Cariboo—Chilcotin

Cariboo—Chilcotin is one of British Columbia’s largest and most rural ridings, stretching from the ranching country around Williams Lake and 100 Mile House westward through the vast Chilcotin Plateau to the approaches of the Coast Mountains. The economy is grounded in forestry, ranching, mining, and tourism, and the riding’s small, dispersed communities depend heavily on natural resource industries. In the 2013 election, incumbent Donna Barnett won re-election with a strong majority, reflecting the riding’s long history of favouring the BC Liberals and their predecessor Social Credit Party. Barnett, a former mayor of the District of 100 Mile House, had deep ties to the region’s communities.

Candidates

Donna Barnett (BC Liberal Party) — Barnett was the incumbent MLA, first elected in 2009. A self-employed business owner and realtor, she had served as mayor of the District of 100 Mile House from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1996 to 2008, accumulating over 35 years of community involvement. She was appointed Minister of State for Rural Economic Development in 2016 and was a recipient of the BC Government Community Achievement Award and the Women in Resource Communities Woman of the Year Award.

Sally Watson (BC NDP) — Watson was the longtime Area E director for the Thompson Nicola Regional District and a Canada Post mail carrier in 70 Mile House. She also served as a Director of Northern Development and sat on the board of the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition. Her campaign focused on establishing sustainable local jobs, securing care for seniors, and working with First Nations on treaty negotiations and cultural education.

Rita Helen Giesbrecht (BC Green Party) — Giesbrecht was a resident of 108 Mile Ranch who carried the Green banner in a riding where the party historically received a small share of the vote.

Local Issues

Forestry and the aftermath of the mountain pine beetle epidemic were the defining economic issues in Cariboo—Chilcotin. The beetle had devastated millions of hectares of lodgepole pine across the BC Interior, and by 2017 the Cariboo region was grappling with declining timber supply, reduced annual allowable cut, and the economic fallout of mill curtailments. Williams Lake’s economy depended heavily on the forest sector, with the timber supply area representing one of the largest in the province. The transition away from beetle-killed timber toward second-growth forests and economic diversification was a major concern for workers and communities.

Wildfires had become an escalating threat. Residents were well aware of the increasing fire risk posed by the vast tracts of dead pine and changing climate conditions. Fire preparedness, community protection, and the management of fire-damaged landscapes were topics of discussion during the campaign.

Access to healthcare and seniors’ care in rural communities was a persistent challenge. Residents of small towns like 100 Mile House, Alexis Creek, and Anahim Lake faced long distances to reach hospitals or specialist care, and physician recruitment in rural areas lagged behind urban centres. The NDP candidate’s emphasis on ensuring adequate staffing in care homes reflected a real anxiety among the riding’s aging population about the availability of close-to-home health services.