Who’s running in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant byelection?

While the next B.C. election isn’t scheduled until 2024, voters in two provincial ridings will soon be headed to the ballot box.

The byelections for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and Langford-Juan de Fuca are scheduled for Saturday, June 24.

Vancouver-Mount Pleasant was vacated by former BC NDP cabinet minister Melanie Mark after she resigned earlier this year citing personal matters. Langford-Juan de Fuca was previously held by John Horgan, who stepped down as premier in October 2022 and left his position as MLA in March of this year.

Here’s who’s running in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant riding:

Jackie Lee

BC United is running Jackie Lee, an entrepreneur, to try to win the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant seat.

The party says Lee is a “proud Canadian immigrant, and an active community leader who has made a significant impact in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant area.” In addition to being a “dedicated local businessman,” BC United says Lee is “committed to supporting entrepreneurs” and reducing red tape.

Joan Phillip

The NDP has named Joan Phillip as its candidate. Phillip is a respected Indigenous leader and is married to Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs.

The New Democrats say Phillip has “dedicated her life to fighting for justice, human rights, and the environment.” She has been a youth counsellor and a lands manager for the Penticton First Nation.

Wendy Hayko

Wendy Hayko is running as the BC Green Party’s candidate. Described by the party as “an emergency management expert,” the Greens say Hayko has experience “bringing people and government agencies together for solutions.”

The Green Party says Hayko wants to change policy “to ensure housing is treated as a human right, available and accessible to all.” Health — both physical and mental — is also listed as one of Hayko’s priorities.

Karin Litzcke

The Conservative Party of B.C. has announced Karin Litzcke as its candidate. The Conservatives say Litzcke has lived in Strathcona for 30 years and has been a “long-time education advocate.” Education is a major platform for Litzcke, with the party saying she has “advocated for a greater focus on evidence-based teaching, and less teaching of divisive social-values, in British Columbia’s public schools.”

Kimball Cariou

Kimball Cariou is running in the byelection for the Communist Party of BC. Born in Saskatoon, the party says Cariou has lived in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant riding for 15 years. According to the Communist Party, Cariou is “active in his housing cooperative, and is a strong advocate for demands to stop displacement and launch a massive program to build low-income housing.”

A number of polling stations will be open on Saturday for voters who want to cast a ballot.

The polling stations for the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant 2023 byelection. (Courtesy Elections BC)

The byelections in those two ridings were called on May 27. Candidate nominations closed just days later, on June 3.

Meanwhile, time is running out for anyone who is planning to take advantage of advance voting, which ends on Wednesday, June 21, at 8 p.m.