Candidates vying for a seat in Victoria in this October's election will take to the stage weeks prior for a series of candidate forums. (Dreamstime)

By Alex Rawnsley

know your candidate

All-Candidate forums scheduled ahead of 2024 Provincial Election

Aug 13, 2024 | 5:24 AM

NANAIMO — Voters will get plenty of opportunity to hear from candidates running to represent the region in Victoria this fall.

A series of all-candidate debates are being scheduled for late September and early October, leading up to the Oct. 19 provincial election.

Hosted by the Regional District of Nanaimo, the candidate forums will feature a moderator asking questions on a variety of topics to each candidate, in a bid to hear opinions and plans should they or their party be elected to the Legislature.

A series of four forums will run from Sept. 25 through to Oct. 3.

Mid-Island Pacific Rim candidates will be at the Bradley Centre in Coombs to open the series, followed by Ladysmith-Oceanside the following night at Tigh-Na-Mara resort in Parksville.

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Nanaimo’s Wellington Secondary School will host candidates running in Nanaimo-Lantzville on Oct. 2, with Nanaimo-Gabriola wrapping the forums the next evening at the Nanaimo Curling Club on Wall St.

The events will be live streamed, as well as be available on demand on the Regional District of Nanaimo’s YouTube channel.

In-person attendance will be free and questions will be able to be submitted in advance.

More specifics on questions and format are due from the RDN in advance of the forums.

The October election will mark the first under newly redrawn ridings by the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission.

Following a tour of the province in 2022 and 2023, the Commission adjusted local lines to create another riding due to large population growth in the Nanaimo area.

The goal of the commission is to ensure each riding province-wide represents roughly the same number of people.

A breakdown of each riding, including announced candidates as of Tuesday, Aug. 13 is available below.

Links to maps of each electoral boundary are available by clicking the riding name.

Nanaimo-Gabriola
Areas represented: City of Nanaimo from Northfield/Meredith Rd. south including Chase River, Extension, Harewood, Cedar; Gabriola Island; Protection Island; Mudge Island, DeCourcy Island
Announced candidates: Sheila Malcolmson (i) (NDP), Dale Parker (BC United), VIraat BK Thammanna (BC Conservatives)

Nanaimo-Lantzville
Areas represented: City of Nanaimo from Northfield/Meredith Rd. north, including Departure Bay, Country Club, Hammond Bay; District of Lantzville; Nanoose First Nation/Snaw-Naw-As
Announced candidates: George Anderson (NDP), Gwen O’Mahony (BC Conservative), Dr. Robert Hay (BC Greens)

Ladysmith-Oceanside
Areas represented: City of Parksville, Town of Qualicum Beach, Nanoose Bay, RDN areas west of Nanaimo, Cassidy, Yellow Point, Ladysmith and Saltair
Announced candidates: Stephanie Higginson (NDP), Lehann Wallace (BC United), Brett Fee (BC Conservative), Adam Walker (i) (IND)

Mid-Island Pacific Rim
Areas represented: Coombs, Errington, Whiskey Creek, Cumberland, Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet
Announced candidates: Josie Osborne (i) (NDP), Joshua Darling (BC United), Adam Hayduk (BC Conservative)

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