BC Greens close the gap in Victoria-Swan Lake as NDP’s Nina Krieger wins re-election

BC NDP incumbent Nina Krieger has been re-elected in Victoria-Swan Lake, but this time around, the BC Greens gave her a much closer race.

With Krieger declared elected, the NDP candidate had received 9,239 votes, ahead of BC Green candidate Carolyn Howe with 7,457 votes.

BC Conservative candidate Tim Taylor finished third with 4,466 votes.

While Krieger managed to hold onto her seat, the results mark a noticeable shift from the 2024 provincial election, when she won the riding with more than 56% of the vote.

This time, the Greens closed the gap considerably, finishing just 1,782 votes behind Krieger in the reported results.

Howe, a longtime Victoria educator and president of the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association, was running in her first provincial election.

She has taught at South Park Family School since 2005 and campaigned on issues including public education, affordable housing and healthcare.

Krieger, meanwhile, was first elected in 2024, replacing longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, who had represented Victoria-Swan Lake since the riding was established in 2009.

Before entering provincial politics, Krieger served as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. She later served as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being appointed BC’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in July 2025.

Taylor, a longtime Victoria real estate professional, was making another run for the seat after previously competing against Krieger in 2024.

Victoria-Swan Lake includes neighbourhoods such as Burnside, Oaklands, Tillicum and the Swan Lake area, covering portions of both Victoria and Saanich.

The riding has remained firmly in NDP hands since its creation in 2009, although Saturday’s results suggest the Greens have gained considerable ground in the area.

The results reported at the time of publication were:

• Nina Krieger (BC NDP) — 9,239 votes (elected)
• Carolyn Howe (BC Greens) — 7,457 votes
• Tim Taylor (BC Conservatives) — 4,466 votes

For more results from across Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island, visit the Victoria Buzz election portal.