The BC Green Party has elected a 25-year-old climate change activist as its new leader.
Emily Lowan won 3,189 votes, beating out Jonathan Kerr (1,908) and Adam Bremner-Akins (128).
Just 5,259 voters took part in the election.
Lowan, who lives in Victoria, as a “climate justice organizer” and emphasizes that she is a “renter.”
During her leadership bid, she regularly stressed the need to “fight the oligarchs” and resist natural resources projects in British Columbia, including the recently approved Ksi Lisims LNG export facility.
Last month, Lowan wrote in a post on left-wing social media website Bluesky that she wanted to “tax billionaires out of existence.”
That comment was made in relation to the highly publicized visit to BC by tech executive Elon Musk.
In a statement released by the Greens, Lowan said: “Our bold, progressive vision has captured the imagination of a new generation of Green voters.
“I know that we’re at the forefront of a powerful movement that will reclaim BC’s economy for working people, not billionaires and multinational corporations.
“Together, we can build a resilient, thriving province that respects Indigenous sovereignty and our planetary boundaries.”
Elon Musk just landed his private jet in Vancouver, hopped in a helicopter to Bella Bella… Alleged visit to the Murdoch billionaire apocalypse bunker in Bella Coola - Fox News Founder and Tesla board member. Yet another reason to tax billionaires out of existence, luxury bunkers and all. #bcpoli
— Emily Lowan (she/her) (@emilylowan.bsky.social) August 18, 2025 at 1:31 PM
[image or embed]
The party said Lowan – who was endorsed by the broadcaster David Suzuki – will prioritize affordability, “climate action,” Indigenous matters and strengthening “our democracy.”
Lowan succeeds Sonia Furstenau, who led the party between 2020 and 2025. She lost her seat in the 2024 provincial election, however, and ultimately stepped down.
The party has two seats in the Legislative Assembly, having won just over eight per cent of the vote across the province.
Premier David Eby, whose BC NDP has in the past relied on the Greens to shore up their governments, said he was looking forward to meeting Lowan.
He said he hoped the duo can find “common ground to get results for people in BC.”
