Emily Lowan

Early life and education

Emily Lowan was born on September 18, 2000. She is an alumna of Claremont Secondary School in Saanich, British Columbia. She later graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and environmental studies. During her university years, she successfully campaigned to have the University of Victoria’s working capital fund divest $256 million of investments in fossil fuel corporations. Her activism began in high school, and a trip to Ottawa in Grade 11 coincided with the news of Donald Trump's first election win, which she says was a formative moment in her understanding of the climate crisis.

Rise to party leadership

Her professional background includes being the Fossil Fuel Supply Campaigns Lead at Climate Action Network Canada and an investigative researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives' Corporate Mapping Project. On July 3, 2025, she launched her campaign for the leadership of the BC Green Party, receiving endorsements from David Suzuki among others. She won the election in September 2025, winning over 60 percent of the popular vote and becoming the first Generation Z leader of a major political party in Canada. Membership in the party increased from roughly 5,500 to 10,000 during her campaign, with membership under 30 increasing tenfold, a growth attributed to her activity on social media sites where she uses short form videos. Before her leadership bid, she organized efforts to get young people to the polls in the 2017 provincial election.

Political platform and key positions

Emily Lowan positions herself as a progressive challenging the political establishment, similar to Zack Polanski in the United Kingdom and Zohran Mamdani in New York City. A major priority of Emily Lowan's campaign and platform as leader is raising taxes on the wealthiest people in the province. Lowan defines "the oligarchs" as people who have at least CAD$100 million in assets. According to Lowan, there are about 650 individuals in British Columbia that fall under that particular bracket. She is critical of the power these individuals have over government policy and has specifically targeted her rhetoric at Lululemon founder Chip Wilson and businessman Jim Pattison. Lowan advocates for an ultra wealthy fairness tax similar to the one time five per cent tax proposed in California on wealth over $1 billion. Shortly after being elected leader in September 2025, Lowan held the two month long Fight the Oligarchs Tour across the province, visiting small communities and meeting with community leaders.

Emily Lowan has advocated for aggressively expanding unionization and implementing sectoral bargaining. This legislation would allow unions to reach a collective agreement that covers all workers in a sector of the economy. Lowan has criticized the BC NDP for their handling of the 2025 BCGEU public service strike, the longest public service strike in Canadian history. She has also accused David Eby of abandoning his traditional labour and progressive base. She has also argued that unions must be a larger part of the government's consultation process, pointing to the BC NDP's plan to allow private liquor distribution being tainted by corporate lobbying.

Emily Lowan has voiced her opposition to the memorandum of understanding signed by Mark Carney and Danielle Smith on the construction of a new pipeline to British Columbia's North Coast. She successfully campaigned to have the University of Victoria’s working capital fund divest $256 million of investments in fossil fuel corporations. She is the former Fossil Fuel Supply Campaigns Lead at Climate Action Network Canada. Her platform commits to tackling affordability and the climate crisis simultaneously, which includes rejecting new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Emily Lowan supports the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. She calls for the government to build a shared vision with First Nations on a stable, clear path forward with the implementation of DRIPA. Lowan campaigns for reforming British Columbia's electoral system, supporting proportional representation. This would involve the creation of regional ridings to which representatives would be elected based on the proportion of support their party receives in their regional riding. She argues this system would better reflect the popular vote.

Leadership of the BC Greens

Since assuming the leadership in September 2025, Emily Lowan has worked to reshape the BC Green Party's strategy and relationship with the governing NDP. In February 2026, under her direction, the party decided not to renew its confidence and supply agreement with the BC NDP government, accusing it of not implementing the terms of the agreement. This move positioned the Greens as an independent opposition force ahead of the scheduled election. Her leadership was tested by Premier David Eby's call for a snap election in 2026, which Lowan criticized as political opportunism. Despite the short timeline, the party fielded 73 candidates across the province, which former leader Sonia Furstenau cited as evidence of Lowan's organizational skills and capacity to inspire new members. Former Green leader Andrew Weaver has found Lowan incredibly bright and talented. However, he is critical of her current platform, which he thinks will be almost impossible to implement. He also criticized her decision to run for office for the first time as leader, suggesting someone should have assumed leadership from one of the two existing MLAs. Conversely, former leader Sonia Furstenau praised Lowan, stating she has demonstrated that she is informed and has really clear values and principles, and brings representation to people who have felt underrepresented.

2026 provincial election campaign

Emily Lowan was announced as the Green candidate for Saanich North and the Islands in the 2026 General Election following the announcement incumbent Rob Botterell would not seek a second term. She states she is running to be your MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and highlights her deep local roots in the community, having grown up crabbing off the Sidney pier and camping in Ruckle Park. Lowan hopes the BC Greens will hold the balance of power following the provincial election. The BC Green Party's 2026 platform includes a commitment to building 26,000 affordable non market homes each year. It also plans to create community health centres for every region. The platform introduces a wealth tax on British Columbians with a net worth of more than $50 million. Lowan says this would raise $22.2 billion in the first year, followed by a smaller annual tax on the wealthiest one per cent of residents.

