Women dominate civic election results in Sea-to-Sky Corridor

WHISTLER (NEWS1130) – According to CivicInfo BC, election results from Saturday suggest that for almost every two men elected to office, one woman was elected.

However, municipalities along the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, namely Whistler, Pemberton, and Squamish, saw women gain notable mayoral and councillor positions.

Whistler re-elected Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, who became its first female mayor when she was elected in 2011. Squamish elected Mayor Patricia Heintzman.

Both councils for Whistler and Pemberton now have a majority of female councillors.

Wilhelm-Morden says it’s a milestone for those cities. “For the very first time we’ve got a majority of women on the Whistler and Pemberton councils. What we’ve seen in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor is what I like to call the rise of girl power.”

Morden adds the results could bring BC closer to the Canadian Federation of Municipalities’ target for the number of women in politics.

“The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has set a target of 30 per cent of representatives being female. I don’t think we’re quite there across the country. With this last election here in British Columbia, though, it may be that — and I’m hopeful that — the percentage of female representatives has increased.”

Morden thinks having a majority of women on Whistler’s council is a positive change.

“In my experience, women bring a different perspective to the table. In many cases, they’re mothers, they’re wives and women tend to work collaboratively together as well.”

Across the province, less than 30 per cent of mayors elected were women. There were more women elected to council positions, however, as just under 40 percent of councillors were female.