A Victoria woman has joined the leadership race for the B.C. Greens, as the party looks to elect a new leader after Sonia Furstenau stepped down after losing her seat in the 2024 provincial election.
Emily Lowan, 24, announced her candidacy for B.C. Greens leader on Thursday, July 3, a day after the announcement of the first candidate, Comox council member Jonathan Kerr.
"I believe it's time for a new generation of leadership that has the fire to truly fight for British Columbians," said Lowan. "My campaign, the slogan, 'Fight the oligarchs, fund our future,' is about directly confronting corporate interests and investing in a future that works for everyone."
Over the past decade, she has worked as the fossil fuel supply campaign lead and a strategic coalition convener for Climate Action Network Canada – bringing together a coalition of climate leaders across the country.
While working with UVic, she worked on the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives' corporate mapping project, and she sat as the UVic Student Union director of campaigns, where she led about 10 different student issue campaigns, covering issues like free transit, divestment, preventing sexualized violence and housing rights.
"I have a decade of organizing experience for climate action, democracy, and Indigenous solidarity. I've been on the front lines, I've led impactful campaigns, and I understand the playbook of the fossil fuel lobby," she said.
If elected, among her priorities would be to work to cancel the U.S.-backed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project and phase out fossil fuel expansion and production. She also hopes to promote rental vacancy controls and caps on grocery prices, all while upholding Indigenous rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
"I'm not afraid to resist. I feel that I represent a new generation of leadership. I'm a renter, an organizer, and someone who understands the daily struggles of young British Columbians and working families," she said.
Overall, she is excited to hit the ground running as she tries her hand at provincial politics for the first time.
"As a young person, I've seen the compounded crises of our time, whether it's climate, affordability, housing, drugs, and it's a rigged, ruthless battle for power between vested political interests, their billionaires, and the rest of us who are just trying to get by," she said. "It feels really exciting to be building a movement of people around this campaign, between young people, workers, Indigenous communities, and allies from both sides of the border that are fighting corporate greed."
The first official leadership contest event, “Meet & Green”, will take place on Friday, July 11, at 6133 University Blvd. in Vancouver. A town hall will be held in August, and a contestant debate will be held in September. Voting will take place from Sept. 13 to 23, with the results expected by Sept. 24.
The Greens are expected to announce more candidates in the coming days.
