BC Greens’ Sonia Furstenau to run for Victoria-Beacon Hill

The leader of the BC Green Party, Sonia Furstenau, has announced she’ll be running again in the 2024 provincial election — but for a different riding.

Currently representing the riding of Cowichan Valley, Furstenau announced on Wednesday that she’ll be looking to become the MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill in the upcoming vote, which is scheduled for this October.

According to a statement from the party, the decision “marks both a return to roots and a step forward in her political journey,” noting Furstenau also has “deep family ties and legacy in Victoria.”

The Green leader says she decided to run in Victoria-Beacon Hill “after a lot of reflection.”

“This is a decision that I do not take lightly, but it is the right decision for me and my family, as we have begun the process of relocating back to Victoria,” she said Wednesday.

“Victoria is not just a geographical location for me; it’s where my story began, where my grandparents met at the historic Craigdarroch Castle, where my parents met, and where my brother and sister were born. It’s where I spent two formative decades of my life, attending university, raising my first son, and building community in a city that I love.”

Furstenau was first elected as MLA for Cowichan Valley in 2017. She was reelected in the riding in 2020, the same year she took over leadership of the BC Green Party from Andrew Weaver.

“It has been an honour to serve the people of Cowichan, but my family and I have realized it’s time for us to return to Victoria, as our children embark on the next chapters of their lives. Our roots in Victoria run deep, and it’s here that I wish to continue my political journey, representing and giving back to the community that nurtured me,” she said Wednesday.

The next provincial election is slated for Oct. 19.