2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

←  2020 September 24, 2025
Turnout	60.86% ( ~24.14 pp)
JK ABA Candidate Emily Lowan Jonathan Kerr Adam Bremner-Akins Popular vote 3,189 1,908 128 Percentage 60.87% 36.42% 2.44%
Previous leader Jeremy Valeriote (interim) Elected leader Emily Lowan

2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

Date	September 24, 2025
Convention	The Parkside Hotel & Spa, Victoria, British Columbia [1]
Resigning leader	Sonia Furstenau
Won by	Emily Lowan
Ballots	1
Candidates	3
Entrance fee	$21,000 [2]
Spending limit	$200,000 [2]
Green Party of British Columbia leadership elections 1993 · 2000 · 2007 · 2015 · 2020 · 2025

From September 13 to 23, 2025, members of the Green Party of British Columbia voted to elect a leader to replace Sonia Furstenau, who announced her resignation on January 28, 2025. ^{[3] [4]} Jeremy Valeriote was made interim leader following Furstenau's resignation. ^{[5] [6]} It was announced that Emily Lowan had won the contest on September 24, 2025, on the first ballot.

Timeline

2024

• October 19 – The 2024 British Columbia general election was held. ^[7] The Greens elected two members. ^[8] Sonia Furstenau was defeated in Victoria-Beacon Hill but remained party leader. ^[9]
• December 12 – The Greens reached a co-operation agreement with the New Democratic Party to work together on common objectives during the 43rd Parliament. ^{[10] [11]}

2025

• January 28 – Furstenau resigned. Valeriote was appointed interim leader. ^{[5] [6]}
• February 27 – Candidate nomination period opened. ^[2]
• June 14 – Candidate nomination period closed. ^{[2] [12]}
• July 2 – Jonathan Kerr declared his candidacy.
• July 3 – Emily Lowan declared her candidacy.
• July 8 – Adam Bremner-Akins declared his candidacy.
• August 10 – Deadline to register to vote. ^{[2] [13]}
• September 13 – A leadership debate was held in Victoria. ^{[14] [15]} Online voting began. ^{[16] [17]}
• September 23 – Voting closed. ^{[2] [4]}
• September 24 – Election results were announced, and Lowan was named as the new leader. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

Candidates

Declared

Adam Bremner-Akins

Background: BC Green Party candidate in Port Coquitlam (2024), party provincial councillor (2021–2025), party secretary (2024–2025) ^{[4] [21] [22]}

Date announced: July 8, 2025 ^[23]

Website : Website

Endorsements of Adam Bremner-Akins

Municipal politicians

• Samantha Agtarap, Port Moody councillor, BC Green candidate for Port Moody-Burquitlam (2024) ^[24]
• Stuart Mackinnon, Vancouver Park Board commissioner (2008–2011; 2014–2022), BC Green candidate (2005 Vancouver-Kingsway, 2013 Vancouver-Fraserview) ^[24]

Jonathan Kerr

Background: Comox councillor (2018–present), family doctor, and Comox Valley Regional District vice-chair ^{[4] [25] [26]}

Date announced: July 2, 2025 ^[25]

Website: Website

Endorsements of Jonathan Kerr

Provincial politicians

• Jane Sterk, former leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (2007–2013), former Esquimalt councillor ^{[25] [27] [28]}
• Adriane Carr, co-founder and former leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (1983–1985; 2000–2005), former Vancouver councillor ^{[26] [29]}

Municipal politicians

• Nicole Minions, Comox mayor ^[29]
• Jenn Meilleur, Comox councillor ^{[25] [28]}
• Lois Chan-Pedley, Green Party of Vancouver school trustee ^[29]
• Tanille Johnston, Campbell River councillor ^[29]

Emily Lowan

Background: Climate justice organizer and investigative researcher ^{[27] [30]}

Date announced: July 3, 2025 ^[31]

Website: Website

Endorsements of Emily Lowan

Individuals

• Bill Carroll, professor of sociology at the University of Victoria ^[32]
• Gabor Maté, physician and author ^{[30] [32]}
• Anjali Appadurai, New Democratic Party candidate for Vancouver Granville (2021), disqualified BC NDP leadership candidate (2022) ^{[27] [33]}
• Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs president ^[34]
• Tzeporah Berman, environmental activist ^[32]
• Severn Cullis-Suzuki, environmental activist ^[32]
• Mike Hudema, activist ^[35]
• David Suzuki, science broadcaster and environmental activist ^[36]

