MLA in Richmond-Queensborough · BC provincial 2026
Steve Kooner
Conservative MLA for Richmond-Queensborough since 2024 and the caucus critic for the Attorney General, running again.
Steve Kooner won Richmond-Queensborough for the Conservatives in 2024. In the legislature in 2026 he spoke most on the Cowichan land title case and private property in Richmond, DRIPA, the justice system, freedom of information and the Queensborough school bus.
A researched record of Steve Kooner’s 18 commitments, 14 dated actions and 10 public statements, with 6 news items. Most come from the legislature record and Conservative caucus releases.
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 Steve Kooner
Steve Kooner is the Conservative Party of BC candidate in Richmond-Queensborough on Elections BC’s list for the general election of October 24, 2026. He won the district in 2024 with 10,052 votes, 50.91% of the valid vote, according to the Elections BC statement of votes. The sitting member, Aman Singh of the BC NDP, received 8,713 votes.
The legislature record lists 2024 as his only election year. Conservative caucus releases call him the critic for the Attorney General, and the caucus list of September 9, 2026 names him Shadow Minister for Attorney General. A caucus release of June 29, 2026 named him a Stakeholder Relations Lieutenant.
Black Press Media reported on February 4, 2026 that he had entered the race to lead the Conservative Party of BC. It reported on February 27 that he had withdrawn, quoting his post on X that he would support a candidate able to unite the party.
In the legislature in 2026 he asked questions on the Cowichan Tribes title ruling and its effect on private property in Richmond, on DRIPA, on the justice system and on the Queensborough school bus. He spoke against the freedom of information bill (Bill 9) and against a clause on cabinet confidences in Bill 16.
The party and caucus pages say he is a lawyer called to the bar in 2006 who runs his own law firm, holds degrees from Simon Fraser University and the University of Calgary, and received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award in 2023. Those are the party’s own statements. The party candidate page also labels him "Interim Conservative Party Leader"; the caucus release of June 29, 2026 names Heather Maahs as interim leader of the opposition, and voche.me found no source for that label.
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.
18 commitments shown · Checked Sep 30
2026 · Public safetyCampaign pledge
More resources for police and the courts
In the Bill 13 debate on March 31, 2026, Kooner said the province needs a justice system with more resources and stronger enforcement of laws that already exist. In a caucus release on May 1, 2026 he blamed the government for delayed criminal trials.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement of approach. He names no budget amount, number of staff or date.
What still needs checking
What funding or staffing level for courts and prosecutors would he support?
In a caucus release on July 31, 2026, Kooner said the provincial government must act on two encampments on provincial Crown land beside Highway 99 in Richmond.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
He names the land and the place. He gives no measure, cost or date.
What still needs checking
What step on the Crown land would he ask the province to take?
In caucus releases in January and February 2026, Kooner said an advisory committee does not stop extortion and that families want the provincial and federal governments to work together and give communities more resources.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement of approach. Part of what he asks for depends on the federal government. No cost or number is given.
What still needs checking
Which provincial measure on extortion would he fund?
In the Bill 11 debate on April 1, 2026, Kooner said the tenancy bill should also have directed the operators of supportive housing to keep order in and around their buildings.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
He names legislation as the tool. He gives no rule text, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Would he introduce or support an amendment that sets duties for supportive housing operators?
Kooner asked in question period on March 12, 2026 for the government to extend funding for the Queensborough school bus to New Westminster Secondary School. Caucus releases in August 2025 and February 2026 quote him asking for the service to continue beyond June 2026.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The February 2026 release gives a cost for the program. The Province later gave $400,000 in transition funding, according to a report in April 2026 that does not name him.
What still needs checking
Does the bus have permanent funding after the transition year?
In question period on May 25, 2026, Kooner asked the Minister of Health to explore emergency funding for gene therapy for a three-year-old with a rare disease. A caucus release that day quotes him saying the province must use its funding, including for treatment outside the province.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
He names emergency funding and the family’s goal of $8 million. He gives no date.
In question period on May 5, 2026, Kooner asked why the government had not made legislative changes to notify families, and why the Premier’s review of the Mental Health Act was on hold.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A question in debate. It names legislative change as the tool but gives no rule text or date.
What still needs checking
Would he propose a specific change to the Mental Health Act?
In the Bill 9 debate on April 21, 2026, Kooner opposed new fees and longer time limits for freedom of information requests. The vote index records him voting no at third reading.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A position on a bill. He proposes no rule of his own, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Would a Conservative government remove the Bill 9 fees?
In the Bill 16 debate on April 16, 2026, Kooner opposed a clause that lets a minister or senior official certify information as a cabinet confidence in a court review. The vote index records him voting no on that clause on April 28.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A position on a clause. He names no change of his own.
In a caucus release on August 10, 2026, Kooner said the caucus again asks for the legislature to be recalled to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The vote index records him voting yes at first reading of a repeal bill on April 22, 2026.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
He names repeal of the act. He gives no date beyond "immediately" and no replacement law.
Argue extinguishment of title in the Cowichan appeal
In question period on May 7, 2026, Kooner asked the Attorney General to remove a directive so provincial lawyers can argue that Aboriginal title was extinguished on private land in the Cowichan appeal. On April 1 he asked her to make the joint statement with the Cowichan Tribes a binding agreement.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
He names a directive to government lawyers. He gives no date.
