Hello there!

Like most Island ridings, the Westshore will have new MPs. See below for the election results, info on the new representatives, notes on the rest of the Island and country's results, and an update on how municipal politics will be affected.

— Cam

ELECTION RESULTS

Westshore ridings change colours as Liberals & Conservatives overtake NDP

Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke: Stephanie McLean wins for Liberals

The lawyer and former Alberta NDP minister won in a blowout in what had been projected as a tighter race. She had 49% while aerospace engineer Grant Cool had 29% for the Conservatives and Sooke Mayor Maja Tait brought the NDP 19% (per Tues. morning results with 233 of 234 polls reporting).

Under the one-term Notley government, McLean served as Minister of Status of Women and Minister of Service Alberta in the Notley government before moving to the Island. In office she added protections against predatory lending, established community grants, modernized vital-stats collection, and oversaw the creation and development of the Ministry of Status of Women.

Her campaign points have included expanding federal support for homebuilding; adding RCMP officers and border guards; affordability programs for childcare and seniors; accelerating energy projects; expanding military investment and recruitment; funding local infrastructure projects; and funding healthcare programs including for mental health.

Tait has for some time been cued up as the heir apparent to Randall Garrison, who held the riding and its predecessor for 17 years, with easy wins in recent elections, before retiring this past winter. But the resurgence of Liberal fortunes under Carney has buoyed the Liberals nationwide and on the Island, leaving Tait in third. McLean's own ties to the NDP as a former provincial MLA may also have been a factor for voters choosing between the two parties.

Read her answers to our 8 questions here.

Cowichan–Malahat–Langford: Jeff Kibble breaks through for Conservatives

The Toronto-born, Vancouver-raised Kibble spent 28 years in the Navy and volunteers with the Wounded Warrior BC run. He unseated the only MP the region has known since it was first contested a decade ago, defeating Alistair MacGregor 37% to 33% (with 298 of 300 polls in).

MacGregor had won the riding comfortably in the past three contests. But returning Liberal candidate Blair Herbert surged by double digits, to 26%, seemingly cutting deeply into MacGregor support. Meanwhile Kibble grew the Conservative vote share, paralleling the BC Conservative rise last fall in the Malahat area. His 38% is higher than some previous MacGregor wins. The Greens’ Kathleen Code was a distant fourth in what has at times been a strong riding for the party.

Kibble's campaign points included cutting taxes; cutting government bureaucracy and regulation on housing; heavier sentencing for crime / drugs; “a balance of public and private delivery options” of healthcare; pursuing Island rail and a Malahat bypass; and boosting the economy and industry.

Read his answers to our 8 questions here.

His campaign came under fire from the other candidates this month for holding private events rather than attending all-candidate debates—and for holding those events alongside local museum operator Jim Shockey, who has personal ties to Donald Trump Jr.

MacGregor had maintained two offices in the large riding, which the incoming MP will likely continue to do.

See full local ridings results at Capital Daily.

NEWS

Other Island election takeaways: Island seats shaken up as NDP dip nationwide

The federal Liberals maintained enough seats to keep a minority government last night, while the NDP collapsed substantially including on the Island. The New Democrats were reduced to just 7 seats—one of them Courtenay - Alberni incumbent Gord Johns—and 6.3% of the vote share. However, the party may still end up holding the keys to a viable Liberal government because the LPC project to fall just short of the 172 majority. Seat tallies aren't yet finalized, with a handful of close races still awaiting final numbers as of 6am PT.

May retains Saanich–Gulf Islands

Green co-leader Elizabeth May will represent the peninsula for a fifth time—but once again as the lone member of her party, with a Green seat lost in Kitchener and none gained in Nanaimo or Ottawa.

After nearly two decades, Liberals retake Capital Region core

Most NDP support appears to have been siphoned by the nationwide Liberal wave under PM Carney. The Liberals flipped longtime NDP stronghold Victoria as well as Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke, both by comfortable margins.

Conservatives win plurality of Island seats as Liberal rise cuts into NDP

But Island Conservatives may have ultimately been the biggest beneficiaries of the Liberal wave, despite its obvious blow to their hopes of forming government. As seen in Cowichan–Malahat–Langford, the Liberal vote percentage climbing into the high 20s in many Island ridings proved to be enough to drop NDP incumbents back enough that they could not fend off Conservatives who managed vote counts in the high 30s.

Nanaimo Ladysmith was further complicated by Green Paul Manly, the MP unseated in 2021, re-entering the race. Conservative Tamara Kronis easily bested the others in one of Canada's few four-way races.

Like Alistair MacGregor, Tanille Johnston was unseated by a Conservative challenger—despite widespread criticism of that candidate, right-wing activist Aaron Gunn, particularly for past comments on residential schools. In Courtenay, Gord Johns bucked the trend to remain one of the few NDP MPs left standing nationally.

Island now has has MPs from 4 parties

Overall, the shakeup has left the Island with a mix of representation not seen in decades, with MPs from all four major English-language parties. How many of those parties end up with a place in government remains to be seen.

NEWS

Single-seat Sooke byelection now expected within two months

With Sooke Mayor Maja Tait not winning her federal race, the District now has a simpler byelection process ahead. The seat vacated by Dana Lajeunesse's own elevation to higher office last fall remains empty more than half a year later; BC rules don't specify an exact byelection timeline. Sooke staff and council had pushed the decision date as late as possible based on the knowledge that Tait was running.

