Summary: A riding heavily changed through redistribution, NDP MP Kennedy Stewart seeks re-election in Burnaby South.
Boundaries: The riding contains all areas of Burnaby that are south of Lougheed Highway and west of Burnaby Lake. It also includes the small strip of neighbourhoods between Highway 1 and Highway 7.
Last Election: This riding takes parts from the previous ridings of Burnaby-New Westminster (which elected NDP MP Peter Julian by 13.8 per cent in 2011) and Burnaby-Douglas (which elected NDP MP Kennedy Stewart by 2 per cent in 2011). Stewart chose to run here, rather than the new Burnaby North—Seymour riding, which is significantly more right-leaning in its political culture.
Had this riding existed in the last election, the NDP would have taken it by 4.4 per cent more votes than the Conservatives (based on data from polling stations).
Demographics: In 2011, 10.2 per cent of residents said they had immigrated to Canada in the last five years—the second highest figure in B.C. 22.3 per cent of families were below the low-income rate, the fourth highest number in B.C.
History: While this is technically a new riding, there has always been one electoral district fully in Burnaby since 1979—and that riding has always elected an NDP MP, usually by relatively close margins.
Candidates
Conservative: Grace Seear, political staffer
NDP: Kennedy Stewart, MP since 2011
Liberal: Adam Pankratz, employee with Coast Capital Savings
Green: Wyatt Tessari
Libertarian: Liz Jaluague