Burnaby Candidates for the Provincial Election
A provincial general election has been called, and British Columbians will elect 93 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Each MLA represents an electoral district, or riding, and holds a seat in the provincial Legislature. This page is a resource to help Burnaby residents learn about the candidates running in their area.
Important dates
- Advance voting: October 16-21, 2026
- Last day to request a vote-by-mail package online or by phone: October 18, 2026
- Final Voting Day: October 24, 2026
The Burnaby Board of Trade is non-partisan and does not endorse any party or candidate. Candidate bios on this page were provided by the candidates themselves and were not written or verified by the Burnaby Board of Trade. The views expressed are those of the parties and candidates alone.
Anne Kang
BC NDP
Anne Kang: Protecting and supporting people in Burnaby Centre
Anne Kang has called Burnaby home for more than 40 years, and serving her community has always been at the heart of what she does.
A former Burnaby teacher and three-term Burnaby City Councillor, Anne has spent her career empowering citizens, listening and collaborating with people, bringing their concerns forward, and making government more accessible and responsive.
As MLA for Burnaby Centre since 2017, Anne has worked to protect the services that people rely on, whether that’s strengthening public health care and education, expanding opportunity, or supporting seniors and families. She understands that behind every policy is real people who want to be heard, treated fairly, and given a chance to thrive.
Anne is passionate about standing up for British Columbians, especially those facing barriers to accessing services and opportunities.
Where the conservative parties would cozy up to Trump, Anne Kang, David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan to stand up for our province and our country, protect and support people who need it, and build a strong, independent economy.
The plan is working. And we can’t stop now.
Joshua Domnich
Conservative Party
Joshua Domnich is the Conservative Party of BC Candidate for Burnaby Centre.
Joshua cares deeply and is very passionate about our world. Joshua has a best effort philosophy in all aspects of his life and he believes “bad things happen when good people do nothing”. He also believes that serving others starts with listening and showing up. Joshua is running for MLA because he believes in accountability and integrity in government and he knows he can make a substantial positive impact for the constituents of Burnaby Centre.
Joshua holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from the Burnaby campus of Simon Fraser University. He also graduated from a secondary school English and French Immersion program, is bilingual, and was the valedictorian of his graduating class.
Joshua’s career has given him experience in public service at both the federal and provincial levels. He served as a Community Liaison Officer for a federal Conservative MP, working directly with constituents, coordinating meetings, conducting research, supporting communications, and building relationships with community organizations and government stakeholders. At the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, he served as a Legislative
Assistant for the Conservative Party of BC caucus, supporting four MLAs with legislative work, scheduling, stakeholder relations and research. Joshua has also worked extensively in campaign organization. He has significant experience as a Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, as well as a Treasurer on a provincial conservative Riding Association.
Before entering public service, Joshua spent more than a decade in landscaping operations and management, supervising teams, managing projects, working with clients, and keeping complex operations on track.
Joshua is bringing that experience to Burnaby Centre, with a commitment to listening to residents, working hard, and representing the community with accountability, integrity and dedication.
Shila Taheri
BC Green Party
“I’ll listen, do the work, ask the tough questions, and make sure the voices and everyday realities of our community are heard in the Legislature.”
Shila Taheri is a labour leader, legal researcher, published author, and human rights advocate running to represent Burnaby Centre. Her work has been guided by a commitment to fairness, accountability, and ensuring that people have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
She believes effective representation requires careful attention to evidence, a willingness to ask difficult questions, and the courage to challenge decisions when people are not being heard. Her experience in labour relations, legal research, public service, and organizational governance has given her a detailed understanding of how laws and policies can shape people’s everyday lives.
Her education and professional experience in law have shaped her approach to advocacy and public service. Shila holds an LL.M. in International Business Law and an LL.B., and has pursued further Canadian studies in immigration and labour law. She is a published legal researcher and author whose work includes scholarly books and articles in areas such as international business law and arbitration.
Through her union work, Shila has represented workers in grievances, workplace disputes, and investigations, advocated for safer and more respectful workplaces, and helped people understand and exercise their rights. She also serves in several elected leadership roles within the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), including First Vice-Chair of Local 803, Chair of the Component 8 Membership Committee, and Recording Secretary of Component 8.
As a wife and mother of two boys, Shila also brings a personal perspective to the challenges facing families and communities. Her priorities include affordability and housing, strong and reliable public services, good jobs and respect for working people, safe communities, and protecting the environment for future generations.
