B.C. election 2017: Nanaimo North Cowichan riding

In 2013: Incumbent NDP MLA Doug Routley handily won this riding (46 per cent-30 per cent) over liberal Amanda Jacobsen. The Greens pulled in almost 14 per cent of the vote.

In 2009: Routley defeated Liberal Rob Hutchins by over 4,000 votes, 54-36 per cent.

History & Geography: Created in 2009 to accommodate population growth from Duncan to Nanaimo, the riding spans from southern Nanaimo at 5th Street to Herd Road in North Cowichan. It also includes a number of northern Gulf Islands, including Gabriola and Valdes. In the last two elections, south Nanaimo and Ladysmith supported the NDP in large numbers, while more rural areas tended to be support the Liberals.

Candidates

Liberals – Alana DeLong: A former four-term Alberta PC MLA (Calgary-Bow), DeLong now lives on Thetis Island. She had intended to run for the Alberta PC Leadership in 2006, but at the deadline decided not to.

NDP – Doug Routley: The deputy critic for forests, Routley was first elected in 2005, defeating longtime Liberal and Socred Graham Bruce in Cowichan-Ladysmith. He worked as a logger, sawmill worker, and owner of a bicycle manufacturer chain before entering politics.

Greens – Lia Versaevel: A conflict resolution professional, Versaevel spent 27 years in corrections, as a probation officer and family justice counsellor.

Independent – P. Anna Paddon: This is Paddon’s second independent run in this riding. In 2013 she finished sixth out of six candidates, with 65 votes.

2017 Stats: Nanaimo-North Cowichan

Population (2014): 52,414 (61st)
Population Deviation from Average: -1.3 per cent
Area: 2,700 sq km (25th)
Pop Density: 19.4 (63rd)
Average Age: 47.1 years (14th)
English as Second Language: 7.51 per cent (87th)

Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 1.26 per cent
Dutch – 0.65 per cent
Panjabi (Punjabi) – 0.45 per cent