The recent provincial elections in BC and New Brunswick sent a record number of women MLAs to their legislatures. As Women’s History Month unfolds, Canada is witnessing significant milestones in political representation, said Equal Voice, which is continuing its efforts to support women and gender-diverse people in entering politics. Across British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan, over 200 women and gender-diverse candidates have been on the ballot, a promising sign of progress in gender representation.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

OTTAWA – The recent provincial elections in BC and New Brunswick sent a record number of women MLAs to their legislatures.

As Women’s History Month unfolds, Canada is witnessing significant milestones in political representation, said Equal Voice, which is continuing its efforts to support women and gender-diverse people in entering politics. 

Across British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan, over 200 women and gender-diverse candidates have been on the ballot, a promising sign of progress in gender representation.

Recent elections saw a major shift in Canada’s political landscape as both British Columbia and New Brunswick send record numbers of women to their legislatures. In British Columbia, both the Conservative Party and the NDP have achieved gender parity in their candidate slates, with women making up at least 40% of their candidates. 

Meanwhile, New Brunswick has made history by electing its first woman premier and surpassing the critical mass milestone, with women now making up more than 30% of the provincial legislature.

 “These are major victories for women and gender-diverse people in Canadian politics, however, our work is far from over,” said Chi Nguyen, Executive Director of Equal Voice. “Despite these positive developments, Canada has recently dropped to 67th place globally for gender representation in our federal legislature. As discussions around a potential early federal election continue, it is more important than ever for political parties to ensure their slates of candidates reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.”

With one more provincial election on the horizon this Monday, all eyes are on Saskatchewan to see if more women will continue to make history. Over the past few years, Equal Voice has focused on preparing candidates and their teams through its campaign schools, which are designed to equip participants with the skills and strategies necessary for not just running campaigns but leading them to success.

“As we celebrate these victories, Equal Voice remains committed to ensuring that progress continues, and we encourage all parties to work toward greater gender parity in their nominations ahead of the next federal election,” said Chi Nguyen, Executive Director of Equal Voice.

About Equal Voice: Equal Voice is a registered charity dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics through research and education. Since 2001, Equal Voice has been at the forefront of advocating for equal representation of women and gender-diverse individuals in Canada’s Parliament, provincial and territorial legislatures, and municipal councils.