Greens – Christina Winter says she wants to implement better pay structures to recruit and retain healthcare professionals, address the inadequate supply of homes, introduce affordability measures like free transit, future-proof homes and communities against adverse climate disasters. Her experience lies in customer and community services, as well as political organizing.
Independent – Robert Crooks is a member of the Communist Party of BC who says his main priority is tackling the housing crisis with healthcare and affordability close behind.
Polls: The Victoria-Swan Lake electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 49% of the popular vote.
Esquimalt-Colwood
This election will be the first ever for the Esquimalt-Colwood electoral district, which was created by joining portions of the Esquimalt-Metchosin and Victoria-Beacon Hill ridings.
In the last election both of those electoral districts were won by BC NDP candidates, Mitzi Dean and Grace Lore.
BC NDP – Darlene Rotchford is currently serving her community as a Township of Esquimalt councillor. Through her work in Esquimalt and the Victoria Labour Council, she has vouched for building homes, getting people better pay and aiding those facing mental health challenges. Rotchford says her priorities are building homes for people, creating a stronger healthcare system and putting money back in British Columbians’ pockets.
BC Conservatives – John Wilson is a businessman who is well known as the President and CEO of The Wilson’s Group of Companies. This election is his first venture into the BC political landscape. Through Wilson’s success in business he has made numerous contributions to sports and tourism in the Greater Victoria region. Wilson’s priorities for his riding are not made clear in the information available via the BC Conservatives.
BC Greens – Camille Currie is a small business owner in the Westshore who also founded the BC Health Care Matters organization to address the family doctor crisis affecting thousands in British Columbia. She has a political science and economics degree from the University of Alberta and experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Currie says her priorities lie in bettering the BC healthcare system, community engagement and public policy.
Polls: The Esquimalt-Colwood electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 53% of the popular vote.
Oak Bay-Gordon Head
Last election, this electoral district voted in Murray Rankin from the BC NDP, who has chosen not to seek re-election.
BC NDP – Diana Gibson is an award-winning community leader and entrepreneur who led Greater Victoria’s Community Social Planning Council and co-founded the Firelight Group, which is Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned consulting firm. Her work has focussed on housing matters and during the pandemic, Gibson helped launch a Rent Bank for the region that helped more than 2,000 households keep their homes. Her priorities are in housing, investing in healthcare, and tackling climate change.
BC Conservatives – Stephen Andrew has served as a city councillor in Victoria, though he lost the latest municipal election to Mayor Marianne Alto. He is also well-known in the community for his work in journalism, for which he was the recipient of many awards. Andrew’s priorities for his riding are not made clear in the information available via the BC Conservatives.
BC Greens – Dr. Lisa Gunderson is the deputy leader of the BC Greens and is known for her work in the community as an educator and equity consultant dedicated to addressing the needs of underserved populations. Dr. Gunderson holds a PhD in clinical child psychology with a focus on helping racialized youth. Through her skillset, she has advised many organizations and governmental bodies on racial equity and equality. Her priorities are to create an inclusive and equitable society for her electoral district, and for BC.
Polls: The Oak Bay-Gordon Head electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 44% of the popular vote.
Langford-Highlands
This election will be the first ever for the Langford-Highlands electoral district, which was created by joining portions of the Esquimalt-Metchosin and Langford-Juan de Fuca ridings.
In the last election both of those electoral districts were won by BC NDP candidates, Ravi Parmer and Grace Lore.
BC NDP – Ravi Parmer (incumbent) is the youngest representative in the Legislative Assembly and won his seat in a byelection to replace former premier John Horgan in the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding. His previous work includes being Chair of the Sooke School Board and after being elected as Horgan’s replacement for the BC NDP, Parmer was given a cabinet position as Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. He says he opposes budget cuts and wants to prioritize investing in the services and infrastructure for the community he represents.
BC Conservatives – Mike Harris has a background in trades as a journeyman carpenter and in business as a small business owner. He ran in 2023, but came in second next to Ravi Parmer who won the seat. Harris says his priorities are fostering entrepreneurship, reducing tax burdens and eliminating wasteful government practices.
BC Greens – Erin Cassels has a background in hospitality management, running the Huntingdon Hotel and Suites as well as the Pendray Inn and Tea House since 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Victoria, a Master’s in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, and a certificate in First Nations Cultural Studies from Camosun College. She says her priorities are in sustainability and balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
Polls: The Langford-Highlands electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 59% of the popular vote.
