Sheila Malcolmson was named mental health and addictions minister after easily winning the Nanaimo riding in the Oct. 24 provincial election. (B.C. Government)

By Ian Holmes

2020 IN REVIEW

Top Stories of 2020: Provincial election sees significant shift locally and across B.C.

Dec 12, 2020 | 11:28 AM

NANAIMO — The BC NDP solidified their hold to power in B.C., helping shut out the BC Liberals on Vancouver Island by flipping a former stronghold Liberal seat.

Two-term Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell was ousted by Qualicum Beach town councillor Adam Walker. His victory was confirmed two weeks after the election when around 13,000 mail-in ballots confirmed he’d topped Stilwell by a little over 2,000 votes.

Stilwell’s departure from the legislature ensured the Liberals would have no Vancouver Island MLA’s.

Sheila Malcolmson comfortably won the Nanaimo riding for the party, nearly two years after she preserved a razor-thin NDP/Green Party coalition government when she won a by-election in the riding.

Malcolmson was rewarded for helping to saving Premier John Horgan’s job as she was later named mental health and addictions minister.

off the schedule

BC Ferries preemptively cancels early Saturday sailings

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firm handshake

B.C. NDP government, Greens reach 'shared priorities' agreement

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young volunteers

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Having a Nanaimo voice at the provincial cabinet table had been elusive for many years. Dale Lovick was the last cabinet minister to represent Nanaimo in the late 1990’s under premier Glen Clark.

Doug Routley was re-elected in the Nanaimo-North Cowichan riding holding off challenger Chris Istace of the BC Greens. It was Routley’s fifth term as the riding’s MLA, having first been elected in 2005.

Horgan became the first leader in the history of the BC New Democratic Party to win a second straight term as premier.

He pitched an early election as a way to put politics aside in order to focus on managing COVID-19 and launch an economic recovery plan.

The campaign was certainly unlike all others — no large campaign rallies, no door-knocking and no in-person all-candidate forums.

The NDP, heavily-favoured come election day, claimed a decisive majority rule in the Oct. 24 vote with 57 seats.

The beleaguered Liberals under the watch of now former leader Andrew Wilkinson took a significant drop by managing just 28 MLA’s. Most of the Liberal support was in rural areas of the province.

The Green Party, under new leader Sonia Furstenau, held firm with two elected members.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes