BC NDP candidate Josie Osborne is seeking re-election in Mid Island-Pacific Rim.
Osborne was first elected to the B.C. legislature in 2020 after serving as mayor of Tofino. She also served as finance minister during the last term and has held several other cabinet positions since 2020. Before entering politics, she worked as a fisheries biologist and in the local non-profit sector.
Osborne said partnerships with local communities and other levels of government had helped deliver progress on health care, housing and child care across the riding.
She pointed to improvements at Port Alberni’s emergency department, a new health-care centre in Ucluelet, seniors housing in Bowser, new affordable housing on Hornby Island and expanded child-care spaces in Fanny Bay as examples.
“None of these accomplishments happened because of one person or one political party,” said Osborne. “They really are the result of partnerships with First Nations, local governments, health care workers, community organizations and residents, people themselves.”
Osborne said affordability remained a major challenge, with families and seniors feeling pressure from housing, grocery and fuel costs.
“People are working really hard,” Osborne said. “We know that we need more affordable homes, we need stronger communities, and we need to make sure that young people can stay in our communities.”
She said recruiting health-care personnel remained a focus and would continue to be a priority if she were re-elected.
Along with affordable housing and improved rural health care, Osborne said she hoped to improve transportation connections in the riding, including reliable ferry service to Denman and Hornby islands. She also identified housing projects on Denman Island and in Cumberland as priorities.
Osborne said protecting the environment and watersheds were also priorities.
“My background is environmental science, fisheries biology,” she said. “I’m very passionate about that work, protecting our environment, protecting or forests, watersheds and wild salmon.”
General voting day for the provincial election is Oct. 24.
