Meet the 32 candidates running across Greater Victoria in BC’s election

The candidate lists are now official for British Columbia’s 44th provincial general election, giving voters their first complete look at who will be on the ballot when they head to the polls later this month.

Candidate nominations closed at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 3rd. According to Elections BC, 355 candidates are running across the province’s 93 electoral districts. 

Of those, 340 represent 10 registered political parties, while seven are running as independents and eight are unaffiliated.

The Conservative Party of BC is the only party fielding a complete slate, with candidates in all 93 ridings. The BC NDP is running 92 candidates, followed by the BC Green Party with 73, Centre BC with 35 and the OneBC Party with 33.

The Libertarian Party and Communist Party of BC are each fielding four candidates, while the Christian Heritage Party of BC has three, the CanWest Party has two and the Freedom Party of BC has one.

This year’s field is larger and includes more parties than the previous provincial election. In 2024, there were 322 candidates, including 269 representing seven political parties and 53 running as independent or unaffiliated candidates.

Here on southern Vancouver Island, 32 candidates are competing across eight electoral districts covering Greater Victoria, the West Shore, Sooke, the Saanich Peninsula and the Southern Gulf Islands.

Six sitting MLAs are seeking re-election, while two ridings will elect new representatives. Saanich North and the Islands is an open race after BC Green MLA Rob Botterell decided not to seek another term, while longtime BC NDP MLA Lana Popham is not running again in Saanich South.

With the final ballots now confirmed, here is a closer look at everyone running across southern Vancouver Island:

Esquimalt-Colwood

Sidney Coles — BC Green Party

Coles is a journalist, communications professional, researcher and former public servant. Her work has included environmental justice, Indigenous and human rights and gender equity.

Dave Johnston — Conservative Party of BC

Johnston is a Red Seal electrician and member of the Canadian Rangers. He has worked with the Haisla Nation and founded the northern BC advocacy group The North Matters.

Darlene Rotchford — BC NDP (incumbent)

Rotchford was elected MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood in 2024 after serving on Esquimalt council. She is a former president of the Victoria Labour Council and has worked in the mental health and addictions field.

Sid Tobias — CentreBC

Tobias is the mayor of View Royal and serves as a director with the Capital Regional District. His background includes nearly 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and more than a decade in the provincial public service.

Juan de Fuca-Malahat

Jeff Brown — Christian Heritage Party of BC

Brown is representing the Christian Heritage Party. A detailed candidate biography was not available on the party’s website at the time of publication.

David Evans — BC Green Party

Evans is a Sooke-based coffee roaster and former community café and bakery operator. He also represented the Greens in the district during the 2024 provincial election.

Shane Friesen — OneBC

Friesen is running for OneBC. A detailed official candidate biography was not available on the party’s website at the time of publication.

Mike Hicks — Conservative Party of BC

Hicks represented Juan de Fuca as a Capital Regional District director for 13 years. His business experience includes forestry, tourism, hospitality and fishing, and he operates a guesthouse in Sooke.

Dana Lajeunesse — BC NDP (incumbent)

Lajeunesse was elected MLA in 2024 and has served as parliamentary secretary for accessibility. He previously served on Sooke council and has a background in forestry and mechanical engineering technology.

Langford-Highlands

Sean Flynn — CentreBC

Flynn served for 13 years as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy before working for Lockheed Martin. His professional background includes corporate and organizational leadership.

Christian McCay — Christian Heritage Party of BC

McCay is the provincial leader of the Christian Heritage Party of BC. He describes himself as a grassroots political organizer and is a father of five.

Christopher Moon — BC Green Party

Moon has worked in the Ministry of Forests and with the BC Wildfire Service for more than nine years. He has experience in payroll administration and holds a diploma in public administration.

Ravi Parmar — BC NDP (incumbent)

Parmar has represented the area in the legislature since winning a 2023 byelection and was re-elected in 2024. He previously chaired the Sooke School Board and has served as minister of forests.

