Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, running again for the BC NDP in Vernon-Lumby.
Harwinder Sandhu has been an MLA since 2020 and won Vernon-Lumby in 2024 with 42.69% of the vote. In 2026 she moved a motion asking the Province to set fair rates for private wastewater utilities, and spoke on long-term care and independent theatres.
A researched record of Harwinder Sandhu's 12 commitments, 16 dated actions and 9 statements in the legislature from 2026, with 5 news items. Most come from the legislature record and government releases that quote her.
On dates without a confirmed appearance the public schedule is unknown; the candidate may still have activities that day. This static page changes only when its research is updated.
01 / Introduction
About Harwinder Sandhu
Harwinder Sandhu is the BC NDP candidate in Vernon-Lumby on Elections BC's list for the general election of October 24, 2026. She won the district in 2024 with 11,837 votes, 42.69% of the valid vote, according to the Elections BC statement of votes. Dennis Giesbrecht of the Conservative Party had 11,361 votes.
She first won in 2020 in Vernon-Monashee with 10,222 votes, 36.56%, defeating the sitting member, Eric Foster. The government named her Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture on November 18, 2024. The government's page says she earlier served as Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-Term Care.
The government's biography page says she worked as a registered nurse at Vernon Jubilee Hospital and in community nursing, and as a patient care coordinator. In the legislature in March 2026 she said she had worked in health care in B.C. for more than 20 years.
In 2026 she moved Motion 208 on private wastewater utility rates, which came from residents of Silver Star, and spoke in debates on long-term care reporting and on liquor service in independent theatres. Her campaign page describes her as a community activist and a longtime Vernon resident; that is the campaign's own description.
Published positions and selected commitments, separated by election cycle. Status labels describe the evidence reviewed, not a numerical score or a complete audit of the platform. Council approval is different from delivery.
12 commitments shown · Checked Sep 30
2026 · HousingNot established
Regulate the rates of private wastewater utilities
On May 25, 2026, Sandhu moved Motion 208 in the legislature. It calls on the provincial government to close the gap in price rules for private wastewater utility companies so they charge fair rates. In her speech she said the motion calls on government to introduce legislation.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The transcript records her moving the motion and speaking for it. Debate was adjourned the same day and voche.me found no vote on it. She gave no cost, no date and no number of homes covered.
What still needs checking
Does the motion come to a vote, or does a bill on wastewater rates follow?
Hansard, 2026-05-25Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
When she announced she would seek a third term, Sandhu said the work ahead includes strengthening health care, housing and child care, as reported by the Vernon Morning Star on September 23, 2026.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement of aims. It names no measure, number, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Does her campaign publish housing measures of its own?
Long-term care: staff the beds and protect bedside time
In the debate on Bill M232, a Conservative bill on long-term care wait-list reporting, Sandhu said government will keep working toward the national standard of four hours of direct care per resident per day. She raised a concern that new monthly reporting rules could add paperwork for nurses and care aides.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She described the government record: more than $3 billion for long-term care buildings and 96 beds at Creekside Landing in Vernon. Those are her statements in debate. She gave no date for the four-hour standard.
What still needs checking
Does the government publish a date for the four-hour direct care standard?
Hansard, 2026-03-02Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2026 · Public safetyIn progress
Mental-health screening tool for Interior police
A government release on May 22, 2026 quotes Sandhu on HealthIM, a digital tool for police who respond to a person in a mental-health crisis. The release says the tool launched at RCMP detachments in the Interior on April 29, 2026.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The program belongs to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The release quotes her as the local MLA. It gives no cost.
A government release on June 11, 2026 quotes Sandhu on 256 new trades training seats at Okanagan College. She said training close to home helps students and local employers.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The seats are a government program announced by the Premier. The release quotes her as the local MLA.
A government release on September 17, 2026 quotes Sandhu on more than 800 new trades training seats at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. She said the region needs more skilled tradespeople.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The seats are a program of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. The release quotes her as the local MLA.
What still needs checking
Does the ministry report how many of the seats are filled?
