Conservatives flip Saanich South as Cathie Ounsted heads to BC legislature

There will soon be a new face representing Saanich South in Victoria.

BC Conservative candidate Cathie Ounsted has officially won her riding in tonight’s election, flipping a seat that has been held by the BC NDP for years.

Ounsted defeated BC NDP candidate Richard Zussman, along with BC Green’s Lisa Lapointe in a three-way race to represent the riding.

The victory marks a significant change for Saanich South, which was previously represented by longtime NDP MLA Lana Popham.

Popham, who previously had held the seat since 2009, announced she would not seek re-election in 2026, leaving the riding without an incumbent on the ballot.

Though new to this role, Ounsted is no stranger to local politics.

She previously served as a Central Saanich councillor after being elected in 2011, and has held several community leadership positions, including serving on the Central Saanich Police Board and the Victoria Airport Authority board of directors.

Ounsted also has an extensive business background, having previously owned Red Barn Market and worked as director of operations for Thrifty Foods.

Currently, she and her husband operate a local accounting firm, Ounsted and Company.

This isn’t her first time on the campaign trail, either. She previously ran as a Conservative candidate in the 2025 federal election in Saanich–Gulf Islands, finishing third.

Saturday’s victory marks her first success in provincial office and brings a change in political representation to Saanich South.