Staff were concerned about not only voter fatigue from having multiple elections in a row, but also the extra $39K cost of potentially having to go back to the polls to replace Tait shortly after voting somebody in to replace now-MLA Lajeunesse. There was also the possibility that one or more current councillors would run for a vacant mayoral seat—necessitating a process to replace another councillor, too, if one were elected to mayor.

Ultimately, those careful considerations are now moot due to Tait—long cued up as a successor to longtime NDP MLA Randall Garrison—losing the federal race. She will remain as mayor until the term ends in 2026, at which point she has said she will not seek the seat again.

That still leaves Lajeunesse's former seat to fill, and council is having a special meeting about that byelection tonight. The current staff recommendation had called for a decision about a Chief Election Officer to come on May 12. The election of an officer does trigger a maximum timeline (80 days), and so the byelection would then be scheduled for July 26 under this staff plan. Staff recommend Jessica Bagwell as chief officer and Nancy Owen as her deputy.

Council is also planning a referendum on borrowing money for infrastructure projects, but that is currently slated to be merged with the 2026 local election rather than the 2025 byelection (which was originally a possibility, and another part of the reason for the delayed decision).

Around the 'Shore

⚾️ Temporary fencing stolen from Langford baseball diamond: Usually, it’s the bases that are stolen. But sometime between Sat. night and Sun. morning, someone took 45m of outfield fencing temporarily set up at Centennial Park on Carlow for a U-13 softball tournament. A Langford Fastball spokesperson said the fence was hacked down, and three-quarters of it was taken. The tourney used cones temporarily, but new fencing will be needed long-term and tariff issues could delay its arrival or push the price up above $4K- $5K. [CHEK]

🚔 2 men arrested in drug & exploitation investigation: Sooke RCMP arrested men aged 48 & 51 after a search at a mobile home park in Sooke. Police say they acted on information that “two individuals were allegedly taking advantage of young vulnerable women” aged 19-22. They say they found photos of some such women and believe others have yet to come forward.

🏰 Last week: Colwood unveils region's largest playground, while Langford launches new park. [Thursday newsletter]

Community Events

🚍 BC Transit wants your input on changes to local routes. Visit a session today in Langford about the futures of Route 39 (Westhills/Interurban/Royal Oak/UVic), Route 51 (Langford/UVic), and Route 65 (Sooke/Downtown via Westhills). [Info / times & locations / survey link]

🎼 Soundtrack of our Lives: Familiar hits with fresh harmonies from Choral Evolution. Shows next weekend in Sooke & Esquimalt. [Info / Tickets]

🎨 Echoes & Emblems student art show: Goldfinch Arts Centre (170 Goldfinch) in Colwood showcases work by Ecole Royal Bay Secondary students in Grades 9-12. Until May 4.

🥳 Sookarama: A family-friendly event with 90 exhibitors presented by the District of Sooke and Sooke Lions Club. Sat. at SEAPARC. [Info]

🏓 1st-ever Sooke Paddle Battle pickleball tournament is May 3-4. [Info]

🐥 17th Annual Duck Day Race and Family Event: Sooke Harbourside Lions present games, activities, hot dogs, and crafts for the kids as rubber ducks race down the Sooke River. 11am-2pm May 3. Free admission, but tickets to try to win the grand prize go on sale tomorrow. [More info]

🤖 Expert discussion on AI & the future at Royal Roads with author and evolutionary biologist Dan Riskin on May 3. [Event info]

💡 Colwood Ideas Fair is May 10 at Colwood Corners. Come to discuss local issues including neighbourhoods, housing, transportation, parking, health, disaster resilience, youth, volunteers, animals, litter, and more. [Info]

📦 Community Garage Sale, Sat. May 10 from 9am-2pm. China/glass, clothing, plants, books, garden items, etc. BBQ. Free admission & parking. St. Joseph The Worker Church Hall at 753 Burnside W. near View Royal.

Council Meetings

View Royal: No more council meetings scheduled this month.

Colwood: Today will have meetings of environment, active transportation, and infrastructure committees. [Calendar]

Highlands: Regular council meeting today. [Calendar]

Sooke: Committee of the Whole meets today. [Schedule]

Langford: Council meeting today. [Calendar]

Metchosin: No meetings until next Monday.

What’s Offshore?

Off Colwood coast: Nothing right now.

🚢 Further out: The NACC Poris is a cement carrier sailing from Seattle to Richmond under the flag of Portugal 🇵🇹.

🚢 Ogden Point: BBC Rhine, a general cargo ship built in 2013 and sailing from Gunsan, Korea to Victoria under an Antigua & Barbuda flag 🇦🇬 .

Westshore Snaps

Iron Mine Beach in Sooke. – Richard Steward, View Royal

One more newsletter!

In case you missed our announcement, this is the last week that you’ll be receiving your Westshore news in this newsletter. Starting next week we are joining forces with our sister publication Capital Daily! To continue receiving your local Westshore news without interruption, make sure you opt-in to receive all your Greater Victoria news in one combined newsletter by subscribing at this link.

What this means for you:

• You’ll be getting news from around the South Island (including the Westshore) 7 days a week

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