Saanich South
Last election, this electoral district voted in Lana Popham from the BC NDP.
BC NDP – Lana Popham (incumbent) has been the MLA for Saanich South since 2009. During her tenure she has served BC as both Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. Popham says her priorities lie in housing, childcare, affordability and healthcare.
BC Conservatives – Adam Kubel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan. He is currently a small business owner and has experience as a project manager in both private and public sectors of the oil and gas industry. Kubel says his priorities are in issues impacting households, bringing about change in affordable housing, economic development, public safety and healthcare.
BC Greens – Ned Taylor was elected as the youngest-ever Saanich Councillor and CRD Director in the 2018 municipal election. In the role of councillor, he focussed on building more sidewalks, accelerating the region’s response to climate change and advocating for expanding the area’s housing stock. Taylor says he will prioritize climate action, opposing LNG plant expansion protecting old-growth forests as well as tackling the rising cost of living and the lack of housing in Saanich.
Polls: The Saanich South electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 49% of the popular vote.
Saanich North and the Islands
Last election, this electoral district voted in Adam Olsen from the BC Greens, who has chosen not to seek re-election.
BC NDP – Sarah Riddell has worked in healthcare as the Director of the Medical Services Plan Payment Schedule at the Ministry of Health. Through this work, her aim was to connect more British Columbians with family doctors. Riddell says her priorities are to help build homes for people, deliver dependable healthcare and create more day-to-day affordability.
BC Conservatives – David Busch has worked in healthcare, law and education in BC throughout his career. Busch holds two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Biochemistry and a second in Nursing, as well as a Juris Doctor of Law. Currently he runs a law firm in Saanich, and has unsuccessfully run as the federal Conservative candidate for Saanich Gulf Islands in both the 2019 and 2021 elections. Busch says his priorities are in healthcare reform, economic growth and environmental stewardship.
BC Greens – Rob Botterell is Adam Olsen’s replacement and has experience working for the BC Ministry of Finance where he developed BC’s Freedom of Information law. He has also represented First Nations governments in private law for over 25 years. Botterell says his priorities are to continue fighting for social and economic equality, better healthcare, a stable economy, environmental protection for First Nations, advocating for farmers and fighting against Site C.
Independent – Amy Haysom was a nominee for Adam Olsen’s replacement as a BC Green candidate for the upcoming election, but was disqualified shortly before party members voted on who should represent Saanich North and the Islands. She is a small business owner who is now based out of Salt Spring Island. She says her priorities are addressing the housing supply and affordability to foster a sustainable local economy.
Polls: The Saanich North and the Islands electoral district is leaning towards the BC Greens at the time of this publication, with 39% of the popular vote.
Juan de Fuca-Malahat
Last election, this electoral district voted in former premier John Horgan from the BC NDP.
BC NDP – Dana Lajeunesse is a Sooke municipal councillor and has been since 2019. Prior to this he worked in forestry until he was injured and went back to school, obtaining a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Camosun College. Lajeunesse says his priorities are to deliver affordable housing, strengthen the public healthcare system and create sustainable economic development.
BC Conservatives – Marina Sapozhnikov is a Ukrainian-born Canadian who has an MD degree from the State Medical School of Vinnitsa, Ukraine. She also worked in medicine in Israel before immigrating to Canada and teaching at the University of Alberta and UBC. Currently, she works as a family doctor in Cobble Hill. She says her priorities are to use her expertise to help guide healthcare reform.
BC Greens – David Evans has worked as a farmer and horticulturist before founding a maintenance gardening business in Victoria that relied solely upon hand-tools and a bicycle. Until recently, he also ran Sooke’s Stick in the Mud Coffee House. Evans says his priorities for the region are mitigating traffic issues, the cost of living, housing insecurity, healthcare, political division, drought and the climate crisis.
Polls: The Juan de Fuca-Malahat electoral district is leaning towards the BC NDP at the time of this publication, with 45% of the popular vote.
As a whole, the Greater Victoria area is projected to elect BC NDP candidates in Saturday’s election, with six out of eight ridings leaning that way. Two ridings are leaning BC Green and no riding is projected to vote in a BC Conservative candidate.
Find the full platforms for each party below:
The final voting day is on Saturday, October 19th. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
