Former BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe named BC Green candidate in Saanich South
The BC Green Party has named Lisa Lapointe, who served as the province's chief coroner for more than a decade, as its candidate in the Saanich South riding on Vancouver Island.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on ctvnews.ca.
The BC Green Party named former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe as its candidate in the Saanich South riding on October 1, 2026. CTV News and The Canadian Press reported that BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan made the announcement the same day the party released its toxic drugs policy.
Lapointe served as British Columbia's chief coroner from 2011 to 2022. In that role, she investigated deaths across the province and produced public reports on overdose deaths, a file that grew through her tenure as the province's drug poisoning crisis continued.
Lowan, according to the Canadian Press report, said the overdose crisis kills many British Columbians each day and that front-line workers carry the burden of a system that has not resolved the problem. Lowan said Lapointe and the party would "put an end to the failures" behind the crisis, which she said has killed thousands of people since BC declared a public health emergency in April 2016.
Lapointe, as reported by CTV News, said the crisis requires politicians willing to show leadership, and that voluntary treatment and regulated alternative drugs must be available. She said people who use drugs should have the same access to resources as anyone else.
Lapointe will run against BC NDP candidate Richard Zussman, a former television journalist who later worked as a lobbyist, and Conservative candidate Cathie Ounsted, who served on the Central Saanich Police Board and on the board of the Victoria Airport Authority, according to the Canadian Press report. Saanich South is a riding on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.
The BC Green Party runs candidates across British Columbia in the October 24 election. The party's page is at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party.
Nominations for the October 24 election close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. The full list of confirmed candidates in Saanich South and every other riding will be available at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates after that deadline.
Questions this story answers
Who is Lisa Lapointe?
Lisa Lapointe served as British Columbia's chief coroner from 2011 to 2022. In that role, she oversaw investigations into deaths across the province, including thousands connected to the overdose crisis. As chief coroner, she regularly reported publicly on overdose death statistics and called for a public health response to drug deaths. She has now been named the BC Green Party candidate in the Saanich South riding on Vancouver Island for the October 24, 2026 provincial election.
What riding is Lisa Lapointe running in?
Lisa Lapointe is running in Saanich South, a riding on Vancouver Island. The BC NDP candidate in the same riding is Richard Zussman, a former television journalist. The BC Green Party named Lapointe as its candidate on October 1, 2026, the day Emily Lowan announced the party's toxic drugs policy.
Why did the BC Greens announce Lapointe's candidacy alongside a drugs policy?
According to CTV News, BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan made the announcement on the same day the party unveiled its toxic drugs policy. Lowan said the overdose crisis kills many British Columbians each day and that front-line workers bear the burden of a system that has not solved the problem. Lapointe's background investigating overdose deaths made her a visible choice for this announcement, according to the report by The Canadian Press.
What did Lisa Lapointe say about the overdose crisis?
CTV News reported that Lapointe said the crisis can only be solved when politicians show leadership, when voluntary treatment and regulated alternative drugs are available, and when people who use drugs have the same access to resources as anyone else. These are the positions she is running on as the BC Green Party candidate in Saanich South.
Who else is running in Saanich South?
CTV News reported that the BC NDP has nominated Richard Zussman, a former television journalist who later worked as a lobbyist, in Saanich South. The Conservative Party has nominated Cathie Ounsted, who served on the Central Saanich Police Board and on the board of the Victoria Airport Authority, according to the same report. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m., so the full list may grow.
Is Lisa Lapointe already on the candidate list for this election?
As of October 2, 2026, Lisa Lapointe's name does not yet appear in the official Elections BC candidate register for the Saanich South riding. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time, so candidates named this week may not appear in the full official list until after that deadline passes.
When was this candidacy announced?
The BC Green Party announced Lisa Lapointe as its candidate in Saanich South on October 1, 2026. CTV News and The Canadian Press reported the announcement the same day. Emily Lowan, the BC Green Party leader, made the announcement as part of the party's toxic drugs platform release.
Where can I find more information about the BC provincial election candidates?
You can see the list of candidates registered so far at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates. Nominations close October 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific time, after which the full list of candidates running in each of the 93 ridings will be confirmed. Voting day is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21.
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