Shila is running to represent the people of Burnaby Centre with the same approach she has brought to her advocacy: listening closely, doing the work, asking tough questions, and making sure the everyday realities of the community are heard in the Legislature.
Vikas Gautam
CentreBC
Vikas Gautam is a community volunteer, communications and event organizer, with years of experience bringing people together and supporting communities in British Columbia and beyond.
His community involvement includes volunteering with the Hindu Temple Burnaby and supporting fundraising initiatives for organizations and causes including the Surrey Food Bank, Vancouver Food Bank, B.C. flood relief, and other community organizations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vikas continued his commitment to community by organizing and supporting online events that connected people across Canada, the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia. These initiatives helped people stay connected and engaged during a challenging time.
Through his experience in communications, community engagement, and multicultural event organization, Vikas has connected with people from diverse backgrounds and communities. His experience has taught him the importance of listening, building relationships, bringing people together, and turning community ideas into action.
Vikas is running as the CentreBC candidate for Burnaby Centre, bringing his community experience and commitment to public service to provincial politics.
Javad Shushtarian
BC Green Party
“I’m running to improve affordability, healthcare and transit accessibility for people in my community.”
Javad Shushtarian is a longtime Burnaby resident, recent nursing graduate and community volunteer who has called the Forest Grove neighbourhood home for the past 23 years. He grew up in the area, studied at Simon Fraser University and has spent much of his life enjoying Burnaby Mountain and the surrounding natural spaces.
Javad recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at BCIT and is in the process of obtaining his nursing licence in British Columbia. During his nursing education, he completed placements in hospitals, urgent care centres and supervised injection sites across the Lower Mainland, gaining firsthand experience with challenges including primary care shortages and long emergency-room wait times.
He also worked as an employed student nurse with Vancouver Coastal Health and has previous experience as an administrative assistant in long-term care and as a laboratory assistant at STEMCELL Technologies. His volunteer experience includes work with the BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver General Hospital’s emergency department.
Javad also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Simon Fraser University, where he developed a strong interest in environmental conservation and the relationship between the environment and community health. He believes health is shaped not only by access to medical care, but also by housing, financial stability, social supports, transportation and the physical environment.
Accessible transportation is another priority for Javad. As a frequent bus and SkyTrain rider, he volunteered with the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition’s All on Board campaign, which advocated for free transit for children under 12. He has also volunteered for several years with Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen, supporting fundraising for community food programs across the Lower Mainland.
His healthcare and community work has also included co-presenting a workshop on decolonizing and Indigenizing health-science education and organizing a health-promotion initiative at the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Health Fair focused on cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination.
Javad is running in Burnaby East to advocate for accessible healthcare, affordable housing, reliable transit and stronger community supports, with a focus on the social and environmental conditions that shape people’s health and quality of life.
Peter Si
Conservative Party
Peter Si is the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Burnaby East.
Peter moved to Burnaby at age 12 and has called the community home ever since. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, History and International Studies.
Peter began his career on a municipal election campaign in Vancouver. That experience taught him what politics is really about: representing people and giving those who need help a voice at the highest levels of government.
Since then, he has worked on campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. He served as provincial campaign manager for Steve Kooner in Richmond-Queensborough in 2024, and as federal campaign director for James Yan in Burnaby Centre in 2025. He has also served as President of the Richmond-Queensborough riding association since 2024, and as Vice-President of the Burnaby Centre Electoral District Association.
For the past two years, Peter has worked in Victoria for the Conservative caucus, supporting elected members as they hold the government to account.
Rohini Reah Arora
BC NDP
Building a stronger economy for people and families in Burnaby East
Rohini Arora is the candidate for Burnaby East. She was first elected in 2024 and served as Deputy Chair of the BC Government Caucus. Prior to public life, Rohini served as the Director of Organizing and Campaigns at the BC Federation of Labour. She has over a decade of experience lifting up youth across the country, and mentoring them in civic engagement.
Growing up in Burnaby East’s Westridge neighbourhood, Rohini saw firsthand what happens when governments refuse to protect people by making deep cuts to important programs and services. She then devoted her energies to standing up for people and workers and making their lives better.
Rohini Arora, David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan to stand up for our province, to protect people and services, and to build a stronger economy.
