Ravi Kahlon, Kelly Greene and Lana Popham among BC NDP incumbents not seeking re-election

The Story

Several prominent members of the B.C. NDP have announced they will not seek re-election as British Columbia heads into the Oct. 24 snap provincial election. The departures include newly appointed Health Minister Ravi Kahlon and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Kelly Greene, along with Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, who announced the decision separately a day earlier.

Kahlon, the MLA for Delta North, said he intends to step away after three election cycles. He was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2020 and again in 2024, and his announcement comes just over a month after he became minister of health in a cabinet shuffle. Kahlon’s statement emphasized the length of his public service and thanked people he said enabled his work in government.

Greene, who represents Richmond-Steveston, said her decision is tied to long-standing concerns about industrial safety, climate change and the movement of liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships. Her letter to constituents also referenced the environmental approvals announced for FortisBC’s Phase 2 expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta, including changes that would increase LNG production and storage, while noting that further permits are still required.

Greene said she remains concerned about risks posed by the Tilbury LNG shipping channel and that she has advocated for improved safety standards for about a decade. Her comments highlighted how Richmond’s waterways are used by commercial ships, fishing vessels and recreational users, and she argued that increased LNG shipping would require regular review of navigation risks, emergency response capacity and public safety measures.

In her announcement, Greene also described the perspective she gained from overseeing emergency management, including working with communities affected by floods, wildfires and other emergencies. She tied the decision to her experience handling those threats and said she approached the choice seriously.

Popham, the Agriculture Minister and MLA for Saanich South, said she will leave the legislature after 17 years representing the riding. She was first elected in 2009 and has won the seat five times, and her decision means she will not seek a sixth term. In her statement, she pointed to her work supporting B.C. farmers and her ongoing interest in farming, food security and the future of the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Taken together, the announcements mean the NDP will be defending three constituencies without the three ministers and incumbents who have stepped down from seeking re-election: Delta North, Richmond-Steveston and Saanich South.

While the NDP is now facing candidate turnover within its own ranks, the available details also describe significant movement on the opposition side since the Conservatives entered a period of leadership instability. The Conservative Party of B.C. has seen departures and rejoining from breakaway or reorganized groups following Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s resignation as leader on Sunday.

Today’s changes highlighted in the available details include Peter Milobar and six other MLAs from the breakaway CentreBC party rejoining the Conservatives. Elenore Sturko was described as remaining with CentreBC and becoming its leader, and Brent Chapman—described as Findlay’s husband—left the Conservatives to join OneBC on the same day Findlay resigned.

Findlay’s resignation came less than four months after becoming Conservative leader, and Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson took over as interim leader. Several MLAs, including former leader John Rustad and former interim leader Trevor Halford, have since returned as the Conservatives seek to consolidate for the election campaign.

For voters in Delta North, Richmond-Steveston and Saanich South, the ministerial retirements mean the Oct. 24 election will feature new NDP candidates rather than the incumbents who currently hold those seats. The timing also raises the pressure on parties to establish nomination choices and campaign teams quickly as B.C. moves deeper into the snap election period.