Incumbent:
Patrick Weiler (Liberal | 2019)
Candidates:
Liberal: Patrick Weiler
Conservative: Keith Roy
New Democratic: Jäger Rosenberg
Green: Lauren Greenlaw
People’s: Peyman Askari
Rhinoceros: Gordon Jeffrey
2021 Results:
Liberal - 33 per cent
Conservative - 29 per cent
New Democratic - 27 per cent
Green - seven per cent
People’s - four per cent
Snaking up the Sea to Sky highway from West 麻豆传媒映画west of 21st Street, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country can rest easy as arguably the most beautiful riding in Canada, even if its name isn’t the longest. Characterized by its rich environmental landscapes, last year’s historic victory for the BC Greens may paradoxically be an encouraging sign for Liberal incumbent Patrick Weiler.
Composed of a whole host of communities along the eponymous highway and the Sunshine Coast Regional District, the saving grace for the Liberals has been among communities south of Squamish such as West 麻豆传媒映画and Horseshoe Bay. In the neighbourhood of British Properties, which had purchase restrictions against Asians, Africans, and even Jews in its founding covenant, parties outside of the Grits and Tories struggle to get above not just 10 percent, but 10 votes in some polls. North and west of the area is where the true battleground of the riding lies.
While that region of the riding is a two-party race, the other parts of it are much more unique. To the west, Bowen Island, Sechelt and Gibsons are artsy communities with a strong affinity for progressives. While sold on Trudeau in 2015, these voters first defected to the Greens in 2019, then to famous environmentalist and NDP scion Avi Lewis in 2021. The same phenomenon repeats further north. Parties left of the Liberals gave them a good scare in 2019 and 2021 in the village of Pemberton and the tourist hubs of Squamish and Whistler. It's this same phenomenon of progressive consolidation that delivered a victory for BC Green candidate Jeremy Valeriote against the chancellor of Capilano University Yuri Fulmer and former president of Union of B.C. Municipalities Jen Ford.
Similarly, Patrick Weiler could harness a similar phenomenon against the Conservative candidate, Realtor Keith Roy. Roy will have to run up the score in West 麻豆传媒映画and hope that the Greens and New Democrats are strong enough to dent Weiler’s margins outside of West Vancouver. The Greens will be fielding scientist and Squamish Coun. Lauren Greenlaw, while the NDP is running air cadet and 18-year-old former BC NDP nomination contestant Jäger Rosenberg. In order to win over left-leaning voters considering the two, Weiler will have to tout his progressive credentials, such as his call last October for Trudeau to resign along with his support of the NDP’s motion for a ceasefire in Gaza. By holding ground in British Columbia’s wealthiest municipality whilst preventing losses to his left, Weiler can rely on the Liberals’ broad appeal across the riding to win a third term.