What still needs checking
What position does the Province take in the appeal?
In a caucus release on July 7, 2026, Kooner criticized the new $8.5 billion cost of the George Massey Tunnel replacement and the delays for Richmond and Delta.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement on the project. He proposes no cost or date of his own.
In a caucus release on June 22, 2026, Kooner said legal uncertainty from the Cowichan decision and a mining rights case holds back investment, and that the government must restore certainty.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement of approach. It names no measure, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Which law would he change to give the certainty he describes?
In the Bill 10 debate on March 10, 2026, Kooner said labour law must be fair to both workers and small businesses, and said only 32 percent of employment standards complaints are resolved within six months.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A statement of approach. He sets no target for complaint times and no cost.
What still needs checking
Would he set a target for how fast employment standards complaints are decided?
In the Bill 13 debate on March 31, 2026, Kooner criticized the 2026 budget for adding 7 percent to the cost of security services used by places of worship.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
A position on the budget. He does not say he would remove the tax.
What still needs checking
Would a Conservative government remove the provincial sales tax on security services?
Recorded votes where the legislature names him. A government program is listed only where a source names him, or as a government action when it does not.
Recorded vote, no
Voted no on the 2026 budget motion
The recorded vote index lists Kooner voting no on the budget motion.
Voted no on third reading of the freedom of information bill (Bill 9)
The recorded vote index lists Kooner voting no at second and third reading of Bill 9, and on two amendments moved by Gibson. He spoke against the bill on April 21.
Scope, limits and sources
The index records his votes. It does not describe the amendments.
The recorded vote index lists Kooner voting no on clause 2 of the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, the cabinet confidence clause he spoke against.
Voted no on third reading of the K'ómoks Treaty Act (Bill 20)
The recorded vote index lists Kooner voting yes on an amendment at second reading, then no at second reading on May 20 and at third reading on May 28, 2026.
Scope, limits and sources
The index records his votes. voche.me did not find a speech by him on the bill.
Voted no on second reading of Xavier’s law (Bill M226)
The recorded vote index lists Kooner voting no on this bill on reckless driving. In debate he said much of the conduct is already an offence and raised the 30-day suspension with no appeal.
Scope, limits and sources
The vote is listed at issue 122, the afternoon sitting of February 23.
Province funds the Queensborough bus for one more year
The Ministry of Education and Child Care gave New Westminster Schools $400,000 so the bus runs in some form for at least another year, according to the school district statement reported on April 13, 2026.
Scope, limits and sources
The report credits the board of education, city council and families. It does not name Kooner, so this is listed as a government action.
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
CBC News
Queensborough families protest end of the school bus
Quotes Kooner on the 2024 promise and reports he would raise the bus in the legislature.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. Official records establish decisions; campaign material establishes stated positions; reporting adds investigation and context. None alone establishes every claim.
Richmond News · Maria Rantanen · September 24, 2026
No campaign website of his own was found; stevekooner.ca shows only a contact page heading with no text to read, and stevekooner.com belongs to a real estate business with no link to him. His posts on X, Facebook and Instagram could not be read, because the pages show a sign-in screen or no post text. The Attorney General estimates debates (February 26 and March 2, 2026), the Bill 6, Bill 12, Bill 13 and Bill 16 committee debates and the Education estimates were read for his questions, not line by line. Votes come from the vote index; the transcripts of the votes were not opened. Bill M213 (2025) and its vote were not checked in the 2025 Hansard record. His law firm, degrees, awards and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award are the party’s own statements and were not checked against the Law Society or the awarding bodies. The party page label "Interim Conservative Party Leader" has no supporting source. No 2026 all-candidates meeting for Richmond-Queensborough was found. Other candidates in the district were not on the Elections BC list 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 2024 statement of votes, the legislature’s 2026 speech and vote indexes, 29 transcripts where he spoke, 20 Conservative caucus releases that quote or name him, the party candidate, team and platform pages, and reports from CBC News, Black Press Media, Richmond News and the Penticton Herald.
His commitments on this page come from what he said in the legislature and in caucus releases. No campaign website of his own was found. Sections with no entry record that voche.me found nothing on this date.
The caucus page says he was called to the bar in 2006 and started his own firm. In debate on March 3, 2026 he said he has been a lawyer for 19 and a half years.
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 Steve Kooner 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 Steve Kooner's page itself, answered directly rather than left blank.
Is this an official page for Steve Kooner?
No. This page is researched by voche.me from public sources, listed below, and is separate from Steve Kooner's own campaign.
What party is Steve Kooner running with?
Steve Kooner is running for MLA with Conservative Party of BC.
Does Steve Kooner currently hold public office?
Yes. Steve Kooner currently serves as MLA for Richmond-Queensborough.
How many sources does this Steve Kooner profile cite?
This profile lists 7 sourced references, each with the date voche.me checked it, in the Sources section below.
Why do some questions on Steve Kooner's page show no answer?
The "Questions & answers" section on this page lists questions voche.me would put to Steve Kooner 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 Steve Kooner 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.