A government release on June 10, 2026 quotes Sandhu on a $63-million federal and provincial investment in fibre-optic internet for as many as 4,000 households in 50 communities. The release says Telus expects to finish the network in 2029.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The program belongs to the Ministry of Citizens' Services and the federal government. The release quotes her as the local MLA.
Let independent theatres serve liquor at mixed-age films
On May 25, 2026, Sandhu spoke against an amendment to Motion M207 and for the original motion, which asks to let small independent theatres serve liquor during mixed-age film screenings. She said the change would help local businesses such as the Towne Theatre in Vernon.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The transcript records the amendment defeated and the motion approved the same day, with no names recorded. A motion asks government to act; voche.me found no rule change after it.
What still needs checking
Does the Province change the liquor rules for theatres?
Hansard, 2026-05-25Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2026 · ClimateIn progress
Flood protection in the Okanagan
A government release on June 9, 2026 quotes Sandhu on flood protection projects in Vernon, Lumby and Penticton. The release says construction of two setback dikes in Lumby, close to one kilometre in total, begins in summer 2026.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The projects belong to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and to local governments. The release quotes her as the local MLA.
In a statement in the legislature on March 30, 2026, Sandhu asked people to prepare for wildfire season and thanked the Ministry of Forests for $15 million of wildfire risk reduction work on the Aberdeen Plateau.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The $15 million is ministry spending she named. She proposed no measure of her own.
What still needs checking
Is the Aberdeen Plateau work finished?
Hansard, 2026-03-30Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2026 · HousingCampaign pledge
BC NDP cost of living plan
The BC NDP platform page lists helping with daily costs as one of its six headings and names ICBC rate cuts and the end of MSP premiums. The page does not name Sandhu.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Party text.
What still needs checking
Does Sandhu speak on these measures during the campaign?
Recorded votes and motions where an official source names her. A government program is the government's; it is listed here where a release quotes her, and it earns her no record point.
Debate adjourned; no vote found
Moved Motion 208 on private wastewater utility rates
Sandhu moved Motion 208, which calls on the provincial government to address the gap in price rules for private wastewater utilities. She spoke for it and against an amendment to add water utilities.
Scope, limits and sources
The transcript names her as the mover. Another member moved to adjourn the debate the same day.
Hansard, 2026-05-25Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Motion approved
Spoke against the amendment to Motion M207
Sandhu spoke against an amendment to the motion on liquor service in independent movie theatres. The amendment was defeated and the motion approved.
Scope, limits and sources
No names were recorded in either vote. The transcript names her as a speaker against the amendment.
Hansard, 2026-05-25Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Debate adjourned on her motion
Spoke in the debate on Bill M232, long-term care reporting
Sandhu spoke on a Conservative member's bill that would require monthly public reports on long-term care wait-lists, and moved to adjourn the debate.
Scope, limits and sources
The transcript names her as the speaker and as the member who moved adjournment.
Hansard, 2026-03-02Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Recorded vote, yes
Voted yes on the 2026 budget motion
The recorded vote index lists Sandhu voting yes on the budget motion.
Read original statements and reporting, or open the publisher’s video. A summary of a speech is labelled separately from a full recording.
Speech
Statement on the Vernon Winter Carnival and Tumbler Ridge
Sandhu spoke about the community response to the Tumbler Ridge shootings and thanked Vernon Winter Carnival volunteers.
Hansard, 2026-02-23Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Debate on Bill M232, long-term care reporting
Sandhu described the government's long-term care record and said new reporting rules could add paperwork for care staff.
Hansard, 2026-03-02Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement for International Women's Day
Sandhu spoke about her first day in the legislature on March 8, 2021, and about the right to vote for South Asian Canadians and for women.
Hansard, 2026-03-05Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement on wildfire preparedness
Sandhu asked people to prepare for wildfire season and named $15 million of ministry work on the Aberdeen Plateau.
Hansard, 2026-03-30Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement on health care auxiliaries
Sandhu recognized the B.C. Association of Health Care Auxiliaries before its conference in Vernon.
Hansard, 2026-04-16Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement on farmers markets
Speaking as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Sandhu named local markets and the Buy B.C. program.
