2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

←  2020 September 23, 2025

Candidate Adam Bremner-Akins Jonathan Kerr Emily Lowan

Previous leader Jeremy Valeriote (interim)

2025 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election

Date	September 23, 2025
Resigning leader	Sonia Furstenau
Entrance fee	$21,000 [1]
Spending limit	$200,000 [1]
Green Party of British Columbia leadership elections 1993, 2000, 2007, 2015, 2020, 2025

The Green Party of British Columbia will hold an election from September 13 to 23, 2025 to elect a leader to replace Sonia Furstenau, who announced her resignation on January 28, 2025. ^{[2] [3]} Jeremy Valeriote was made interim leader following Furstenau's resignation. ^{[4] [5]}

Timeline

2024

• October 19 – The 2024 British Columbia general election was held. ^[6] The Greens elected two members. ^[7] Sonia Furstenau was defeated in Victoria-Beacon Hill but remained party leader. ^[8]
• December 12 – The Greens reached a co-operation agreement with the New Democratic Party to work together on common objectives during the 43rd Parliament. ^{[9] [10]}

2025

• January 28 – Furstenau resigned. Valeriote was appointed interim leader. ^{[4] [5]}
• February 27 – Candidate nomination period opened. ^[1]
• June 14 – Candidate nomination period closed. ^{[1] [11]}
• 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. ^{[1] [12]}
• September 13 – Online voting period opens in the evening. ^{[1] [3]}
• September 23 – Voting period ends at 11:59 p.m. (PDT) ^{[1] [3]}
• September 24 – Election results to be announced. ^{[1] [3]}

Candidates

Declared

Adam Bremner-Akins

Background: 2024 BC Green candidate in Port Coquitlam, former BC Green Party provincial councillor (2021–2025), former BC Green party secretary (2024–2025) ^{[3] [13] [14]}

Date announced: July 8, 2025 ^[15]

Website : Website

Endorsements of Adam Bremner-Akins

Municipal politicians

• Samantha Agtarap, City Councillor for Port Moody and 2024 BC Green candidate for Port Moody-Burquitlam ^[16]

Jonathan Kerr

Background: Comox councillor, family doctor, and vice-chair of the Comox Valley Regional District ^{[3] [17] [18]}

Date announced: July 2, 2025 ^[17]

Website: Website

Endorsements of Jonathan Kerr

Provincial politicians

• Jane Sterk, former leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (2007–2013) and former Esquimalt councillor ^{[17] [19] [20]}
• Adriane Carr, co-founder and former leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (1983–1985; 2000–2005) and former Vancouver councillor ^{[18] [21]}

Municipal politicians

• Nicole Minions, Mayor, Town of Comox ^[21]
• Jenn Meilleur, councillor, Town of Comox ^{[17] [20]}
• Lois Chan-Pedley, Green Party of Vancouver school trustee ^[21]
• Tanille Johnston, councillor, City of Campbell River ^[21]

Emily Lowan

Background: Climate justice organizer and investigative researcher ^{[19] [22]}

Date announced: July 3, 2025 ^[23]

Website: Website

Endorsements of Emily Lowan

Individuals

• Bill Carroll, professor of sociology at the University of Victoria ^[24]
• Gabor Maté, physician and author ^{[22] [24]}
• Anjali Appadurai, NDP candidate for Vancouver Granville in 2021, disqualified 2022 BC NDP leadership candidate. ^{[19] [25]}
• Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs ^[26]
• Tzeporah Berman, environmental activist ^[24]
• Severn Cullis-Suzuki, environmental activist ^[24]
• Mike Hudema, activist ^[27]

Municipal politicians

• Susan Kim, City Councillor for Victoria ^[24]
• Sean Orr, City Councillor for Vancouver ^{[24] [28]}
• Jeremy Caradonna, City Councillor for Victoria ^[29]
• Michael Wiebe, former City Councillor for Vancouver ^[30]

Declined

• Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands (2024–present) ^{[4] [31]}
• Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky (2024–present) ^{[4] [31]}
• Andrew Weaver, Leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (2015–2020), MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head (2013–2020) ^[32]

References

1. "2025 Leadership Contest". Green Party of British Columbia . Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
2. Nicholson, Marcy (January 28, 2025). "B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau stepping down". Globe and Mail . Retrieved January 28, 2025.
3. DeRosa, Katie (August 9, 2025). "Meet the 3 people vying to lead the B.C. Green Party". CBC News . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
4. DeRosa, Katie; Kurjata, Andrew (January 28, 2025). "Sonia Furstenau stepping down as B.C. Green Party leader". CBC News . Retrieved January 28, 2025.
5. Madtha, Rippon (January 28, 2025). "Sonia Furstenau Steps Down as Leader of the BC Greens". BC Green Party. Archived from the original on January 28, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
6. Kulkarni, Akshay (October 22, 2024). "B.C. Greens mull role of potential kingmaker after tight election". CBC News . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
7. "Final Count Complete". Elections BC. October 28, 2024. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
8. "Sonia Furstenau staying on as B.C. Greens leader, party says". CBC News . October 22, 2024. Archived from the original on January 29, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
9. Larsen, Karin (December 13, 2024). "B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens announce co-operation agreement". CBC News . Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
10. 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.
11. Page, Mark (May 30, 2025). "B.C. Greens leadership nomination deadline imminent, sitting MLAs out". Sooke News Mirror. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
12. Page, Mark (August 5, 2025). "B.C. Greens membership numbers jump pre-leadership election". Victoria News . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
13. "ABA". adamba.ca. Archived from the original on July 29, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
14. Shaw, Rob (August 26, 2025). "Bremner-Akins bets on middle lane in BC Green leadership race". Business In Vancouver. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
15. @adam_bremner_akins; (July 8, 2025). "Let's believe in British Columbia, together!" – via Instagram.
16. "Endorsements". adamba.ca. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
17. Lazenby, Alec (July 2, 2025). "Comox councillor steps forward as leadership candidate for B.C. Greens". Vancouver Sun . Retrieved August 20, 2025.
18. Shaw, Rob (August 18, 2025). "Jonathan Kerr staking Green leadership bid on pragmatism over protest". Business In Vancouver. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
19. Chan, Hugh (July 17, 2025). "BC Greens Need a New Leader. Who Wants the Job?". The Tyee . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
20. "Endorsements". jonathankerr4bc.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
21. "Endorsements". jonathankerr4bc.com. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
22. Shaw, Rob (August 15, 2025). "Emily Lowan's audacious leadership run rattles corners of BC Greens". Business In Vancouver. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
23. The Canadian Press (July 3, 2025). "Second candidate joins BC Greens leadership race". Global News . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
24. "Endorsements". Emily Lowan for BC Greens. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
25. @emilylowan; (August 8, 2025). "Such an honour to be endorsed by the one and only @anjalithegem" – via Instagram.
26. "Emily Lowan endorsed by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip in BC Green leadership race". Facebook. August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
27. @Emily_Lowan (August 14, 2025). "Touched to be endorsed by one of my favourite climate communicators, @MikeHudema" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
28. @Emily_Lowan (July 30, 2025). "HUGE! Thrilled to be endorsed by @Seanorr!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
29. @Emily_Lowan (August 7, 2025). "Such a kind endorsement, thank you Councillor Caradonna!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
30. @Emily_Lowan (August 14, 2025). "Thank you for this heartfelt endorsement, @councillorwiebe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
31. Shaw, Rob (January 29, 2025). "BC Greens ghosted by their own MLAs". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
32. 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.