B.C. Greens to Announce Leadership Update Following Election Loss

The B.C. Green Party has announced an important update on its leadership, with a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. PT in Victoria. Sonia Furstenau, the current party leader, will lead the announcement, which comes after her defeat in the 2024 provincial election.

Furstenau, 54, has been at the helm of the Greens since 2020 and was an MLA from 2017 until this year. She represented Cowichan Valley during her tenure but chose to contest the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding in 2024 to be closer to her adult children. However, she was defeated by incumbent NDP cabinet minister Grace Lore by a margin of 13.7 percent (3,688 votes).

The Greens saw two new MLAs elected provincewide in the 2024 election: Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Boterell. Following Furstenau’s loss, the party announced she would stay on as leader temporarily to manage the transition and assist with negotiations with the NDP.

In December, the Greens and the NDP finalized a cooperation agreement focusing on shared priorities, including health care, affordable housing, and economic issues.

From Teacher to Politician

Born and raised in Edmonton, Furstenau attended the University of Victoria, earning a teaching degree before transitioning to politics in 2014. As a Cowichan Valley Regional District director, she gained recognition for opposing a waste discharge permit that allowed contaminated soil to be stored near Shawnigan Lake. Her efforts led to the permit’s cancellation in 2017, just months before her election to the provincial legislature.

As deputy leader under then-Green Party leader Andrew Weaver, Furstenau was part of a historic agreement with the NDP to support their minority government, playing a role in drafting the Clean B.C. plan, which established ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets.

However, her relationship with Weaver later soured after he criticized her leadership, accusing her of steering the party too far left. Weaver went on to endorse the NDP during the 2020 election after then-NDP leader John Horgan called a snap election.

Legislative Legacy

During her time in office, Furstenau focused on key progressive issues, including advocating for mental health services to be covered under MSP, ending old-growth logging, and supporting Indigenous communities by helping eliminate the practice of birth alerts, which disproportionately affected Indigenous families.

Ahead of the 2024 election, Furstenau highlighted her party’s success in pressuring the government to address critical issues such as the toxic drug crisis, affordability challenges, and the climate emergency. She earned praise during the televised leaders’ debate for presenting a forward-looking vision while her opponents, David Eby and John Rustad, exchanged attacks.

A Look Ahead

Furstenau and her husband, Blaise Salmon, have a blended family of five children and recently welcomed their first grandchild in December.

As the B.C. Greens prepare to outline their leadership plans, the announcement is expected to shape the party’s future direction amid changing political dynamics in the province.