B.C. federal riding falls vacant as Trudeau poised to call three byelections

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is poised to call byelections in three federal ridings within days and now he has a fourth vacant riding he may choose to fill at the same time.

Sheila Malcolmson has officially resigned as the New Democrat MP for the British Columbia riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

She is leaving the federal stage to run in a provincial byelection, called Wednesday by Premier John Horgan for Jan. 30.

READ MORE: Trudeau to call 3 byelections for February, Singh gets chance to win B.C. byelection as Ontario seat opens

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Malcolmson says she sent a letter to House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan on Nov. 27, informing him that her resignation would take effect on Jan. 2.

In addition to Nanaimo-Ladysmith, there are three other vacant ridings: the B.C. riding of Burnaby South, where NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is hoping to win a seat in the Commons, the Ontario riding of York-Simcoe, left open by the resignation of Conservative MP Peter Van Loan, and the Montreal riding of Outremont, where former NDP leader Tom Mulcair has resigned.

WATCH: Trudeau says byelections in seats vacated ‘mere weeks ago’ will be filled ‘soon’

0:44 Trudeau says byelections in seats vacated ‘mere weeks ago’ will be filled ‘soon’

Trudeau’s office has confirmed the prime minister intends to call byelections in those three ridings early this month, with the votes taking place in early February.