Following the 2024 provincial election, former leader of the BC Green Party Sonia Furstenau lost her riding in Victoria, and subsequently stepped down.
Jeremy Valeriote, Green MLA for the Vancouver West-Sea to Sky electoral district has since stepped in as interim leader, until an official party election can be held.
Recently, on June 14th the deadline for BC Green leadership applications came to a close and so far, only two individuals, Jonathan Kerr and Emily Lowan, have announced they will be running to take over the party’s leadership.
Jonathan Kerr
Kerr is a family doctor by-day, who has twice been elected as a councillor in the Town of Comox and has sat as vice-chair of the Comox Valley Regional District.
Through his work as a physician, he has worked to bring more family doctors and nurse practitioners to his community and through his work as a councillor, has navigated working collaboratively to creatively solve the region’s issues.
“Jonathan knows what it takes to run for office and win,” reads Kerr’s candidate biography.
“He ran as a Green in Comox, and also recruited other progressive candidates and helped them get elected too. He knows what it takes to grow a party – it means connecting with people, listening to their stories and working hard to make their lives better.”
Kerr says his main focus for Comox, and for BC, is to make housing more affordable and accessible, as well as creating a more sustainable community.
With the Green Party, he has worked on both provincial and federal campaigns.
Emily Lowan
Lowan is a 24-year-old renter, organizer and advocate for climate justice and Indigenous solidarity who grew up in Victoria.
She says that, as leader of the BC Greens, she would be a voice for the younger generations who want real solutions to the climate crisis and thwarting corporate interests that threaten democracy.
“I’m fed up, and I know you are too,” reads Lowan’s candidate biography.
“It’s time we reclaim our democracy and put the government to work for everyday British Columbians.”
Her experience includes leading advocacy campaigns, conducting investigative research and building coalitions.
Currently, Lowan is working with Climate Action Network Canada to fight against fossil fuel expansion and build our renewable future.
She also works with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Corporate Mapping Project, where she has helped several grassroot groups with developing investigative research methods and campaign strategies.
Additionally, Lowan works with the UVic Student Union Director of Campaigns, where she led a successful fossil fuel divestment campaign.
Lowan says that decolonization is a cornerstone for all her endeavours, as she has worked to stop fossil fuel expansion alongside Indigenous groups throughout BC.
She says that if she were elected as leader of the BC Green Party, she would bring her expertise in advocacy with her to generate sustained momentum for the BC Greens.
The election for the BC Greens’ next leader will take place between September 13th and 23rd, with the results being announced on September 24th.
Though Kerr and Lowan are the only two who have announced their candidacy thus far, more will likely run.