Janet Routledge
BC NDP
Janet Routledge: Protecting what matters to families in Burnaby North
Janet Routledge knows that when someone tries to bully you, you need to stand together, and fight back. She has spent her lifetime organizing working people to stand up for each other. She served members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada for three decades, helping them achieve better wages and working conditions, and she played a pivotal role in winning pay equity in the federal public service.
As Parliamentary Secretary for Labour, she played a leadership role in legislating employment rights for gig workers.
The BC Conservatives want to gut services and roll over for Trump. But Janet Routledge, David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan to stand up for BC, protect families and the services they count on, and build our economy for a stronger future.
The plan is working. And we can’t stop now.
Maddy Kennedy-Parrott
BC Green Party
“I am committed to making this province a better place to live, where we are excited about the future instead of living in fear of it.”
Maddy Kennedy-Parrott is a civil engineer, building-science specialist, renter and mother of two who works on deep energy retrofits and climate-resilient buildings. Her professional and personal experience has shaped her focus on affordability, public services, climate action and building a province where families can feel secure about the future.
Maddy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University and a Master of Engineering in Building Science from BCIT. She is an Associate at a building-science consulting firm, where she works on high-performance and climate-resilient building solutions, integrating building enclosures, mechanical systems and energy modelling to reduce emissions and improve building performance.
A major focus of Maddy’s work is deep energy retrofits for existing buildings. She sees the existing building stock as an important opportunity to reduce emissions while improving comfort, affordability and resilience for the people who live and work in those buildings.
Maddy has also taught and contributed to courses on energy efficiency and building science at Langara College, Brighton College and BCIT. She is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and recently helped launch her firm’s first employee resource group for women in engineering.
She has also served on the BC Greens Provincial Council, contributing to the party’s governing board. Maddy believes climate action and social justice are closely connected and that solutions should improve people’s lives while reducing environmental impacts.
As a renter and parent raising two young children, Maddy is directly familiar with the pressures families face around housing, childcare, education and healthcare. She is running in Burnaby North to bring her experience in engineering, climate resilience and everyday family life into public service.
Simon Chandler
Conservative Party
Simon Chandler has called North Burnaby home for the past fifteen years. He grew up in Burnaby Heights and now lives in the Brentwood area, giving him a firsthand understanding of what matters most to the people of Burnaby North.
Simon is a strong supporter of those who serve and protect our communities. As a Community Police Volunteer for three years, he gained direct experience in crime prevention and saw the challenges officers face in responding to the drug crisis. That experience reinforced his belief that police need the right tools to tackle crime and keep neighbourhoods safe. His commitment to service began as an army cadet and continued in the Canadian Army Reserves, where he served as an infantry soldier.
Simon graduated from Trinity Western University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting. Working in public practice accounting, he advised clients on federal and provincial tax matters, helped businesses operate more efficiently and supported those hit by pandemic restrictions. He will bring that expertise to Victoria as an advocate for common-sense tax policy.
After graduating, Simon attended the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa, studying good governance and the legacies of Canada’s prime ministers while interning as a policy analyst in the food and beverage industry. He was recognized for his leadership and earned a Certificate in Leadership and Applied Public Affairs.
Outside of work, Simon enjoys hiking, whitewater rafting and camping along the Squamish River. He is an avid reader of history and a guitar player.
Andrew Rose
OneBC
Born and raised in Ontario’s Niagara region, Andrew studied computer science at Brock University, concentrating on artificial intelligence and software systems design. After his studies he moved to Seattle to work at Amazon.com, remaining there until 2002, when he relocated to British Columbia. He now lives in Burnaby South with his wife, son, and daughter.
Across the province, he has helped organizations improve the way they deliver value and services.
He also volunteers close to home, serving on the parent advisory council at the school his children attend, helping to run his strata, and pulling together events that bring the neighbourhood together. He believes that if we do not put in the work to preserve the things we find beautiful, they have a habit of going away, and he is always on the lookout for that.
He is equally committed to small and medium-sized businesses, and to making sure they have a place to grow and compete in our regional communities, with less red tape standing in the way.
Andrew is looking to put his skills in business architecture, organization, and systems design to use with OneBC.
Bryan Fockler
BC Green Party
“I’m running to roll up my sleeves and bring practical project management to our communities.”
Bryan Fockler is a project manager, workplace safety leader, and practical problem-solver with experience in international crisis management, data-driven efficiency, and frontline logistics. He is running to cut through partisan polarization and deliver stable, long-term solutions for regular working people.
