Photo: Ken Walker · CC BY-SA 2.5Courtenay—Alberni came down to 8,431 votes in 2021, closer than 67% of the country’s ridings
For local government, Qualicum Beach is a town. Who leads Qualicum Beach’s council isn’t on an open record: there’s no open list of councils in British Columbia. For federal votes, Qualicum Beach belongs to Courtenay—Alberni, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP); Gord Johns (New Democratic Party) holds it. Ladysmith-Oceanside is the riding Qualicum Beach votes in for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and its MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly, the provincial or territorial legislature) isn’t named here because no open list records the members.
What stands out in how Qualicum Beach is governed
A close federal race
In 2021 only 12.2 points separated first and second (Conservative Party of Canada) in Courtenay—Alberni, tighter than 67% of the 338 ridings. How Qualicum Beach has voted ↓
High federal turnout
Federal turnout in Courtenay—Alberni beat 66% of Canada’s ridings in 2021. The 2021 turnout ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Qualicum Beach, a town in British Columbia, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Regional parks, waste, rural areas’ services.
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
leg.bc.ca ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Regional services come through Nanaimo Regional District, whose board takes directors from Qualicum Beach’s council.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Qualicum Beach, from the most recent elections.
- 1Qualicum Beach councilTown
- 2Legislative Assembly of British ColumbiaLadysmith-Oceanside
- 3House of CommonsCourtenay—Alberni
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
When Qualicum Beach votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Qualicum Beach council | 17 October 2026 | 19 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of British Columbia | 19 October 2024 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
Provincially the last general election was on 19 October 2024, for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia; federally, on 28 April 2025. The council elected on 17 October 2026 serves until 19 October 2030, when Qualicum Beach council is chosen again. It is the third Saturday in October every four years, as the Local Government Act provides. This page stops at the 2021 vote: elections.ca keeps the 2025 counts under non-commercial terms.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Qualicum Beach votes in Ladysmith-Oceanside for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MLA.
MLA: see the legislature’s list
leg.bc.ca ↗Ladysmith-Oceanside takes in Qualicum Beach and elects its MLA to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
BC ridings: Elections BC 2023 electoral districts (Elections BC Open Data Licence)
The 2024 provincial election in Ladysmith-Oceanside
The riding turned out at 69%, above the provincial 58%. 2,047 votes separated Stephanie Higginson (BC NDP) from the runner-up (Conservative Party of BC) in Ladysmith-Oceanside in October 2024; the winner polled 41%.
BC 2024 results: Elections BC, Provincial Voting Results and Registered Voter Counts (Elections BC Open Data Licence)
Gord Johns represents Courtenay—Alberni in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Courtenay—Alberni · New Democratic Party · first elected 2015
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada20
- Conservative Party of Canada19
- New Democratic Party3
- Green Party of Canada1
As Wikidata records them.
From British Columbia come 43 MPs: 20 for the Liberal Party of Canada, 3 for the New Democratic Party, Gord Johns’s party.
The MP’s record
Gord Johns was first elected in 2015; the current Parliament is Gord Johns’ 4th. Had the 2021 ballots been cast in today’s Courtenay—Alberni, the New Democratic Party would have led with 43%; Gord Johns held it for them in 2025.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
Gord Johns kept Courtenay—Alberni for the New Democratic Party in 2021
Counts for Courtenay—Alberni within its 2013 boundaries, used in 2019 and 2021; the 2025 election ran on a new map.
In 2019, Gord Johns had won the same riding with 41%. Gord Johns won the 2021 race in Courtenay—Alberni for the New Democratic Party, polling 44% and beating Mary Lee (Conservative Party of Canada) by 8,431 votes.
All 6 candidates in Courtenay—Alberni, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gord Johns | New Democratic Party | 30,612 | 44.2% |
| Mary Lee | Conservative Party of Canada | 22,181 | 32.0% |
| Susan Farlinger | Liberal Party of Canada | 9,276 | 13.4% |
| Susanne Lawson | Green Party of Canada | 3,590 | 5.2% |
| Robert Eppich | People's Party of Canada | 3,467 | 5.0% |
| Barbara Biley | Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada | 124 | 0.2% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Having a say in how Qualicum Beach is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.bc.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Not on this page. Who controls the council by party (the open lists give none, and most Canadian councils sit without parties), budgets and band councils.
- Election results. Two maps are in play: the 2013 ridings, on which 2019 and 2021 were counted, and the 2023 ridings, onto which Elections Canada transposed the 2021 vote poll by poll.
- Which riding. A riding is listed when 5% or more of the place’s 2021 Census residents live in it; the largest share comes first.
- Who holds each seat. Who holds each seat is read from Wikidata, so a very recent change in the Commons may not appear yet.
Questions about how Qualicum Beach is run
Who is the MP for Qualicum Beach?
For Qualicum Beach, it’s Gord Johns (New Democratic Party), who holds Courtenay—Alberni.
Which party won Qualicum Beach in the 2021 federal election?
In 2021 it was Gord Johns (New Democratic Party), who represents Courtenay—Alberni still.
Who is the MLA for Qualicum Beach?
In October 2024 Stephanie Higginson (BC NDP) won Ladysmith-Oceanside; for the MLA today, see the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia’s list.
Who heads the council in Qualicum Beach?
Ask the municipality itself: Qualicum Beach, a town, isn’t on an open list of councils we can use.
Which regional body is Qualicum Beach part of?
Qualicum Beach is a member of the Nanaimo Regional District, whose board includes directors from Qualicum Beach’s council.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · BC ridings: Elections BC 2023 electoral districts (Elections BC Open Data Licence) · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026 · BC 2024 results: Elections BC, Provincial Voting Results and Registered Voter Counts (Elections BC Open Data Licence). Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).