Vancouver-Point Grey

Vancouver-Point Grey is a west-side riding that includes the University of British Columbia campus, the residential neighbourhoods of Point Grey and West Point Grey, and parts of Dunbar. The riding gained national attention in 2013 when NDP candidate David Eby defeated sitting Premier Christy Clark by 785 votes, making it one of the few instances in Canadian history where a premier lost their own seat despite their party winning re-election. Eby entered the 2017 election as the incumbent, having built a profile as the NDP's housing critic during a period of extraordinary real estate price escalation in Vancouver.

Candidates

David Eby (BC NDP) — A lawyer and former executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, Eby graduated from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in 2004 and worked at the Pivot Legal Society before leading the BCCLA from 2008 to 2012. He first ran in Vancouver-Point Grey in a 2011 by-election, finishing just 595 votes behind Christy Clark, before winning the seat in 2013. As opposition housing critic, he became one of the NDP's most prominent voices on real estate speculation and money laundering.

James Lombardi (BC Liberal Party) — Lombardi had served as head of global business development for Free The Children and as director of WE Day. He held a master's degree in international relations and global finance and a bachelor's degree in political science. During the campaign, he advocated for the introduction of ride-sharing legislation in British Columbia.

Amanda Konkin (BC Green Party) — Konkin held a master's degree in theatre studies from UBC, where she researched the work of Theatre for Living and their use of community dialogue to create evidence-based policy recommendations. She worked in the entertainment industry and was one of the producers of the transgender sitcom The Switch, which aired on OUTtv in 2016.

Brian Taylor ran as an Independent and David Stall represented Your Political Party of BC.

Local Issues

Housing affordability dominated political discourse in Vancouver-Point Grey throughout the 2013–2017 term. The riding includes some of Vancouver's most expensive residential real estate, and Eby had made headlines with his research into vacant properties, offshore ownership, and suspected money laundering through BC real estate. Zoning restrictions that limited much of the riding's residential land to single-family homes contributed to the affordability crisis by constraining supply in an area with high demand.

The presence of UBC added a distinct dimension to the riding's concerns. Student housing affordability was a pressing issue, with the Vancouver rental market growing increasingly competitive. UBC's Housing Action Plan aimed to build thousands of additional student housing beds, but progress was seen as slow relative to demand. Faculty and staff at the university also faced challenges finding affordable accommodation in the area.

Transportation infrastructure was another key concern, particularly the long-delayed extension of rapid transit to UBC. The university campus generates significant commuter traffic, and the reliance on bus service along Broadway and the 99 B-Line route led to chronic overcrowding. The provincial government's commitment to funding the Broadway Subway extension was a matter of debate during the campaign.