The B.C. Green Party has announced its candidate to run in Richmond’s new South Centre riding.

Greg Powell, who is currently a minister at the Castlegar United Church in the West Kootenays, will fly the green flag against the BC Liberals’ Richmond-East incumbent Linda Reid and the BC NDP’s newcomer, Richmond city councillor, Chak Au.

article continues below

Powell told the Richmond News on Tuesday that, given the 628-kilometre/nine-hour drive from Castlegar, he won’t be taking time off from his ministry during the election build-up.

Instead, he will run most of his campaign via social media, which “most other candidates do anyway,” said Powell.

Being a Green Party member for several years, the Alberta native said he offered to help the party for this election and, as it already had a strong candidate running in his local Kootenays West riding, Richmond was suggested.

“There’s a strong team of volunteers down there, so I’m hoping they can do some of the door-knocking for me,” said Powell, who said he hopes to spend some discernable time in Richmond closer to the election on May 9.

Powell said he’s aware of Richmond’s “diverse population” and that it’s a very “fast-growing community.”

In terms of local environmental issues, Powell said the Massey Tunnel Replacement Project is, obviously, a huge concern for the party, as well as food security and the continued loss of agricultural land in the city.

According to his party’s news release, Powell worked for several years at the Pembina Institute — an environmental study institute in Vancouver — where he led an initiative to engage Alberta citizens on climate justice and renewable energy.

“Here in B.C. and around the world, we’re seeing that politics, as usual, isn’t working,” said Powell in the release, which makes no mention of the fact he’s a serving reverend in the small Southern Interior town, near Nelson.

“We need a fresh approach to solve emerging challenges. We need policies based on clear, sound values if we are to transition our province to a safe, fair future.

“Only the B.C. Greens offer a fresh approach with crystal clear values like social justice and diversity. I’m excited to represent the people of Richmond South Centre where I see these values prominently in the community.”

Powell has a background in engineering from the University of Waterloo in Ontario and worked in the environmental non-profit sector for several years before studying theology at the University of Toronto and then becoming a minister.