• Housing: A commitment to build 26,000 affordable non-market homes each year.
• Healthcare: The creation of community health centres for every region in the province.
• Taxation: The introduction of a wealth tax on British Columbians with a net worth of more than $50 million, estimated to raise $22.2 billion in its first year.
• Climate: A plan to tackle the affordability and climate crises simultaneously, rejecting new fossil fuel infrastructure like the proposed North Coast pipeline.
• Labour: Legislation to enable sectoral bargaining and aggressively expand unionization.
• Democratic Reform: Advocacy for a proportional representation electoral system.

Much of Emily Lowan's time over the past few weeks has been spent on doorsteps around the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands. She listens to stories from residents about healthcare, housing, and environmental challenges. She highlights issues like ferry service breakdowns, wildfire smoke, and the declining Southern Resident orca population. She frames her candidacy as a fight for a better future for this generation and the next.

Public perception and political style

Emily Lowan's political identity is firmly rooted in her status as a young, digital-native activist who transitioned to party leadership. She consciously positions herself as a progressive challenger to the political establishment, drawing comparisons to figures like Zack Polanski in the United Kingdom and Zohran Mamdani in New York City. Her communication strategy heavily utilizes platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky, where she employs short-form videos to explain policies and rally support. This tactic was instrumental in attracting thousands of young new members to the BC Greens and driving the membership surge during her leadership campaign. Lowan's personal narrative often references her experiences as a renter and an organizer, which she uses to connect with voters struggling with affordability. She presents herself as a coalition builder, citing her professional work bringing together labour, Indigenous, and environmental groups. While her energetic, anti-establishment message has galvanized a segment of the electorate, particularly younger voters, it has also led to questions from political observers like Andrew Weaver about the electoral viability of her platform and her own electability as a first-time candidate in a high-stakes leadership role. Her style is seen as a direct challenge to traditional political campaigning in British Columbia.

Questions about Emily Lowan

What is Emily Lowan's proposed wealth tax?

Emily Lowan advocates for an "ultra-wealthy fairness tax" targeting the richest British Columbians. The central proposal is a one-time 5% tax on net worth over $1 billion, modelled after a similar idea in California. This would be followed by an annual wealth tax on residents with a net worth exceeding $50 million, which she estimates affects the wealthiest one percent of the population. Lowan states this tax regime could generate $22.2 billion in revenue in its first year, funds she proposes to invest in affordable housing, healthcare, and other social programs.

What is Lowan's position on the BC NDP government?

Emily Lowan has been highly critical of the BC NDP government under Premier David Eby. In February 2026, she led the BC Greens to terminate their confidence and supply agreement with the NDP, accusing the government of failing to implement agreed-upon terms. She criticizes the NDP for abandoning its progressive and labour base, mishandling strikes, breaking trust with First Nations, and sidelining climate promises. Lowan argues the NDP has let affordability challenges spiral, necessitating a more assertive Green presence.

What is Emily Lowan's professional background before politics?

Before entering electoral politics, Emily Lowan worked as the Fossil Fuel Supply Campaigns Lead at Climate Action Network Canada. In that role, she led coalitions with labour and Indigenous groups to advocate for federal pollution regulations. She also served as an investigative researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives' Corporate Mapping Project, where her work focused on exposing corporate influence in government. As a student activist at the University of Victoria, she successfully campaigned for the university's working capital fund to divest $256 million from fossil fuel corporations.

How old is Emily Lowan and what generation does she represent?

Emily Lowan was born on September 18, 2000, making her 26 years old during the 2026 provincial election campaign. She represents Generation Z and is the first leader from this generation to lead a major political party in Canadian history. Her election as leader of the BC Green Party in September 2025 marked this generational milestone. Her campaign successfully mobilized young voters, with party membership under 30 increasing tenfold during her leadership race.

Which riding is Emily Lowan running in for the 2026 BC election?

Emily Lowan is running as the BC Green Party candidate for Saanich North and the Islands in the 2026 provincial election. She was announced as the candidate following the decision of incumbent MLA Rob Botterell not to seek a second term. Lowan has a deep personal connection to the riding, having grown up on the Saanich Peninsula where she spent her youth crabbing off the Sidney pier and camping in Ruckle Park. She is campaigning on local issues such as healthcare access, ferry service reliability, and protecting the Salish Sea environment.

What was the result of the 2025 BC Green Party leadership election?

Emily Lowan won the BC Green Party leadership election in September 2025, securing over 60 percent of the popular vote. Her campaign, which launched on July 3, 2025, received endorsements from prominent figures like David Suzuki. Under her candidacy, party membership dramatically increased from approximately 5,500 to 10,000 members, primarily driven by an influx of youth. The membership of individuals under 30 grew tenfold during this period, a surge credited to Lowan's lively social media presence. Her victory established her as the youngest leader of a political party with elected representation in British Columbia.

Sources and further reading

• Emily Lowan (Wikipedia)
• Emily Lowan, Saanich North & the Island (bcgreens.ca)
• Emily Lowan wants to fight for B.C.'s future, if voters give ... (cbc.ca)
• Emily Lowan on Electoral Reform, Resource Extraction and ... (thetyee.ca)
• Emily Lowan, B.C. Green candidate for Saanich North and ... (timescolonist.com)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.