With the dropping of the writ on Sept. 21, B.C.’s 2024 provincial election is officially underway, and voters will head to the polls Oct. 19.
All 93 ridings in British Columbia are up for grabs. Here in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, there are three candidates in the running to replace outgoing MLA, Jordan Sturdy of BC United, who announced he would not seek re-election back in January 2024.
Pique reached out to all three candidates to offer them the opportunity to give a 120-word elevator pitch to voters as the formal part of the campaign kicks off.
All three received the same question: “With the writ dropped, how are you pitching your candidacy to the people of Whistler, and why should they vote for you?”
BC NDP
Representing the BC New Democratic Party is Whistler Councillor Jen Ford, who is contesting a provincial election for the first time after multiple terms as a Resort Municipality of Whistler councillor. Here is her response:
“Whistler is home. I’ve worked for two decades in service to our community—in tourism, then at council and the regional district. I know the people, I’m raising my family here, I know what we care about.
“In office, I’ve taken action on the issues that matter to people, whether it’s housing or childcare. I’m running with the BC NDP because they’re taking action, too. David Eby has put a plan in place that has us turning the corner on housing, on the cost of living, and on health-care. We’re not where we need to be yet, but things are trending in the right direction. We need to keep pushing, and we can’t stop until the job is done.”
BC Greens
For the BC Green Party, Jeremy Valeriote is taking a second crack at the race, having come within just 60 votes of unseating Sturdy in 2020. Valeriote provided this response:
“As an engineer, I am a problem-solver, and will represent you independent of entrenched corporate interests and big-party ideology. Your choice is between two big parties using fear and anger to win votes, or the BC Greens, putting people first, and proposing solutions to our challenges. Our record in Victoria shows that we are the adults in the room, acting as a moderating influence between warring factions, and holding the government to account. In 2020 I proved that we can win here, coming within 60 votes of being elected, with a different vision for what politics can be. This time we are poised to make history by electing the first Green MLA on the B.C. mainland.”
BC Conservatives
For the BC Conservatives, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Yuri Fulmer has stepped up for what is his first run at politics on any level. The chancellor of Capilano University, Fulmer has close business ties in the riding. Here is his response:
“Whistler voters have deep concerns about our province’s direction. Over my 30-year business career and decades of supporting charities and social enterprises, I’ve built a track record of delivering solutions. With Intelligent City, I developed innovative housing, and at Goodly Foods, I made food more affordable while ensuring living wages for people facing employment barriers. A strong voice in Victoria is important, but a problem-solver is essential. I am the only candidate with both the voice and action to address Whistler’s key issues—affordability, housing, health-care, regional transit, the environment, and more. Fact-check my results; I deliver.”
There may be more candidates yet: Up until Sept. 28, others can still nominate to run. After that day passes, candidates who filed will appear on ballot papers at a polling station near you.
What next?
Expect to see much in the way of kissing hands, shaking babies and brightly-coloured signs multiplying by the roadside: The 2024 campaign comes with the benefit (or drawback?) that candidates and volunteers can actively get out and about to campaign compared to 2020, when the election was restricted by the pandemic.
Voters will have many opportunities to cast their vote: Early voting in Whistler will take place at an advance voting station at the Whistler Conference Centre, at 4010 Whistler Way. It will be open from Oct. 10 to 13, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
On election day, Oct. 19, there are two polling stations in Whistler: At Myrtle Phillip Community School, at 6195 Lorimer Road; and at Whistler Secondary School, at 8000 Alpine Way. Both will be open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Oct. 19.
There are also mail-in voting options, and voters can also vote at the district electoral office for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, which is in Squamish at 38144 Second Ave. It opened Sept. 21, and is open Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Whistler voters can hear from the candidates themselves at the Oct. 1 all-candidates forum, co-hosted by the Whistler Chamber, Arts Whistler, and Pique Newsmagazine, at the Maury Young Arts Centre. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
