B.C. Premier David Eby announces byelection date for two vacant ridings

Premier David Eby has announced the date for byelections in two vacant British Columbia ridings.

Eby said residents in Greater Victoria’s Langford-Juan de Fuca riding and those in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant constituency are in urgent need of representation.

The final voting day for both electoral districts will be June 24, 2023.

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Former premier John Horgan held the Langford riding before he retired earlier this year and, before leaving her seat in March, former New Democrat cabinet minister Melanie Mark represented Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, which includes part of that city’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.

Eby said Friday he wanted the two new MLAs to be elected before the legislature resumes sitting in early October.

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The premier, however, ruled out a late summer campaign, saying voters are usually looking to relax and spend time with their families in late July and August.

Eby visited the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding earlier this week, walking along the community’s main street in a campaign-style stop at local shops with New Democrat candidate Ravi Parmar.

— with files from Canadian Press