Former Vancouver mayor and former B.C. legislator Gregor Robertson has announced his candidacy for the upcoming federal election. He will run as a Liberal under party leader Mark Carney. CBC
Former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson has officially announced he will run as the Liberal candidate for the Vancouver Fraserview–South Burnaby riding in the upcoming federal election. This riding, recently formed, largely takes over from Vancouver South, which was previously represented by Liberal MP Harjit Sajjan. Sajjan, who has held the seat since 2015, will not seek re-election and has endorsed Robertson as his successor.
In a statement on Sunday, Robertson confirmed that he accepted an invitation from Liberal Leader Mark Carney to join the party’s campaign. Carney had officially kicked off the federal election earlier the same day.
“We’re facing unprecedented, urgent, complex challenges — and there’s no one better prepared to lead us through them than Prime Minister Mark Carney,” Robertson said in his statement.
Robertson’s decision to run signals his return to politics. He served as Vancouver’s mayor from 2008 to 2018. Before that, he was a member of the B.C. New Democratic Party, representing Vancouver-Fairview in the provincial legislature from 2005 to 2008.
After leaving municipal politics, Robertson shifted his focus to climate-related initiatives on the global stage. He worked with the United Nations and served as a global ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors, an organization that promotes city-level climate action worldwide.
With the federal election scheduled for April 28, Canadians will head to the polls amid trade tensions and economic uncertainty. The election campaign is expected to be heavily influenced by Canada’s strained trade relationship with the United States.
In the Vancouver Fraserview–South Burnaby riding, the Liberals have now placed their bet on Robertson. The Conservatives have not yet announced their candidate for the area. Meanwhile, the New Democratic Party has already nominated Manoj Bhangu, a small-business owner and community advocate, to represent them.
Robertson’s candidacy is expected to draw significant attention due to his high-profile political past and his work on international climate policies. His experience as Vancouver’s mayor, where he focused on housing affordability and sustainability, could become key talking points during his campaign.
As the election date approaches, all eyes will be on the Vancouver Fraserview–South Burnaby riding, where Robertson’s presence could make it a closely watched race.
