A look at Sonia Furstenau, leader of the Green Party of British Columbia

VICTORIA — British Columbia Green Leader Sonia Furstenau is running in the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding in the Oct. 19 election, returning to the capital after representing the Cowichan Valley riding since 2017.

Age: 54. Born June 8, 1970.

Pre-Politics: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history as well as a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Victoria. Furstenau has worked as a high school teacher in Victoria and Shawnigan Lake and served as a director with the Cowichan Valley Regional District for three years prior to entering provincial politics.

Politics: Elected to the B.C. legislature in 2017 for the Cowichan Valley riding and re-elected in 2020, shortly after winning the BC Greens leadership contest that year.

Personal: Furstenau recently moved back to Victoria, where she lives with her husband. The couple shares two sons, and Furstenau told The Canadian Press she is looking forward to becoming a grandmother for the first time in November.

Quote: “When we have a right-wing party pandering to these kind of culture war issues, and then we have the NDP that has abandoned so many of (its) progressive values … more than ever, we need BC Greens in the legislature to keep the focus on the health and well-being of people, communities, the environment and our economy.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press