BC Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau stepping down
Posted January 28, 2025 12:20 pm.
Last Updated January 28, 2025 12:21 pm.
The leader of the BC Greens Party is stepping down.
The announcement on Tuesday comes after Sonia Furstenau lost her seat in the provincial Legislature during October’s election.
During a press conference, Furstenau expressed her pride in the accomplishments she’s made as an elected official.
“Four years ago yesterday I launched my bid for leadership of the BC Greens –, leadership that was based on a vision for B.C. that is rooted in four pillars. Thriving people, vibrant communities, a healthy natural world, and trustworthy governments and institutions,” Furstenau said.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“As the first Green caucus in Canada, we blazed the trail. Our team was part of significant change banning big money in politics, lobbying reform, and greater transparency so we can now know who is meeting with government officials and how often.”
Furstenau was first elected to the legislature in 2017 and was head of the party when the BC Greens helped the late John Horgan’s NDP form government through a confidence and supply deal.
The Greens made a similar agreement with David Eby and the NDP to “work together on a specific set of shared priorities” during the 2024 provincial election.
The priorities agreed on at the end of last year include health care, affordable housing, creating livable communities, and the economy.
“I’m very proud of the commitments in the agreement, and I am so confident that our two MLAs, Rob and Jeremy, and our extraordinary caucus team will hold the government to their word. I also believe that collaboration across party lines that this agreement puts back into place will improve outcomes for people in B.C.,” Furstenau said.
In her announcement, Furstenau stressed the importance of focussing on threats to institutions at home and abroad.
“We can’t accept the denial of the serious and real challenges that we face collectively a billionaire class turning into an oligarchy, deepening inequality, a loss of trust and faith in public institutions and democracy, and climate change and the chaos that stems from it. We can’t be still.” Furstenau said.
In October’s election, Furstenau attempted to switch constituencies, running in the NDP stronghold Victoria-Beacon Hill, where she lost to incumbent Grace Lore.
“We’ve shown that politics doesn’t have to be a binary choice, a winner-take-all world where good ideas can only come to be if they come from the governing party,” Furstenau said.
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote will serve as interim leader until the party elects a new leader, she explained. The timeline and details for the upcoming leadership race will be announced in February.