Hansard, 2026-04-29Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement on Cycling Without Age, Vernon-Coldstream
Sandhu thanked the volunteers who give seniors free trishaw rides.
Hansard, 2026-05-19Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Debate on Motions M207 and M208
Sandhu spoke for liquor service in independent theatres and moved her own motion on private wastewater utility rates.
Hansard, 2026-05-25Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Speech
Statement to the graduates of 2026
Sandhu congratulated graduates of schools in the Vernon-Lumby area.
Hansard, 2026-05-28Official record · Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Accountability / Findings, disputes and responses
Controversies & public scrutiny
Records are labelled by type, including official findings, civil proceedings and political disputes where applicable. Each entry identifies the response found in the sources and the latest status verified for this page.
No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate.
News coverage / Original publishers
Read the reporting
A dated reading list from independent publishers. The headings below are voche.me summaries; follow each link for the original article, context and any corrections.
Reporting
Salmon Arm Observer
Silver Star sewer transfer talks and her motion
Reports the regional district's talks on a sewer system at Silver Star and quotes Sandhu on her motion.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. Official records establish decisions; campaign material establishes stated positions; reporting adds investigation and context. None alone establishes every claim.
Her campaign page lists no events and no measures of its own. Her Facebook and Instagram pages show a sign-in page to a direct read, so no post from them is used. Castanet reports on her could not be read, because castanet.net refuses automated reads; this includes a 2024 report on her appointment and a January 2026 report on her plans. A BC NDP caucus release from May 2026 on event funding in the North Okanagan could not be read, because bcndpcaucus.ca answered HTTP 503. The legislature data file voche.me uses lists no roles for her; her role as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture is taken from the government's cabinet release of November 18, 2024 and its current parliamentary secretaries page. The dates of her earlier role as Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-Term Care were not found in an official record. Her work as a registered nurse is stated on the government biography page and in her own words in the legislature; voche.me did not check it with the nursing regulator. Votes are taken from the vote index only; the transcripts of those votes were not opened. Her short introductions of visitors in the legislature were not read. No 2026 all-candidates meeting for Vernon-Lumby was found on this date. Campaign finances and endorsements were not reviewed. The questionnaire has not been sent.
Research status
What voche.me has checked
Evidence reviewed on 2026-09-30: the Elections BC candidate list and the 2020 and 2024 statements of votes, the government's cabinet release and parliamentary secretaries page, the legislature's 2026 speech and vote indexes, ten 2026 transcripts where she spoke, five government releases that quote her, her campaign page, the BC NDP platform and releases pages, and news reports from 2025 and 2026.
Her commitments on this page come from what she said in the legislature, in government releases and to reporters. Her campaign page states no measures of its own. Sections with no entry record that voche.me found nothing on this date.
Proposed questions for a future interview. They have not been sent to the candidate, and no answers have been supplied.
No questions and answers have been supplied.
Have your own question?
Ask Harwinder Sandhu directly. We send it to the campaign, and publish the reply here if we get one.
05 / About this page
Questions about this page
Facts voche.me can state about Harwinder Sandhu's page itself, answered directly rather than left blank.
Is this an official page for Harwinder Sandhu?
No. This page is researched by voche.me from public sources, listed below, and is separate from Harwinder Sandhu's own campaign.
What party is Harwinder Sandhu running with?
Harwinder Sandhu is running for MLA with BC NDP.
Does Harwinder Sandhu currently hold public office?
Yes. Harwinder Sandhu currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture; MLA for Vernon-Lumby.
How many sources does this Harwinder Sandhu profile cite?
This profile lists 5 sourced references, each with the date voche.me checked it, in the Sources section below.
Why do some questions on Harwinder Sandhu's page show no answer?
The "Questions & answers" section on this page lists questions voche.me would put to Harwinder Sandhu in a future interview. They have not been sent yet, so the page says plainly that no answer has been supplied instead of leaving the section blank.
When is the election Harwinder Sandhu is running in?
The 2026 British Columbia election, including the MLA race, is decided on October 24, 2026.
06 / Candidate contributions
Space for campaign updates
No campaign updates yet
Announcements, event details and messages can be added here, with their source and publication date. No campaign submission has been added.
