VICTORIA B.C. – This week, the B.C. Green Party is celebrating its 40th anniversary, including a decade of its members being elected to the provincial legislature. The party has regularly defied expectations, including the implementation of a confidence and supply agreement which lasted 3.5 years, and numerous policy initiatives that have since become law.
This Saturday, the party is hosting “40 and Forward: A B.C. Green Gala” to recognize the hard work of its candidates, members and supporters as it gears up for next year’s election.
“For the past decade, British Columbians have elected Green MLAs to represent them in the legislature,” said party leader Sonia Furstenau. “From the urgent battle against climate change to the struggles surrounding housing and healthcare, the B.C. Green Party has left a lasting mark on BC, and I could not be more proud to be standing here today with many of the people who have made that possible. In the face of the rising cost of living, worsening climate change, and dwindling healthcare access, we’re more determined than ever to push onward.”
“British Columbians want honest, decisive and collaborative action from their government that changes people’s lives for the better,” said Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “From protecting old growth to free prescription contraception and banning big money, this party has taken some of the most important issues from ideas to law, while championing the value of working across party lines. That’s why people vote for us.”
"We’re not done reshaping the political landscape," Furstenau added. "We are ready to make history again by electing the largest B.C. Green caucus ever. The candidates we have already nominated for next year’s election are all recognised leaders in their communities, fighting B.C.’s most pressing issues. They are changemakers like Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi who consistently advocates for better access to healthcare, Nicole Charlwood who is a champion of climate action and water conservation, and Ned Taylor who is a passionate advocate for intergenerational equity. I look forward to standing side by side with them in the legislature in the very near future.”
The 40 and Forward gala will be held at the Inn at Laurel Point in Victoria on Sat. Oct. 14, from 7:00 - 11:00 PM.
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Quotes from candidates“The B.C. Green Party is hope personified. Every step taken is dedicated to finding innovative and realistic solutions that will improve the lives of others. Our MLAs share an equitable and sustainable vision for the future and every candidate is committed to delivering on it. Sonia Furstenau is leading the party confidently into the next chapter of the B.C. Greens, and I truly believe that this is the party that can and will overcome the extraordinary challenges facing our province.” Nicole Charlwood, candidate for Kootenay Central “The landscape of healthcare is evolving rapidly and the B.C. Green Party is committed to leading the charge for progress. Our vision for the future is one where every citizen has equitable and timely access to world-class healthcare. We will continue to focus on improving the delivery of healthcare in our province through innovation, collaboration, and compassion, emphasizing the importance of team based community health centers. The B.C. Greens have been and will continue to be vocal advocates for mental health support, recognizing the crucial intersection between mental and physical well-being and acknowledging that a holistic approach to healthcare is essential. ” Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi, candidate for Vancouver-Renfrew “The decisions that our government makes today will have an enormous impact on younger generations. In fact, it is our future that is at stake, from the housing crisis to the climate crisis. Younger voices need to be part of that decision-making. With 93 members in the legislature, I think at least one of them should be able to represent our youngest citizens.” Ned Taylor, candidate for Saanich South “Things have changed a lot since I got involved in 2012. More and more, we see that Greens can and do get elected and make changes that make a real difference for their communities. People in Victoria and across B.C. are facing the same overlapping challenges and crises - affordability, housing, healthcare, and the climate crisis - and there’s a strong desire to see action on the ground instead of just identifying the problems. That’s what is so exciting about being a B.C. Green candidate. We don’t just talk the talk, we fully walk the walk and that is resonating with British Columbians.” Christina Winter, candidate for Victoria-Swan Lake |
Backgrounder
The B.C. Green Party was founded in 1983 as the first Green Party in North America. The BC Greens elected their first MLA in the 2013 general provincial election (Andrew Weaver, Oak Bay-Gordon Head). In the provincial election in 2017, three Green MLAs were elected: Adam Olsen (Saanich North and the Islands), Sonia Furstenau (Cowichan Valley) and Andrew Weaver (re-elected in Oak Bay-Gordon Head). Sonia Furstenau was elected leader in September 2020.
After the 2017 election, the B.C. NDP and B.C. Green MLAs signed a Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) which allowed the B.C. NDP to form a minority government. Some of the key planks in the agreement included banning big money in politics, creating a strong climate plan for BC, and enshrining the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in law. This power-sharing agreement hinted at what a Green-led government could look like: one that represents the people and works for a sustainable and just society. The CASA between the B.C. Greens and the B.C. NDP lasted longer than many expected, and proved successful because it put the interests of British Columbians ahead of political partisan interests.
Sonia Furstenau was elected the current leader of the B.C. Green Party in September 2020, one week before a snap general election was called. Furstenau and Olsen were re-elected, while Jeremy Valeriote came just 60 votes shy of winning the party’s first seat in the Lower Mainland in the riding of West Vancouver-Sea to Sky.
The advocacy of the B.C. Green Party has transformed important issues into provincial policies and laws, including, but not limited to: banning big money (2017), lobbying reform (2017), CleanBC environmental plan (2018), speculation and vacancy tax (2018), Wild Salmon Advisory Council (2018), ending birth alerts (2019), old growth protection (2020), modernizing the family doctor compensation model (2022), free prescription contraception (2023).
The next general provincial election is scheduled for Sat. Oct. 19, 2024. The following members have been nominated as candidates:
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Candidate |
Riding |
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Juan de Fuca-Malahat |
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Saanich North and the Islands |
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Oak Bay-Gordon Head |
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Vancouver-Renfrew |
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Kootenay Central |
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West Vancouver-Sea to Sky |
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Victoria-Swan Lake |
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Saanich South |
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Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream |
More candidates will be announced in the coming weeks.