Provincial election guide: Candidates running in Oak Bay-Gordon Head

The Oak Bay-Gordon Head electoral district consists of the entirety of Oak Bay, as well as portions of Saanich and Victoria. 

Saanich portions include Gordon Head, Cadboro Bay and the panhandle east of Shelbourne Street. Victoria portions comprise the Jubilee and Gonzales neighbourhoods.  

This riding was established in 1979 and has undergone some boundary changes since then. 

Throughout its existence, Oak Bay-Gordon Head has seen members elected from several parties, including the now defunct Social Credit Party and BC Liberals. 

Since 2013, this riding has been won by either the BC Green Party or the BC NDP. 

In 2024, Diana Gibson was elected for the first time in the district, representing the BC NDP. 

Here are the candidates running to be the next MLA for the Oak Bay-Gordon Head electoral district. 

Diana Gibson – BC NDP (incumbent)

Gibson was elected to represent Oak Bay-Gordon Head in 2024, and in government served as minister of citizens’ services as well as minister of jobs, economic development and innovation.

Outside of provincial politics, she led Greater Victoria’s Community Social Planning Council, and co-founded the Firelight Group, which is now Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned consulting firm.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson’s team at the Community Social Planning Council launched a rent bank for the region, helping more than 2,000 community members keep their homes.

Gibson’s priorities this election are to create good jobs, protect healthcare and bring down costs. 

This will mark the second election Gibson has run in and she hopes to keep her seat in the legislature. 

Find information on the BC NDP’s platform here. 

Andrew Appleton – BC Green Party

Appleton is a two-term municipal councillor for the District of Oak Bay, and a longtime advocate for community, protecting the environment, climate action, housing diversity, active transportation and sustainability. 

He has chaired Oak Bay’s Community Climate Action Working Group, which launched the Coolkit community climate initiative.

Appleton has also represented Oak Bay as a trustee on the Greater Victoria Public Library Board and served as board chair in 2023-24. 

Through his community involvement, he has served with organizations including the Langley Environmental Partners Society, Jericho Stewardship Group, Greater Victoria Placemaking Network, the Mayor’s Task Force on Public Engagement and the Advisory Planning Commission. 

Outside of politics, Appleton has over 25 years of experience working in environmental protection and conservation.

Though he is well-versed in municipal politics, this year marks the first election he has run as a candidate for the BC Greens. 

Find information on the BC Greens’ platform here. 

Stan Sipos – Conservative Party of BC

Sipos came to Canada as a refugee from Yugoslavia, after losing his mother before his second birthday and spending three years in an Italian refugee camp. 

He spent his early Canadian years working on the family’s mink ranch in northern Alberta. 

At age 16, he left home to work as a construction labourer before building a career of more than 50 years in business and real estate development. 

Sipos also co-founded Cielo Carbon Solutions, a carbon capture company that reduces emissions at the source while protecting the natural gas industry.

This is Sipos’ first election running as a candidate. 

Find information on the BC Conservatives’ platform here. 

Andrew Weaver – CentreBC

Weaver is running with CentreBC this election after losing in 2024 while representing the BC Conservatives. 

Prior to joining CentreBC and the Conservatives, Weaver represented the Oak Bay-Gordon Head riding as a BC Green MLA from 2013 to 2020. He was also leader of the BC Greens from 2015 to 2020 before stepping down and sitting as an Independent. 

Weaver is a professor in the school of earth and ocean sciences at UVic and was also the Canada research chair in climate modelling and analysis until he was elected in 2013. 

He has a bachelor of science in mathematics and physics from UVic, obtained his master of advanced studies in mathematics from Cambridge University and a PhD in applied mathematics from UBC. 

Weaver has also authored or coauthored over 200 peer-reviewed papers in climate, meteorology, oceanography, earth science, policy, education and anthropology journals. 

In 2008 he was appointed to the Order of British Columbia and in 2014 he received an honourary Doctorate of Science degree from McMaster University.

He has received many awards for his work in writing and science. 

Weaver has served two terms as an MLA for BC Greens, lost a bid for a seat in 2024 with the BC Conservatives and is now running for a seat with CentreBC. 

Find information on CentreBC’s platform here. 

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.

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