Bryan currently works as an Amazon delivery driver out of South Burnaby, giving him a firsthand understanding of the cost-of-living crisis, neighbourhood traffic bottlenecks, and the everyday economic pressures facing local households.
Throughout his career, Bryan has specialized in analyzing complex organizational data to eliminate operational waste. At Earthwatch, a global environmental non-profit, he led a systemic overhaul that improved tracking efficiency by 17%. He has also coordinated complex, high-pressure international refugee relocation logistics with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and has worked alongside local residents on grassroots reforestation and conservation initiatives in Kenya.
Bryan was elected by his peers to serve on a Joint Health & Safety Committee, where he partners with leadership to identify hazards, enforce regulatory compliance, and protect workers.
Bryan believes protecting the environment rests on a strong economy and healthy communities, and that people are better equipped to protect the environment when they aren’t worried about rent and groceries. He approaches community growth through engineering, physics, and strict asset management, and believes proven global solutions can work locally. For example, developers willing to build EV mobility hubs and geothermal temperature regulation should have their permits fast-tracked, saving time and lowering costs for the whole community. Bryan is running to bring a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude to government and to build a secure, affordable future that lasts for generations.
David Xie
Conservative Party
David Xie is the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Burnaby South-Metrotown.
David Xie has called Burnaby home for nearly a decade, where he lives with his wife and their son. Raised by immigrant parents, David grew up in Metro Vancouver and graduated from the University of British Columbia.
For more than a decade, David has built his career in recruitment and talent acquisition, working with businesses and professionals in Canada and internationally. His work has given him firsthand experience with the challenges employers face in finding skilled people, building strong teams and growing their businesses.
David’s involvement in the community began with working alongside residents on issues affecting their neighbourhoods and families. He has worked with residents on local issues, helping ensure community concerns are heard and understood by decision-makers.
As MLA for Burnaby South-Metrotown, David would bring that community experience to Victoria and work to ensure the concerns of local residents are heard in the decisions that affect their families and neighbourhoods.
Paul Choi
BC NDP
Paul Choi: Standing up for people in Burnaby South-Metrotown
Paul Choi is standing up to Donald Trump’s unfair tariffs and fighting to protect B.C. jobs, businesses and economic future.
First elected as MLA for Burnaby South–Metrotown in 2024, he served as Parliamentary Secretary for Trade in the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth and as First Vice-President of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), working to strengthen trade relationships, open new markets and reduce reliance on the United States.
A former police officer with experience as a small business owner and lawyer, Paul is also a Qualified Mediator and Arbitrator. He is seeking re-election to protect livelihoods, support local businesses and build a stronger, more secure future for Burnaby South–Metrotown.
Paul Choi, David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan to stand up for BC, protect the services that matter to families and build a stronger economy.
The plan is working. We can’t stop now.
Joe Latam
Conservative Party
Joe Latam is the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Burnaby-New Westminster.
Born and raised in British Columbia, Joe is a member of Métis Nation BC.
He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. While at UBC, Joe served as Treasurer of the UBC Young Conservatives and advocated for free expression and common-sense policies on campus.
Joe brings experience from both the public and private sectors. He began his career working in British Columbia’s agriculture and manufacturing industries, giving him first-hand experience with two sectors that play an important role in the province’s economy and communities.
For the past two years, Joe has worked for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, helping British Columbians navigate government processes and access the programs and services they need. His experience working with people dealing directly with government has strengthened his commitment to practical, accountable public service.
Joe is seeking office to bring his experience in British Columbia’s private sector and provincial government to the Legislature, with a focus on practical solutions and ensuring government works effectively for the people it serves.
Raj Chouhan
BC NDP
Standing up for you and your family in Burnaby-New Westminster.
Raj Chouhan moved to Canada in 1973, and has spent his career fighting for regular people. Elected six times as an MLA, Raj is the first South Asian person to serve as Speaker of the House in the BC legislature. He is the founding President of the Canadian Farmworkers’ Union and the founding member of the BC Organization to Fight Racism, and he knows that regular people need a government that works for them, not the rich and the powerful.
Raj believes that people in Burnaby-New Westminster need a government that is ready to stand up for them and protect what matters - supporting workers and businesses facing tariffs, bringing down the costs people face, or strengthening the healthcare that British Columbians rely on.
The conservative parties would cozy up to Trump and cut services.
Raj Chouhan, David Eby and the BC NDP team have a plan to stand up to Trump, lower costs, hire more healthcare workers, and build a strong and independent economy.