Cindy Scott — Conservative Party of BC

Scott has owned and operated a Langford home-building and renovation company for more than 20 years. She has also supported community organizations through initiatives such as the Holiday Home Tour.

Alex Thurlborn — Independent

Thurlborn is running without a party affiliation. A detailed public candidate biography or campaign website was not available at the time of publication.

Oak Bay-Gordon Head

Andrew Appleton — BC Green Party

Appleton is a two-term Oak Bay councillor and an environmental professional with more than 25 years of experience. He has also served as chair of the Greater Victoria Public Library board.

Diana Gibson — BC NDP (incumbent)

Gibson was elected MLA in 2024. A community social planner, she previously led the Community Social Planning Council, helped launch a rent bank and co-founded the consulting firm the Firelight Group.

Stan Sipos — Conservative Party of BC

Sipos is a businessman and real-estate developer whose projects include the Customs House redevelopment in Victoria. He has also worked in carbon-capture development and is a member of the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Andrew Weaver — CentreBC

Weaver is a University of Victoria climate scientist who represented Oak Bay-Gordon Head in the legislature from 2013 to 2020. He is a former leader of the BC Green Party and is now running for CentreBC. Although he is a former MLA for the district, he is not the incumbent.

Saanich North and the Islands

This is an open race. BC Green MLA Rob Botterell, elected in 2024, is not seeking re-election.

Kala Bryson — BC NDP

Bryson has a background in political science and has participated in public-policy discussions, including the province’s electoral-reform consultation process.

Emily Lowan — BC Green Party

Lowan is the leader of the BC Green Party. Her background includes climate organizing, advocacy and research.

Richard Smith — CentreBC

Smith is an immunology and microbiology research scientist and project manager. He has worked with Defence Research and Development Canada and held leadership roles in search and rescue.

Ryan Windsor — Conservative Party of BC

Windsor has served as mayor of Central Saanich since 2014 and represents the municipality on the Capital Regional District board.

Saanich South

This is also an open race. Long-serving BC NDP MLA Lana Popham is not seeking re-election.

Lisa Lapointe — BC Green Party

Lapointe served as British Columbia’s chief coroner from 2011 until 2024. She is a lawyer and longtime public servant.

Cathie Ounsted — Conservative Party of BC

Ounsted is an accountant and former Central Saanich councillor. Her experience includes serving as chair of the Victoria Airport Authority and holding leadership positions with Red Barn Market and Thrifty Foods.

Richard Zussman — BC NDP

Zussman is a former provincial political reporter for Global BC and CBC. He has served as president of the B.C. legislature’s press gallery and participated on several community boards.

Victoria-Beacon Hill

Joachim Agou — Conservative Party of BC

Agou is an engineer and small-business owner. His professional experience includes defence technology, gas turbines and space robotics.

Grace Lore — BC NDP (incumbent)

Lore was first elected MLA in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. Before entering politics, she worked as an anti-violence advocate and academic, and she has served in cabinet and as a parliamentary secretary.

Rajinder S. Sahota — BC Green Party

Sahota is a lawyer whose practice has included personal injury, human rights and class-action cases. He has also served on the board of Pacifica Housing.

Victoria-Swan Lake

Carolyn Howe — BC Green Party

Howe is a teacher, president of the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association and a choral conductor.

Nina Krieger — BC NDP (incumbent)

Krieger was elected MLA in 2024 and has served as minister of public safety and solicitor general. She previously worked as an executive with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and as parliamentary secretary for arts and film.

Tim Taylor — Conservative Party of BC

Taylor works in real estate and property management. His experience includes involvement with organizations focused on housing and affordable accommodation.

Voting information

Advance voting will take place from October 16th to 21st, with voting places open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Final Voting Day is Saturday, October 24th, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time. 

Voters can confirm their electoral district and find voting locations through Elections BC.