Josie Osborne says she’s ready to keep taking action to improve housing and healthcare, keep costs down, and address climate change after being nominated today as the BC NDP candidate in Mid Island-Pacific Rim for this fall’s provincial election.

Josie Osborne was elected as MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim in 2020 and is currently the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. She was the Mayor of Tofino from 2013-2020 and served as Chair and Vice-Chair for the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. Josie grew up on Vancouver Island and has lived in Tofino for over 20 years, first moving there to work as a fisheries biologist for the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and later as the executive director of an environmental education non-profit organization.
“We’ve been through a lot over the past four years including a pandemic and now rising inflation,” said Osborne. “During that time our BC NDP government has continued to put you and your family first — taking action to lower costs, improve healthcare, and build more homes people can afford. There's more to do, and we can't risk John Rustad’s Conservatives cutting healthcare, increasing fees and keeping affordable housing out of reach for people.”
Since forming government in July 2017, the BC NDP has taken action on crucial issues that matter to the people of Mid Island-Pacific Rim, including:

• Strengthening healthcare by creating more beds and services locally and hiring 700 more doctors and licensing internationally trained health professionals to work across BC;
• Tackling housing costs by taking on speculators, updating zoning rules to allow for more townhouses, duplexes and triplexes, and building more homes and shelter spaces;
• Expanding $10 day care, reducing fees for families and adding hundreds of new childcare spaces; and
• Introducing the CleanBC plan to reduce greenhouse emissions 40% by 2030.

“Josie’s commitment and leadership has been critical as we have taken action over the last four years to deal with challenges facing people in Mid Island-Pacific Rim,” said Premier David Eby. “Her dedication and expertise is important as we help people live a good life here.”
Josie Osborne will join David Eby and 91 other exceptional BC NDP candidates in this fall’s provincial election, all committed to real action to help people build a good life here in BC.