NANAIMO — Despite a massive swing towards the BC Conservatives province-wide, the Nanaimo area is remaining NDP orange for four more years.
Both Nanaimo-Gabriola Island’s Sheila Malcolmson, and Nanaimo-Lantzville’s George Anderson will return to the Legislature, winning their ridings in the 2026 Provincial Election.
Malcolmson defeated Conservative Mark MacDonald and Green Anna Mary McKenzie, in her fourth election win since a 2019 by-election, and told reporters she’ll push the Conservatives to continue delivering for the region.
“We’ll be holding the Conservatives to their promise to build the hospital tower and the cath lab, something we also committed to do. That will be on top of the tremendous healthcare investments that we’ve already brought into Nanaimo. Things like the ICU, the high acuity unit, more MRI machines, building the Cancer Centre, building long-term care, opening two urgent primary care centres.”
Malcolmson said a lot of investment was made by the NDP in Nanaimo-area healthcare, and she will be “expecting the BC Conservatives to continue those investments.”
Celebrations were muted at a private event in downtown Nanaimo, realizing she will be in opposition for the first time in her provincial career.
She said she’s grateful for the opportunity to lead the way in Nanaimo under an NDP government for so long.
“New Democrats have always had great progressive ideas and values, the opportunity to implement them is not something the New Democrats get to do very often. It’s extraordinary that we have now had a three-term NDP government. There has never been one in the history of the province, successive terms, and we’ve been able to build a lot.”
A similar sombre atmosphere surrounded George Anderson at an event at a north end hotel.
Anderson, who entered provincial politics by winning the riding in 2024, said he’s prepared to go right back to work in this adjusted role.
He defeated Conservative Kelsey Pringle, Green Sharleen Weatherley and BC Communist Party’s Pepper Saltman.
“We went and we talked about issues that mattered. That’s the hospital tower, catheterization lab, moving the issues that meant a lot to people in Nanaimo, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do as the MLA elect for this era.”
Anderson said he will focus heavily on ensuring all are served by a new Conservative government, singling out interim party leader Lorne Doerkson.
“What I hope he will stand up against in his own party right now is the fact that there’s individuals who don’t believe that people should have human rights that were prepared to vote for a bill to remove the ability for women to have bank accounts, for people of colour to be able to live their life without prejudice.”
Both Nanaimo-area Conservative candidates focused on the news, indicating the party would hold a majority as the government in Victoria.
Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidate Mark MacDonald told NanaimoNewsNOW it was a great day for the province.
“I think that the last nine years has been a disaster in so many ways, and Eby just committed the ultimate own goal in the history of B.C. politics. Why on earth did he call that election with a majority for two more years? It’s beyond me, but I’m very grateful because I think a lot of people have a great sense of despair with the things that they’ve done in this government.”
Nanaimo-Lantzville’s Kelsey Pringle echoed MacDonald’s comments, saying she was excited to see a cath lab, promised by the party during the campaign, set to come to fruition.
She added the campaign overall was an extremely rewarding experience.
“It just made me feel that much closer to the place that I grew up in and live in, and decided to raise my family in. I want to see so much more for Nanaimo, and I think that this outcome is going to bring that to fruition.”
Josie Osborne was re-elected as the MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim.
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