BC NDP names Jesse Gervais as candidate for Nechako Lakes
The BC NDP has nominated Jesse Gervais, Director of Community Services for the District of Fraser Lake, to run in the Nechako Lakes riding for the October 24 provincial election.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on ckpgtoday.ca.
The BC NDP announced Jesse Gervais as its candidate for the Nechako Lakes riding on September 29, 2026, according to CKPG Today. Voting day is October 24.
Gervais currently serves as Director of Community Services and Deputy Corporate Officer for the District of Fraser Lake. He grew up in northern BC, left for a period, and returned to the region three years ago to be closer to family and find work.
His background is in rural development. He has worked with federal, provincial, and local governments on rural policy and community services.
"We haven't seen much of our MLA in the last several years, and it's noticed on the ground and people are pretty upset about it. I want to be the guy who shows up," he told CKPG Today.
The riding
Nechako Lakes has been represented by John Rustad since 2009. Rustad led the BC Conservative caucus in the last legislature. He has announced he will not seek re-election in October, leaving an open seat for the first time in 16 years.
As of September 29, CKPG Today reported Gervais as the only declared candidate in the riding. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time, so additional candidates may still register before then. The riding covers a large part of north-central BC, including the towns of Fort St. James, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, and Fraser Lake, where Gervais works.
Gervais's stated priorities
CKPG Today listed four areas Gervais says he will focus on: economic diversification for communities that have relied on forestry, protecting rural health-care services, adequate resources for schools, and highway and transportation maintenance. He says local presence matters to him.
"I want to be the guy who shows up," he told CKPG Today.
He has not released a detailed costed plan. As a nomination candidate, his positions represent his own campaign commitments, not adopted BC NDP policy, until the party endorses them.
What voters in Nechako Lakes can do
Voters in Nechako Lakes can read Jesse Gervais's candidate profile at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/jesse-gervais. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Nominations close October 3 at 1 p.m. PT, after which Elections BC will publish the complete candidate list for the riding.
Questions this story answers
Who is Jesse Gervais?
Jesse Gervais is the BC NDP candidate for Nechako Lakes in the October 24, 2026 provincial election. He currently serves as Director of Community Services and Deputy Corporate Officer for the District of Fraser Lake. He grew up in northern BC, left the region, and returned three years ago. His background is in rural development, including work with federal, provincial, and local governments, according to CKPG Today.
Which riding is Jesse Gervais running in?
Jesse Gervais is running in the Nechako Lakes riding under the BC NDP banner. The riding has been represented by John Rustad since 2009. Rustad, who led the BC Conservatives in the last legislature, has announced he will not seek re-election in the October 24, 2026 election, according to CKPG Today.
What are Jesse Gervais's campaign priorities?
According to CKPG Today, Gervais has identified four priorities: economic diversification for communities that have relied on forestry, protecting and maintaining rural health-care services, adequate resources for schools and education, and highway maintenance and transportation infrastructure. He has not published a detailed costed platform.
Who currently represents Nechako Lakes?
John Rustad has represented Nechako Lakes since 2009. Rustad led the BC Conservative caucus in the last legislature and announced he will not seek re-election in the October 24, 2026 provincial election, according to CKPG Today.
Is Jesse Gervais the only candidate in Nechako Lakes?
As of September 29, 2026, CKPG Today reported that Gervais was the only declared candidate for the Nechako Lakes riding. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time, so other candidates may register before then.
What is Jesse Gervais's work background?
Gervais currently serves as Director of Community Services and Deputy Corporate Officer for the District of Fraser Lake. He has a background in rural development and has worked with federal, provincial, and local governments, according to CKPG Today. He originally grew up in northern BC and returned to the region three years ago.
When is the BC provincial election?
Voting day for the BC provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs from October 16 to 21. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. You can find riding and candidate information at /bc/provincial-2026/news.
Where can I find more information about candidates in Nechako Lakes?
You can find Jesse Gervais's candidate profile at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/jesse-gervais. For the full list of candidates across all ridings as nominations close, visit /bc/provincial-2026/news. Elections BC lists all registered candidates once nominations close on October 3, 2026.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
Topics
More from voche.me
Adila Shaukat confirmed as BC NDP candidate in Chilliwack North