Municipal politicians

• Susan Kim, Victoria councillor ^[32]
• Sean Orr, Vancouver councillor ^{[32] [37]}
• Jeremy Caradonna, Victoria councillor ^[38]
• Michael Wiebe, former Vancouver councillor ^[39]

Declined

• Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands (2024–present) ^{[5] [40]}
• Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky (2024–present) ^{[5] [40]}
• Andrew Weaver, Leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (2015–2020), MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head (2013–2020) ^[41]

Results

First ballot ^[42]

Candidate	Votes	Percentage
Emily Lowan	3,189	60.87%
Jonathan Kerr	1,908	36.42%
Adam Bremner-Akins	128	2.44%
None of the options	14	0.27%
Total valid votes	5,239	99.62%
Total rejected ballots	20	0.38%
Turnout	5,259	60.86%
Eligible voters	8,641	-

References

1. "Wednesday September 24 | Victoria & Virtual | 2025 Leadership Contest Announcement". Green Party of British Columbia . Retrieved September 26, 2025.
2. "2025 Leadership Contest". Green Party of British Columbia . Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
3. Nicholson, Marcy (January 28, 2025). "B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau stepping down". Globe and Mail . Retrieved January 28, 2025.
4. DeRosa, Katie (August 9, 2025). "Meet the 3 people vying to lead the B.C. Green Party". CBC News . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
5. DeRosa, Katie; Kurjata, Andrew (January 28, 2025). "Sonia Furstenau stepping down as B.C. Green Party leader". CBC News . Retrieved January 28, 2025.
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11. BC Government News (December 12, 2024). "Agreement in Principle: Term Sheet for Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord" (PDF). Government of British Columbia . Archived (PDF) from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
12. Page, Mark (May 30, 2025). "B.C. Greens leadership nomination deadline imminent, sitting MLAs out". Sooke News Mirror. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
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18. Shaw, Rob (September 24, 2025). "BC Greens elect Emily Lowan as new party leader". Chek News . Retrieved September 24, 2025.
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21. "ABA". adamba.ca. Archived from the original on July 29, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
22. Shaw, Rob (August 26, 2025). "Bremner-Akins bets on middle lane in BC Green leadership race". Business in Vancouver . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
23. @adam_bremner_akins; (July 8, 2025). "Let's believe in British Columbia, together!" – via Instagram.
24. "Endorsements". adamba.ca. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
25. Lazenby, Alec (July 2, 2025). "Comox councillor steps forward as leadership candidate for B.C. Greens". Vancouver Sun . Retrieved August 20, 2025.
26. Shaw, Rob (August 18, 2025). "Jonathan Kerr staking Green leadership bid on pragmatism over protest". Business in Vancouver . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
27. Chan, Hugh (July 17, 2025). "BC Greens Need a New Leader. Who Wants the Job?". The Tyee . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
28. "Endorsements". jonathankerr4bc.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
29. "Endorsements". jonathankerr4bc.com. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
30. Shaw, Rob (August 15, 2025). "Emily Lowan's audacious leadership run rattles corners of BC Greens". Business in Vancouver . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
31. The Canadian Press (July 3, 2025). "Second candidate joins BC Greens leadership race". Global News . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
32. "Endorsements". Emily Lowan for BC Greens. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
33. @emilylowan; (August 8, 2025). "Such an honour to be endorsed by the one and only @anjalithegem" – via Instagram.
34. "Emily Lowan endorsed by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip in BC Green leadership race". Facebook. August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
35. @Emily_Lowan (August 14, 2025). "Touched to be endorsed by one of my favourite climate communicators, @MikeHudema" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
36. @Emily_Lowan (September 10, 2025). "I'm beyond honoured to receive this endorsement from David Suzuki" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
37. @Emily_Lowan (July 30, 2025). "HUGE! Thrilled to be endorsed by @Seanorr!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
38. @Emily_Lowan (August 7, 2025). "Such a kind endorsement, thank you Councillor Caradonna!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
39. @Emily_Lowan (August 14, 2025). "Thank you for this heartfelt endorsement, @councillorwiebe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
40. Shaw, Rob (January 29, 2025). "BC Greens ghosted by their own MLAs". Business in Vancouver . Retrieved January 29, 2025.
41. Depner, Wolf (January 29, 2025). "Former B.C. Green Leader Weaver says Furstenau quitting was right thing to do". Campbell River Mirror. Archived from the original on January 31, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
42. "Emily Lowan Elected Leader of the BC Green Party". Green Party of British Columbia . Victoria, British Columbia. September 24, 2025. Retrieved September 24, 2025.