Stikine

Stikine is one of British Columbia's largest and most remote provincial ridings, covering an enormous expanse of the province's northwest interior. The riding includes the communities of Hazelton, Smithers, Burns Lake, Houston, and parts of the territory surrounding the Stikine River watershed. Roughly one in three voters in the riding identified as Indigenous, making it one of the most significant ridings in the province for First Nations political engagement. NDP MLA Doug Donaldson had held the seat since 2009, winning his second term in 2013, and entered the 2017 contest as the incumbent seeking a third mandate.

The riding's economy was heavily resource-dependent, with forestry, mining, and guide-outfitting forming the economic backbone. The vast distances between communities — often connected only by Highway 16 and secondary roads — meant that transportation, health care access, and government services were perennial concerns.

Candidates

Doug Donaldson (BC NDP) — Donaldson had lived in rural British Columbia for more than four decades by the time of the 2017 election. He held a Master of Arts in journalism and a Bachelor of Science in wildlife biology. Before entering provincial politics, he served as a Village of Hazelton councillor from 1999 to 2009. First elected as MLA in 2009, he was re-elected in 2013.

Wanda Good (BC Liberal Party) — Good served as deputy chief councillor of the Gitanyow First Nation and was a member of the Gitxsan people. She was a leading advocate for improved bus service in the Highway 16 corridor and expressed support for LNG development while emphasizing that environmental protection remained a top priority.

Rod Taylor (Christian Heritage Party of B.C.) — Taylor was the leader of both the federal and provincial wings of the Christian Heritage Party. Based in Telkwa, he served as the provincial party's interim leader while already holding the federal leadership. Taylor was a recurring candidate in the riding.

Local Issues

Transportation and bus service along Highway 16 were among the most urgent issues facing Stikine residents. The lack of regular, affordable intercity bus service connecting remote communities along the highway corridor was both a safety concern — given the highway's tragic association with missing and murdered Indigenous women — and an economic barrier for residents who needed to travel for medical appointments, employment, and essential services. The BC government had initiated a Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan, but implementation of new transit connections remained incomplete heading into the election.

Forestry sector challenges affected communities throughout the riding. Mill closures, reduced harvests, and the mountain pine beetle epidemic's lasting effects on timber supply had eroded the economic base of towns like Houston and Burns Lake. Residents looked to the provincial government for policies that would support value-added forestry, reforestation efforts, and diversification of the local economy.

First Nations reconciliation and resource development were closely intertwined issues in a riding where Indigenous communities formed a large proportion of the electorate. The future of LNG development, mining projects, and forestry operations all depended on consultation and accommodation with First Nations, whose traditional territories spanned the riding. Both Donaldson and Good — the latter herself a Gitxsan leader — spoke to the need to balance economic development with environmental stewardship and Indigenous rights.